Head of Customs – Global Express Delivery

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Head of Customs to lead and scale cross‑border customs and trade compliance for a fast‑growing global express delivery business. You will protect the organisation from duty, penalty and clearance delays while enabling rapid, scalable e‑commerce movements across the UK, EU and US.

Key responsibilities

• Own customs and trade compliance across UK, EU and US flows, ensuring accurate import/export declarations.
• Lead, coach and develop a customs team, handling escalations and maintaining high quality standards.
• Manage relationships with HMRC, US CBP and external customs brokers.
• Advise internal stakeholders and clients on regulatory changes and operational impact.
• Maintain and improve SOPs, authorisations, audit readiness (including AEO) and duty‑optimisation workflows.
• Monitor the regulatory landscape and translate updates into practical guidance.

Required profile

• Deep, current technical knowledge of UK, EU and US customs regimes.
• Proven experience in customs declaration, transit management and duty reliefs.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into clear processes.

Required skills

• UK Customs Declaration Service (CDS) and BIRDS/MoU procedures
• Customs warehouse and inventory‑linked processes
• Returned Goods Relief (RGR) and NIRU arrangements
• NCTS transit management
• Import VAT, postponed VAT accounting and EORI requirements
• EU Customs Union Code, IOSS and low‑value consignment rules
• US CBP entry processes, ACE system and HTS classification
• Duty optimisation and refund workflows

What we offer

• Salary £81,900 – £86,900 per year (inclusive of car allowance)
• Excellent benefits package
• Opportunity to shape customs strategy in a high‑growth environment