Senior Customs Modernization & Valuation Advisor

About the role

KIBO is a registered United States company dedicated to providing governments worldwide its services of inspection, analysis, certification, and compliance. The Customs & Valuation Subject-Matter Expert provides the domain authority behind the service — spanning customs practice and international best practice, customs valuation, tariff classification and origin, and risk-analysis practice — and ensures KIBO's methods align with recognized customs standards.

Responsibilities

• Customs practice & best practice: Serve as the authority on modern customs procedure and international best practice — declaration processing, clearance, controls and trade facilitation — benchmarked against WCO instruments and WTO trade-facilitation norms, and advise how the service reflects and reinforces good practice.
• Procedure & controls guidance: Advise on customs procedures, controls and clearance workflows, and on how KIBO's verification and inspection activities fit within them without disrupting legitimate trade.
• Valuation methodology: Own the price-verification methodology under the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation and the Article VII (GATT 1994) hierarchy, and ensure outputs are technically sound and defensible.
• Classification & origin: Advise on tariff (HS) classification and origin determination as they bear on risk and valuation.
• Risk-management practice: Guide risk-rule design and prioritization so the risk assessment reflects sound customs practice, and advise on the review workflow with the customs administration.
• Programmed coordination: Map other customs-modernization activities in Haiti (including EU- and World Bank-supported programs) and coordinate so KIBO's service avoids duplication and aligns with wider efforts.
• Training design: Design and help deliver training for customs officials on customs procedure and best practice, verification, valuation, risk and inspection.
• Advisory posture: Advise the team while recognizing that final customs decisions rest with the customs administration.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in customs administration, customs modernization, trade facilitation, customs valuation, tariff classification, origin, or related international trade advisory work.
• Deep practical knowledge of customs procedure and international best practice, including declaration processing, clearance workflows, controls, post-clearance review, inspection practices, and trade facilitation.
• Strong command of the WTO Customs Valuation framework, including the GATT Article VII valuation hierarchy, and the ability to apply valuation principles in real operating environments.
• Working knowledge of WCO instruments and international standards, including the Revised Kyoto Convention, SAFE Framework, and WTO trade-facilitation norms.
• Strong understanding of HS classification, rules of origin, customs risk management, and how valuation, classification, and origin affect revenue and enforcement risk.
• Experience applying, benchmarking, or improving customs procedures and controls in operational customs environments.
• Ability to translate complex customs and valuation concepts into clear, practical guidance for analysts, engineers, program leaders, customs officials, and other non-specialist stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing guidance, training materials, technical notes, or advisory briefings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior advisory work with a national customs administration or customs-modernization program.
• Experience benchmarking or reforming customs procedures against WCO, WTO, or other international standards.
• Experience coordinating with EU, World Bank, IMF, WCO, IDB, or other multilateral customs-reform or trade-facilitation programs.
• Familiarity with ASYCUDA/SYDONIA or other customs declaration and clearance systems.
• Regional experience in Haiti, the Caribbean, or Latin America.
• Working French or Haitian-Creole language skills.

What Success Looks Like in Your First Few Months

During your first few months, you will confirm the price-verification methodology and the risk-practice framework and brief the analysis team, complete a landscape review of related customs initiatives and an alignment approach, and shape training content for customs officials ahead of inspection getting under way.

Reporting and Working Relationships

Advises the Engagement / Delivery Lead and the Senior Data Scientist on method; coordinates with the Field-Operations Lead on inspection practice; interfaces with counterparts on related programs. Advisory only — final decisions rest with the customs administration.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package.
• High-impact, mission-driven work supporting the modernization of a national customs administration.
• The opportunity to help design a platform with long-term economic, operational, and public-sector impact.
• A collaborative, multidisciplinary team of customs, technology, data, and engineering specialists.
• Significant ownership and influence during a critical program build-out phase.
• Opportunities for professional growth as the platform and program expand.