Manager, US Trade & Customs (Aerospace & Defense)

The Manager, US Trade & Customs will lead U.S. import operations and trade compliance activities supporting Molex Aerospace & Defense Solutions. This role is responsible for ensuring compliant, timely, and cost-effective import operations while maintaining strong controls around customs classification, country of origin, valuation, broker management, recordkeeping, and audit readiness.

This leader will serve as a key trade and customs advisor to the business, partnering across Supply Chain, Finance, Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Program teams to manage regulatory risk and support a highly regulated aerospace and defense environment.

The US Trade & Customs team supports import operations across the ADS Division, including aerospace, defense, and controlled-product businesses. The team works closely with internal business partners, customs brokers, logistics providers, suppliers, customers, and government authorities to ensure compliant movement of products into the United States.

This role will lead the U.S. Trade & Customs team supporting ADS and report to the Sr. Manager, Trade and Customs, US & Canada Operations.

• Lead direct and indirect import operations teams supporting aerospace, defense, and controlled-product businesses.
• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures, KPIs, escalation processes, and internal controls that drive compliant and efficient customs clearance and delivery.
• Manage customs brokers, including entry reviews, post-entry corrections, performance metrics, audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee U.S. import compliance requirements including HTS classification, country of origin, customs valuation, assists, marking, admissibility, documentation, and import release requirements.
• Manage import controls associated with FTZ and bonded operations, drawback and duty-recovery programs, temporary imports, repairs and returns, and other special tariff programs.
• Support CTPAT, supply-chain security, customer compliance, and other regulatory requirements through documented controls, training, and compliance monitoring.
• Use ACE, broker, ERP, and financial data to monitor duty spend, entry accuracy, customs exams, demurrage, broker performance, tariff exposure, and corrective actions.
• Monitor regulatory and tariff developments, including Section 301, Section 232, and other applicable trade measures, and communicate potential business impact to leadership.
• Partner with Finance, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Program teams to resolve customs holds, documentation issues, tariff matters, and customer-specific import requirements.
• Develop and maintain import compliance procedures, training materials, audit documentation, and recordkeeping controls to support government and customer audits.
• Serve as the import operations subject matter expert for ADS, advising leaders on regulatory requirements, operational risk, launch readiness, supplier and customer documentation, and scalable compliance controls.
• Support M&A integration and business transitions involving import operations, customs brokers, master data, and trade compliance processes.
• Lead, develop, and coach the US Trade & Customs team while building strong accountability, technical capability, and partnership with the business.

• Bachelor's degree in International Business, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in trade compliance, customs, or import operations within a global manufacturing or highly regulated environment.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. Customs regulations, HTS classification, valuation, country of origin, import documentation, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Experience managing U.S. import operations, customs brokers, audits, corrective actions, and regulated shipment workflows.
• Knowledge of U.S. customs and trade laws and Free Trade Agreement requirements.
• Experience working with ACE, ERP systems, broker portals, and import data used to monitor entry accuracy, duty exposure, clearance performance, and compliance.
• Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to develop teams, establish priorities, and make sound business decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively across functions and levels of an organization.
• Ability to travel approximately 10-20%.
• Must meet applicable U.S. person requirements necessary to support regulated and ITAR-controlled products and programs.

• Licensed Customs Broker (LCB) or Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) credential.
• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience with controlled-item import operations and government or customer-specific trade requirements.
• Experience with Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ), bonded warehouse operations, drawback, duty-recovery programs, and special tariff programs.
• Knowledge of HTS, ECCN, and Schedule B classification for aerospace and defense products.
• Experience with SAP, SAP GTS, Glovia, or similar global ERP and trade compliance systems.
• Experience supporting multinational import operations.
• Experience developing import compliance reporting, dashboards, and analytics.
• Power BI experience.
• Experience integrating trade and customs processes following acquisitions, business transitions, or organizational changes.