Senior Director Customs Compliance

Leads the global customs compliance function, ensuring full compliance with relevant customs legislation while streamlining processes and procedures for maximum efficiency. It is responsible for a global annual duty cost of EUR1.4bn and supports the operation of customs processes globally, identifying and implementing best practice. The role manages or supports Global Customs involvement in supply chain and technology projects as necessary.

• Manage global customs functional teams and maintain relationships with local customs teams, ensuring efficient and compliant operations and high standards in tariff classification, preferential duties, customs valuation, audits, legal disputes and customs product development.
• Review duty paid by country and identify opportunities to mitigate or delay costs, prioritising the top 10 countries by annual duty paid.
• Manage customs risks in valuation, preference and classification, maintain the customs risk register and report to the Board, support global customs audits, and manage active audits and legal disputes, including a network of external attorneys
• Ensuring audits are properly managed and fully supported by all functions.
• Shape, build and optimise customs processes across all functions to reduce costs while ensuring full compliance with relevant governmental regulations.
• Support markets in obtaining and retaining supply chain security status such as AEO and C-TPAT, and implement measures to maintain adidas's AEO status.
• Ensure master customs manuals detailing processes, procedures and controls are maintained and local versions are rolled out, and review breaches of supply chain security arrangements to identify global implications.
• Conduct compliance reviews with local operation teams to support continuous improvement and best practice, provide performance feedback to Market Heads, and offer customs technical expertise to markets globally
• Particularly on supply chain security accreditations and broker selection and management.
• Manage preference claims (circa EUR500m savings per annum) and liaise with Sourcing on allocation strategies.
• Lead ad hoc projects, managing project materials, research, schedules, reports, minutes and stakeholder updates to ensure successful and on-time completion.
• Represent adidas on International Trade and Customs committees to ensure the Group has advance information on potential developments.

• In-depth knowledge of global customs legislation on valuation, classification, special trade programmes, customs procedures and supply chain security.
• Experience of stakeholder management, including up to Board level.
• Experience of completing compliance reviews.
• Experience of working within a global customs environment.
• Strong research, writing, communication and analytical skills.
• Experience of negotiating with customs authorities globally.
• Experience of managing and developing staff.
• Experience of supply chain operations.
• 10 years of relevant experience in customs-related functions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with all levels in a cross-cultural environment, both written and oral in English.
• Educated to university level or equivalent practical experience.
• Ability and willingness to travel is essential.

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