Global Trade Compliance Operations Director

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 Enterprise 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 enterprise 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

We are currently looking for a Global Trade Compliance Operations Director to join Umicore and lead the Global Trade Compliance Operations team. Reporting to the Senior Director Transport and Trade Compliance, you are accountable for the execution of trade compliance activities that require regional and country-level presence. The role can be based in Brussels or Hoboken in Belgium.

You ensure that export controls, sanctions, and customs requirements are implemented consistently and effectively in all regions, with a strong focus on activities that depend on local regulatory knowledge, authority interaction, and proximity to operations.

You oversee regional and country-level execution of key activities including export licensing, authority communications, regulatory monitoring, and relationship management with authorities and licensing bodies, as well as the application of customs requirements and processes at local level. Through the Regional Managers, you ensure that these activities are carried out in line with global standards and aligned with Umicore’s Internal Compliance Program.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate the Global Trade Compliance Operations team, including Regional Managers across EMEA, North America, and APAC
• Ensure effective execution of export controls, sanctions, and customs activities at regional and country level, in line with global policies and standards
• Translate strategic priorities into clear operational plans and ensure consistent implementation across regions
• Establish and maintain a structured operational cadence, including regular alignment with Regional Managers and consolidated reporting
• Consolidate regional operational input into a single overview, highlighting key risks, priorities, and required actions
• Coordinate cross-regional operational topics such as audits, authority requests, licence renewals, regulatory changes, and customs-related matters
• Ensure that operational practices and processes are consistently applied across regions, while taking into account local regulatory requirements
• Act as a quality check for escalations, ensuring that topics are clearly documented, prioritised, and supported with recommendations
• Support resolution of cross-regional operational topics such as resource allocation, priorities, and timelines within the defined mandate
• Define, monitor, and report operational KPIs across regions, including audit readiness, licence management, screening timelines, customs performance, and overall compliance execution
• Monitor workload and resource allocation across regions and support adjustments where needed
• Ensure close alignment with the Global Export Controls and Sanctions team and the Global Customs team, translating global guidance into practical application in the regions while maintaining clear separation of roles and responsibilities.
• Ensure that feedback from the regions is captured and used to improve policies, procedures, and ways of working
• Support the operational readiness and implementation of strategic initiatives such as system roll-outs, process harmonisation, and governance changes

Who We Are Looking For:

• 10+  years of experience in trade compliance operations leadership role in a multinational environment
• Experience in coordinating or managing teams across multiple regions or countries
• Good understanding of trade compliance frameworks, including export controls, sanctions, and customs
• Master’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, International Trade, Law, or a related field

• Strong coordination and organizational skills, with the ability to bring structure across regions
• Ability to translate strategy into clear operational execution
• Analytical mindset with the ability to consolidate complex information into clear insights and recommendations
• Clear and structured communicator, able to align different stakeholders
• Ability to work effectively in a matrix organization and influence without direct authority
• Results-oriented with a hands-on approach
• Proactive and able to anticipate issues and priorities

• Familiarity with trade compliance systems such as SAP GTS or similar tools is a plus
• Experience with performance monitoring and reporting is an asset
• Fluent in English (both written and spoken)

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?

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