US Customs Compliance Manager

About the Role

Establish and execute the North American customs and trade compliance strategy to ensure compliance with U.S., Canadian, and Mexican customs regulations while optimizing the company's duty, tariff, and free trade agreement position. This leadership role oversees USMCA qualification, regional trade programs, customs compliance governance, import/export controls, duty recovery initiatives, and regulatory risk management across a complex automotive supply chain. The manager serves as a key subject matter expert and strategic advisor on USMCA, customs valuation, tariff mitigation, automotive rules of origin, duty optimization, and emerging trade regulations.

Partner with executive leadership, Finance, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Engineering, Tax, Legal, and Supply Chain organizations to assess the impact of sourcing, product development, and trade policy changes on the company's financial performance and regulatory compliance. Provide strategic leadership for customs compliance programs, government relations activities, external audits, regulatory inquiries, and trade transformation initiatives while leading a team of customs and trade professionals responsible for ensuring compliance across North American operations.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Governance
  • Provide direction and help develop the company's North American customs, tariff, and USMCA compliance strategy
  • Maintain and expand governance frameworks, internal controls, and compliance monitoring processes to ensure adherence to customs regulations and free trade agreement requirements
  • Serve as a key advisor to senior leadership regarding customs, trade compliance, tariff exposure, and regulatory risk
  • Monitor emerging trade legislation, tariff actions, free trade agreement negotiations, and regulatory developments; develop executive recommendations and mitigation strategies
• Rules of Origin Strategy
  • Provide strategic oversight of USMCA qualification for vehicles, powertrains, batteries, and component supply chains
  • Lead reviews of sourcing changes, product programs, supplier resourcing decisions, and engineering changes that may impact origin qualification or compliance
  • Assist teams in developing long-term strategies to improve regional content and maintain compliance under evolving USMCA requirements
• Tariff Optimization & Duty Recovery
  • Lead strategies to minimize customs duties, tariffs, and regulatory costs through utilization of:
    • USMCA and other Foreign Trade Agreements (FTA)
    • Reconciliation Programs
    • Preferential Duty Programs
  • Oversee duty recovery initiatives and identify opportunities to reduce landed costs and improve financial performance
  • Assess financial implications of trade policy changes, tariff actions, and supply chain shifts and communicate impacts to executive leadership
• Trade Compliance Risk Management
  • Work with team to provide customs risk assessments and compliance reviews
  • Provide subject matter knowledge for responses to customs audits, regulatory examinations, government inquiries, and enforcement actions
  • Partner with Legal and Internal Audit on compliance investigations and risk mitigation activities
• Government Relations & External Engagement
  • Serve as a key representative with:
    • U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
    • Trade associations and industry working groups
• Team Leadership
  • Lead and develop a team of customs, USMCA, and trade compliance professionals
  • Establish organizational capabilities, training programs, and talent development initiatives
  • Foster a culture of compliance, continuous improvement, and operational excellence

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain, Economics, International Trade, Engineering, or related discipline
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in customs, international trade, USMCA administration, trade compliance, or related disciplines
• Minimum of 3 years of leadership experience managing customs, trade compliance, or international trade functions
• Demonstrated expertise in:
  • Rules of origin for manufactured products
  • Customs valuation
  • Tariff classification
  • Duty minimization strategies
• Experience leading cross-functional strategic initiatives with significant financial and operational impact

Preferred Qualifications

• USMCA qualification experience
• Government audits and compliance programs experience
• Master's Degree (MBA, MS, JD, or related field)
• Licensed U.S. Customs Broker
• Certified Customs Specialist (CCS), Certified Export Specialist (CES), or equivalent trade certification
• Automotive OEM or Tier 1 supplier experience
• Experience managing large-scale USMCA qualification programs and automotive origin calculations
• Experience working directly with CBP or other government regulatory agencies
• Knowledge of advanced trade compliance technology platforms, customs automation, and data analytics tools
• Proven success influencing executive-level decisions and leading complex global initiatives
• Experience aligning customs compliance with various IT systems

Benefits

• Comprehensive Health & Well-being Coverage
  • Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage from day one
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering confidential support for personal and professional challenges
• Family Building Benefits
  • Support for fertility and infertility treatments, adoption services, and gestational surrogacy
• Generous Paid Time Off
  • 17+ paid holidays, including shut-down from December 24th through New Year’s Day
  • Vacation, float & wellbeing days, sick time, and fully paid parental leave
• Competitive Retirement Savings Plans
  • Employer match on contributions to 401k, Roth, and Catch-Up plans
  • Employer contribution, even if you don’t contribute
• Income Protection & Insurance Options
  • Employer-provided and voluntary life insurance, group accident, critical illness, etc.
• Company Vehicle Lease Program
  • Eligible employees and their immediate families can participate in the company vehicle lease program, including insurance, maintenance, and unlimited miles
  • Exclusive discounts on Stellantis products
• Support for Growth and Giving Back
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Student loan refinancing programs
  • 18 paid volunteer hours each year