Customs Manager

Job Description

Customs Manager

Lead Customs Excellence. Drive Compliance. Elevate Customer Experience.

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Customs Manager to lead our customs brokerage operations and drive best-in-class service, compliance, and team performance.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for a customs professional who thrives in a fast-paced logistics environment and brings deep expertise in customs regulations, operational execution, customer service, and people leadership.

As Customs Manager, you will be responsible for the overall performance of the customs brokerage function, ensuring accurate, timely, and fully compliant customs clearance while delivering exceptional service to our customers. You will lead a team of customs professionals, oversee daily operations, resolve complex customs challenges, manage compliance risk, and build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

This role requires a strong technical understanding of customs brokerage, tariff classification, valuation, regulatory compliance, trade programs, and cross-border operations, combined with the leadership skills needed to mentor teams, improve workflows, and support business growth.

If you are a hands-on leader who understands both the operational and commercial side of customs brokerage—and are passionate about developing people, solving problems, and delivering exceptional customer outcomes—we want to hear from you.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

Operational Leadership

• Lead and oversee day-to-day customs brokerage operations to ensure smooth, accurate, and timely shipment clearance
• Ensure all customs transactions are processed in compliance with company SOPs, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations
• Monitor operational performance, productivity, service levels, and workflow efficiency
• Resolve complex shipment issues, customs holds, documentation discrepancies, and operational escalations
• Drive consistency, accountability, and execution excellence across the customs team
• Implement contingency planning and business continuity processes

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure full compliance with applicable customs laws, regulations, and trade requirements
• Oversee customs processes including tariff classification, valuation, origin determination, documentation review, and regulatory filings
• Lead internal audits, quality reviews, and compliance monitoring
• Investigate operational errors, compliance gaps, and service failures, implementing corrective actions
• Manage customs audit support, penalty mitigation, regulatory inquiries, and exception handling
• Stay current on evolving customs legislation, compliance programs, and trade requirements

Customer Experience & Client Partnership

• Foster a culture of proactive, responsive, and service-driven customer support
• Act as senior escalation point for customer customs and clearance issues
• Build strong customer relationships through operational excellence and problem resolution
• Lead customer review meetings, KPI discussions, and service improvement initiatives
• Support onboarding of new clients and operational implementation activities
• Partner with internal commercial and operational teams to enhance customer outcomes

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop customs brokerage staff to achieve high performance
• Conduct workforce planning, staffing allocation, and productivity management
• Support recruitment, onboarding, technical training, and employee development
• Conduct performance reviews and ongoing coaching
• Build a collaborative, accountable, and engaged team environment
• Ensure effective cross-training and succession planning

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor KPIs, service metrics, compliance performance, and operational trends
• Identify workflow improvement opportunities and implement process enhancements
• Drive quality assurance initiatives and operational best practices
• Prepare operational reporting for leadership and customer review

What We’re Looking For

• 7+ years of customs brokerage / trade compliance experience
• Previous leadership experience managing customs teams
• Strong knowledge of customs regulations, tariff classification, valuation, and import/export compliance
• Experience in freight forwarding, customs brokerage, or international logistics
• Proven ability to lead high-performing teams in fast-paced environments
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and customer management skills
• Experience with CargoWise or similar brokerage/logistics platforms preferred
• Licensed Customs Broker designation considered a strong asset

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to join a growing organization where your leadership will directly shape operational performance, customer satisfaction, and team success. If you’re looking for a role where you can make a real impact while leading a high-performing customs operation, we’d love to connect.

Exemption Type Exempt (Salaried) Job Requirements

• Degree or Diploma
• 7+ years of managerial experience in forwarding, shipping, and documentation in the logistics space
• Competent in IT systems, e.g., SAP and other in-house logistics systems
• Competent in Microsoft
• Strong Leadership skills
• Good communication and Problem- Solving skills
• Positive and Can-Do attitude