Customs & Trade Business Partner US/CA

About the Role:

Barry Callebaut is a global organization poised for growth; a company which has embraced the vision to delight its customers, while out-performing its competitors, a business which is committed to sustainability, has innovation in its DNA, is a leader in complex manufacturing and supply chain solutions and is focused on being a best-in-class employer. Barry Callebaut seeks diverse and passionate people who thrive in a dynamic environment, focused on continuous learning, living BC’s Values and of course loving chocolate.

Position Summary:

The Customs & Trade Business Partner North America leads the Customs & Trade agenda for the United States and Canada, ensuring strong customs compliance while positioning Customs & Trade as a strategic business partner and value contributor.

The role combines deep customs expertise with business acumen, regulatory risk management, change leadership and value creation. It identifies Customs & Trade implications of business and supply-chain decisions before implementation and translates complex regulatory developments into pragmatic business guidance, controls and opportunities.

Essential Functions:

The position acts as the senior Customs & Trade partner to Supply Chain, Finance, Tax, Sourcing, Legal, External Affairs, Operations and other key functions.

• Lead Customs & Trade for the US and Canada, covering import/export compliance, classification, valuation, origin, FTAs, tariffs, AD/CVD, duty drawback and relevant trade controls.
• Act as strategic Customs & Trade Business Partner, identifying customs implications of changes in sourcing, manufacturing footprint, supply chains, products and commercial models before implementation.
• Translate regulatory developments into business action, particularly US tariff measures, executive orders, CBP/CBSA requirements and other material regulatory changes.
• Drive Customs & Trade value creation, identifying and implementing opportunities related to tariff mitigation, duty recovery/drawback, preferential origin, classification, valuation and duty-efficient supply-chain structures.
• Own Customs & Trade risk management and controls, including risk assessments, internal controls, audits, remediation, disclosures and documentation of material customs positions.
• Lead customs authority interactions, including CBP/CBSA inquiries, audits and information requests, and manage external customs/legal advisors where required.
• Drive customs broker governance, establishing appropriate SOPs, KPIs, controls, performance reviews and escalation mechanisms.
• Leverage customs data and technology to improve compliance, visibility, automation, control effectiveness and identification of savings opportunities.
• Lead Customs & Trade change and transformation, strengthening processes, accountability, data quality and cross-functional ways of working.
• Build organizational capability, providing guidance and training and strengthening Customs & Trade awareness across the business.
• Support the Director Global Customs & Trade in global initiatives, transformation programs and implementation of global standards within North America.

Education / Experience Requirements: 

• 8–12+ years of progressive Customs & Trade experience, preferably within a multinational manufacturing or complex international supply-chain environment with footprint both in US as CA
• Strong, hands-on knowledge of US Customs regulations and practices and relevant Canadian customs requirements.
• Demonstrated expertise in classification, customs valuation, origin, FTAs, tariffs, drawback, customs audits and broker management.
• Proven ability to assess complex regulatory developments and translate them into practical business implications and solutions.
• Experience identifying and delivering customs savings, risk mitigation and process-improvement opportunities.
• Experience partnering with senior stakeholders across Supply Chain, Finance, Tax, Sourcing, Legal and Operations.
• Experience with customs technology, automation and data analytics is highly desirable.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite and Google (Gmail, Drive, Calendar) tools
• Knowledge of U.S./CAN/MX import and export control laws and regulations

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic and hands-on: Able to move from complex strategic questions into detailed customs issues when required.
• Business-oriented: Understands the commercial and operational context and translates customs requirements into workable solutions.
• Connects the dots: Able to link Customs & Trade with Supply Chain, Tax, Finance, Sourcing, Operations and business strategy.
• Change leader: Able to convert regulatory change into structured cross-functional implementation.
• Strong judgment: Balances compliance, financial exposure, business continuity and operational feasibility.
• Influential challenger: Confident in challenging senior stakeholders, brokers and external advisors when necessary.
• Clear communicator: Able to simplify complex regulatory matters into concise recommendations and decisions.
• Proactive and accountable: Anticipates issues and opportunities rather than operating primarily reactively.
• Data-driven: Uses customs and business data to identify risk, opportunity and control weaknesses.

What you can expect from Barry Callebaut: 

• Salary Range of $100K - $125K based on experience and location, plus bonus and our comprehensive benefits package
• Paid time off, plus generous holiday time
• Environment that welcomes workplace flexibility
• An atmosphere where diversity is embraced, and inclusivity is second nature. We call it #OneBC! Just ask our champions with the Americas Women’s Forum and the Racial Equality Forum!
• Ability to grow personally and professionally within an organization that values development and internal career growth
• Be part of our mission in making sustainability the norm through Forever Chocolate with priorities centered around prospering farmers, zero child labor, carbon and forest positive, and creating 100% sustainable ingredients in all of our products