About Umicore
Powering the cars of today and tomorrow. Reducing harmful emissions. Giving unique properties to high-end applications. Giving new life to used metals. As a global advanced materials and recycling group, we develop, produce, and recycle materials for a better life.
About Corporate Functions
A global organisation. It’s not just those in our industrial sites and technical centres that are vital to Umicore’s growth. Across our corporate functions we ensure that we continue to grow and evolve – whether it’s by making sure our decisions are commercially viable, enhancing our reputation, building new customer relationships or finding the right people who can build on what we’ve already achieved. The variety of our work means we cannot stand still. We need to find new ways to do things, discover new solutions and develop new ideas. Which is where you come in.
What you will be doing
As Head of Global Customs Compliance, you are the authoritative voice on customs matters across Umicore's global operations. Reporting directly to the Director of Transport & Trade Compliance, you will define, govern, and continuously improve Umicore's global customs compliance framework, spanning classification, valuation, origin, procedures, and duty management. You will provide deep technical expertise to regional teams and ensure that customs compliance is managed consistently, proactively, and efficiently across all regions.
This is a key role in shaping and elevating Umicore's customs capability, strengthening the team, building deep expertise across each customs pillar, and embedding a robust global customs framework that delivers both compliance assurance and tangible cost optimisation.
The role can be based in our office in Brussels or Hoboken in Belgium with regular presence on both locations.
Responsibilities:
- Customs Framework Governance & Policy Ownership: Define, maintain, and continuously improve the global customs compliance framework: policies, standard operating procedures, classification databases, valuation standards, and origin determination procedures. Establish and govern global customs standards for each pillar: Classification, Valuation, Origin, Procedures, and Duty Management. Conduct periodic reviews and updates in response to regulatory changes, audit findings, and business evolution. Own the customs risk assessment methodology and ensure the framework serves as the single source of truth for regional execution.
- Technical Customs Expertise & Advisory: Serve as Umicore's primary customs subject matter expert, providing authoritative technical guidance on complex matters such as intercompany valuation (transfer pricing interface), tariff classification, preferential origin calculations, and customs procedure selection. Validate customs positions taken by regional teams and ensure consistency with the global framework. Support authority engagement including Binding Tariff Information (BTI) applications, AEO/trusted trader programmes, and advance rulings.
- Audit Preparedness & Support: Develop global customs audit-readiness standards and self-assessment tools. Provide technical support during customs audits across regions, particularly on valuation methodology, classification defence, and origin documentation. Ensure audit findings and lessons learned are codified, shared across regions, and incorporated into the global framework. Coordinate with the Head of Global Trade Compliance Operations on resource mobilisation during audit periods.
- Team Leadership & Capability Building: Lead and further develop the Global Customs team. Sharpen roles, set performance objectives, and develop the team's technical capabilities across all customs pillars. Deliver customs training programmes for regional teams and Business Units, fostering a culture of customs excellence and continuous professional development.
- Digitalisation, Data & Customs Cost Optimisation: Define customs business requirements for the Global Trade Management (GTM) system, including classification modules, valuation workflows, origin calculations, and reporting. Oversee customs data quality, reporting accuracy, and analytics capability. Drive customs cost optimisation by identifying and quantifying duty savings opportunities across regions through preferential origin, customs procedures (inward/outward processing, bonded warehousing), and correct classification. Develop and track customs KPIs and drive continuous process improvement across regions.
Who we are looking for
Requirements:
- 10+ years of experience in customs compliance, with deep technical expertise in at least two customs pillars (classification, valuation, origin, procedures, or duty management). Experience gained in a multinational corporate environment and/or a specialised customs or trade compliance consultancy is equally valued.
- Master's degree in Business, Law, International Trade, Supply Chain, or a related discipline.
- In-depth knowledge of international customs regulations: EU Union Customs Code (UCC), US Harmonised Tariff Schedule / CBP regulations, WTO Customs Valuation Agreement, and relevant APAC customs frameworks.
- Experience with customs audit management and authority engagement (BTI, AEO, advance rulings).
- Experience with customs cost optimisation and duty management strategies.
- Familiarity with trade compliance management systems (e.g., SAP GTS, AEB, or similar).
- Knowledge of customs operations in the context of specialty materials, precious metals, or recycled materials is a strong plus.
- Deep customs subject matter credibility, able to command respect from regional teams, business stakeholders, and external authorities as the authoritative customs voice.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to translate complex customs regulations into pragmatic business guidance and cost-saving opportunities.
- Strong leadership skills, with the ability to develop deep technical talent and elevate team performance.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, comfortable advising senior management, engaging with customs authorities, and presenting complex customs positions.
- Rigorous and detail-oriented: customs compliance demands precision in classification, valuation, and origin determinations.
- Proactive and forward-looking: you anticipate regulatory changes and their business impact before they arrive.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, collaborative and effective in a matrix organisation.
- Performance and results oriented with a continuous improvement mindset.
- Excellent verbal and written knowledge of English. French and/or Dutch is an asset.
- You take ownership with a hands-on, flexible, and problem-solving mindset, communicate openly as a team player, and demonstrate exemplary behaviour towards ethics and integrity. You are available to travel globally.
What we offer
We aim to lead the way. Not just for our customers, but for our employees too. That is why we strive to create a collaborative environment in which we can all succeed, and a culture through which we can all share ideas, develop our expertise and advance our careers. We engage in building an inclusive work culture that offers equal opportunities for all employees irrespective of their diverse backgrounds. As you would expect from a world-leading organisation, we will also reward your contribution with a competitive salary and benefits. With all this and more, imagine what you could do?
IF WE CAN BECOME A WORLD LEADER IN RECYCLING AND CLEAN MOBILITY, IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD DO?
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