Customs Manager

About the role

The Customs team sits within Finance and helps move goods in a compliant, efficient and well-controlled way, working across Tax and Treasury, Supply Chain, Sourcing, Logistics and business change. As Customs Manager you will lead customs activity and manage two Customs Analysts, owning declaration processes, procedures, systems and data, including duty payments and reconciliations. The role is based at the London Store Support Centre and Home (EC1M 6HA); colleagues go into the office 1-2 days per week on average.

Key responsibilities

• Own customs declaration processes, procedures, systems and data, including duty payments and reconciliations, and ensure compliance with customs legislation across relevant goods movements, including those involving Northern Ireland.
• Maintain registrations, guarantees, authorisations and deferment accounts, including Simplified Customs Declaration Process requirements.
• Lead governance for customs valuation, tariff classification and origin, and identify sustainable opportunities to optimise duty.
• Advise on sourcing, suppliers, logistics and new routes, and embed customs requirements into business and technology change.
• Manage relationships with customs authorities, brokers, advisers and auditors, including enquiries, disclosures and remediation.
• Improve management information and automation, and build customs capability across the team and wider stakeholders.

Required profile

• A relevant customs or tax qualification, or equivalent substantial experience leading customs activity.
• Proven experience of leading customs compliance and risk management within a large or complex importing organisation.
• Evidence of managing customs authority audits or enquiries and working with customs brokers, external advisers or logistics partners.
• Demonstrable experience of leading colleagues and embedding customs requirements into supply-chain, systems or business change.

Required skills

• Practical knowledge of UK customs legislation and practice covering tariff classification, valuation, origin, declarations and customs authorisations.
• Ability to assess risk, identify duty savings and lead constructive relationships with external authorities and partners.
• People leadership: setting priorities, developing team capability and directing through operational or technology change.

What we offer

• Colleague discount of 10% (rising to 15% at times) on shopping at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat.
• Pensions scheme and life cover, plus a performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary.
• Annual holiday allowance, private healthcare, season ticket loans, interest-free car loan of up to £10k, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans and salary advance.
• Up to 26 weeks' pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks' pay for paternity leave.