Customs Compliance Director

A Customs Compliance Director oversees the shipment of goods into or out of a country. Working with Customer Service Representatives, government officials, and Transportation Managers, the Customs Compliance Director coordinates importing and exporting activities.

As a Customs Compliance Director, you may work for the government, a business selling goods, or a transportation company. No matter the employer, your tasks and duties are similar. Using your background in English, communication, business, and mathematics, you oversee all aspects of getting products through customs inspections.

For example, your company is shipping two million widgets to another country. Your responsibilities begin with tracking the inventory and filing the necessary paperwork with the receiving country. Next, you determine the amount of taxes, tariffs, and duties owed for the quantity and value of the merchandise.

If problems arise, you’re the one called to step in and represent your employer with customs officials. And finally, you’re also in charge of coordinating the transportation and storage of items that are imported to your company.

Excellent customer service and clerical skills, as well as attention to detail, are necessary for a Customs Compliance Director. The completion of required paperwork demands keen precision, as millions of dollars sometimes depend on properly completed compliance forms. To succeed as a Customs Compliance Director, you need general knowledge of shipping and receiving, along with import/export laws. Knowing you’re the link between goods from another country and consumers in yours keeps you interested and pushing through the sometimes stressful environment.