Manager Customs and Trade Compliance (m/w/d)

About Umicore

Reducing harmful vehicle emissions. Giving new life to used metals. Powering the cars of the future. As a global materials and technology group, we apply our specialist knowledge to offer materials and solutions that are essential to everyday life. We aim to be a clear world leader in materials for clean mobility and recycling and have turned our sustainability approach into an even greater competitive advantage. With ambitions like this, imagine what you could do?

 Purchasing and Transportation 

A global organization. It’s not just those in our industrial sites and technical centers that are vital to Umicore’s growth. Across our support 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

Manager Customs and Trade Compliance at Umicore AG&CO.KG assumes a critical role in ensuring strict adherence to customs, export control, and sanctions regulations for the assigned entities. Operating within the framework of German and European laws, he/she safeguards Umicore’s operations by overseeing trade compliance related to customs regulations, including import, export, preferential treatment, duty suspension, and free trade agreements. His/her focus is on leading a team of experts reporting into him/ her to achieve full trade and customs compliance for Umicore AG&CO.KG and keeping Umicore safe from fines, personal liabilities, and reputational damage along with preventing disruptions in the supply chain and optimizing operational costs.

Umicore keeps transforming at a fast speed due to an increasing complexity of processes, organization and trade flows, and so is the world. In recent years, trade compliance has grown to become increasingly intricate and crucial for businesses. Governments worldwide are progressively tightening regulations related to customs, export controls, and sanctions. Simultaneously, geopolitical dynamics—such as trade wars create a lot of uncertainty and imminent business risks. Regulators demand companies to demonstrate ethical and trade compliance practices. The essential integration of an internal compliance program (ICP) for export controls and sanctions at Umicore will further increase the impact and criticality of the role of the Manager Customs and Trade Compliance.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction in export control, sanctions and customs compliance with a strategic focus for Umicore AG&CO.KG
• Lead and develop the Trade Compliance team and operations based in Hanau (Germany)
• Engage in Trade Compliance transformation to a future proof department
• Represent Umicore  internally and externally and make sure Umicore’s interests are served in Export control and sanctions and Customs regulations for the assigned entities
• Export/ Import Compliance: Guaranteeing Umicore AG&CO.KG adherence to all applicable regulations and international sanctions, including Umicore’s specific policies related to military end-use and sensitive destinations
• Import Duty Savings: Mastering comprehensive knowledge of legal regulations, including free trade agreements, to achieve substantial reductions in import costs for the organization. Strategically set up and manage duty deviation schemes.
• Reputational Risk Management: Leading the way in identifying and strategically mitigating any risks associated with non-compliance, safeguarding Umicore from potential fines, legal liabilities, and reputational damage.
• Process Excellence: Implement efficient and cost-effective trade compliance processes (customs and export control and sanctions) within assigned BUs. Continuously optimize procedures to enhance operational effectiveness. Establish robust processes that ensure seamless trade flows.
• Trade Compliance Trend Monitoring: Ensure on-going awareness to global trends and understanding of their impact to the organization. provide strategic guidance to organization and management to prepare for upcoming regulations.
• Digital Transformation: active engagement in setting up robust Trade Compliance global system and any relevant digitalization efforts that enable efficient trade compliance function and support Umicore’s growth.
• Training and Awareness: Educating employees about compliance obligations. The Manager organizes and leads training sessions, communicates policy changes, and fosters a compliance-conscious culture to ensure ICP (Internal Compliance Program) highest standards are achieved.

We are looking for

• At least 8 - 10 years of relevant working experience in a similar environment
• Profound knowledge of the German and EU Customs and Trade regulations and procedures, and master in economics or law
• Fluent in German and English (spoken & written)
• Strong digital skills (ERPs, Trade Compliance Management Systems)
• Experience implementing strong compliance programs with high standards to comply with new trade regulations
• Strong people’s manager and an outstanding team player
• Excellent communicator and solutions finder
• Strong analytical skills
• Highly engaged, hands on and result oriented
• Resilient and easily manages ambiguity and change
• This position is located in our company in Hanau (Germany)

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 our pioneering approach can make us a leader in sustainability, IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD DO