Global Customs & Trade Compliance Executive

At GE Aerospace, we believe the world works better when it flies. We are a world-leading provider of jet engines, components, and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. Our relentless dedication to the future of safe and more sustainable flight is powered by talented people.

About the role

The Global Executive Customs & Trade Compliance Leader sets and executes the global strategy for customs operations, trade compliance, tariff management, and duty optimization across GE Aerospace. This role leads global risk management for export and import operations, oversees compliant execution of high-volume cross-border shipments, and ensures adherence to GE Aerospace Enterprise Standards and regulatory requirements in all regions. The leader owns a portfolio of significant annualized duty avoidance, savings, and refunds and is accountable for building a high-performing global organization, strengthening controls, enabling business growth, and protecting GE Aerospace’s license to operate.

The position leads a global operations team and functional experts across four regions (UK, EMEA, Americas, APAC), overseeing customs brokers, vendors, and site-level processes for approximately 150 locations and 150,000-200,000 shipments annually.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute GE Aerospace’s global customs and trade compliance strategy, including tariff management and special program optimization.
• Establish governance mechanisms (e.g., risk councils, operating reviews) and maintain a global risk assessment framework/methodology.
• Own global KPIs and reporting across risk indicators, Enterprise Standard conformance, audit outcomes, lead times, tariff exposure, and duty optimization results.
• Lead the global customs and trade compliance operations team across four regions (UK, EMEA, Americas, APAC).
• Provide executive oversight of classification, valuation, origin determination, special programs, and recordkeeping across approximately 150 sites.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance, Legal, Engineering, and business units to integrate customs/trade requirements end-to-end in alignment with control tower standards and strategy.
• Manage, develop, and control customs brokers and vendors globally, including selection, onboarding, contractual conformance, and performance management.
• Establish and maintain controls, standards, and operating procedures for brokerage activities to ensure consistent classification, valuation, documentation, and recordkeeping.
• Own and manage significant annualized duty avoidance, savings, and refunds through tariff management, trade programs, and special regimes.
• Lead tariff strategies (classification governance, origin planning, valuation strategies) and mitigate tariffs, trade remedies, and surcharges.
• Drive special program optimization (e.g., FTAs, duty drawback, inward/outward processing, bonded warehouses, foreign trade zones, Trusted Trader Programs).
• Lead the global HS classification program to improve governance, accuracy, and consistency.
• Provide executive oversight of global BPO provider programs supporting customs and trade compliance.
• Investigate compliance defects, identify root cause, and lead corrective actions to closure.
• Manage the government disclosure process including voluntary disclosures and related corrective actions.
• Lead global external audit preparation and execution; serve as escalation point for regulatory matters.
• Ensure Trusted Trader Program requirements (e.g., AEO, ISA, CTPAT-equivalent) are met and maintained globally.
• Lead export operations compliance globally, embedding export control requirements (licensing, screening, sanctions/embargo compliance, documentation, recordkeeping) into processes and systems.
• Assess complex/high-risk shipments and provide guidance while supporting delivery needs.
• Contribute to new engines, services, and contract negotiations by advising on customs/trade/tariff considerations.
• Lead policy/procedure management including global standards, work instructions, and internal controls.
• Lead training programs for customs/trade compliance, tariff management, and special program usage.
• Champion continuous improvement using lean principles and digital solutions to reduce lead time, improve quality, and enhance visibility/control.
• Lead, coach, and develop a global team (including four Region Leaders), building a high-performance, diverse, and inclusive organization.
• Own employee development including capability building, training, career development, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of integrity, accountability, learning, and continuous improvement; role model GE Aerospace behaviors/values with alignment to safety, quality, delivery, and cost priorities.
• Oversee customs brokers/vendors and site-level processes for ~150 locations and 150,000-200,000 imports annually.
• Ensure compliance and operations of Free Trade Zone (FTZ) operations.
• Lead business continuity efforts.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Law, International Trade, or related field from an accredited college or university.
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in customs, trade compliance, global logistics, or related operations roles.
• A minimum of 5 years of direct people leadership experience.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 10% based on business needs.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Business, Law, Supply Chain, or related discipline.
• 12+ years of experience in customs, trade compliance, global logistics, or related operations roles.
• Proven track record leading global or multi-regional teams and managing leaders of teams.
• Deep expertise in customs regulations, import/export requirements, tariff management, and global trade regimes across multiple jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale programs/initiatives, including risk and cost reduction.
• Professional certifications in customs or trade compliance (e.g., CCS, LCB, similar) or equivalent experience.
• Aerospace, industrial, or similarly regulated global industries experience.
• Experience leading duty optimization, tariff mitigation, and special program strategies with material financial impact.
• Experience managing external audits and voluntary disclosures with customs authorities.
• Experience using digital tools, data analytics, and dashboards to drive performance and risk reduction.
• Experience partnering with Supply Chain, Legal, Finance, IT, Engineering, and business leadership.

Skills

• Strategic leadership: Ability to set global vision, prioritize initiatives, and align stakeholders around execution.
• Risk management & compliance: Identify, assess, and mitigate customs, tariff, and trade compliance risks.
• Tariff & special program strategy: Design/implement global tariff management and special program optimization.
• People leadership & development: Lead/develop global teams and build succession pipelines.
• Executive communication: Strong written and verbal communication with senior leaders and regulators.
• Change management: Lead organizational change (new policies, tools, regulatory requirements).
• Continuous improvement: Use data/audits/feedback to drive simplification, standardization, and process improvement.
• Vendor & brokerage management: Manage/develop/control brokers/vendors to meet performance and compliance goals.
• Cross-functional influence: Influence peers and leaders outside own function; communicate complex plans in executive-friendly formats.

Benefits

• Healthcare benefits including medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Access to a Health Coach from GE Aerospace and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling, and referral services.
• Retirement benefits including the GE Aerospace Retirement Savings Plan, a 401(k) savings plan with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and planning consultants.
• Tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and paid time-off for vacation or illness.

This role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information. Therefore, employment will be contingent upon the ability to prove that you meet the status of a U.S. Person as one of the following: U.S. lawful permanent resident, U.S. Citizen, have been granted asylee or refugee status (i.e., a protected individual under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)). Relocation assistance provided.