Global Customs Specialist
Vention is seeking a hands-on Global Customs Compliance Leader to drive tariff classification, origin strategy, and regulatory governance across global import and export activities, with strong expertise supporting exports into the United States. This role reports to the Director of Logistics and combines deep technical judgment with execution. You will own HS classification, USMCA/free trade compliance, and customs risk mitigation while directly performing origin analysis, tariff shift assessments, and classification decisions for both standard manufactured products and custom-engineered solutions.
Key responsibilities include leading global HS code strategy with a strong focus on HTSUS and U.S. compliance, determining and maintaining classifications for assemblies, kits, and engineered equipment, and governing supplier HS codes while maintaining classification documentation. Additionally, you will partner with engineering to assess functionality, tariff shift, and substantial transformation. You will also lead origin determination under USMCA and other trade agreements, review BOMs to evaluate tariff shift, regional value content, and process rules, and issue certifications while managing supplier origin statements. Acting as the primary technical contact with brokers, customs authorities, and external legal experts, you will lead binding rulings, post-entry corrections, duty recovery initiatives, and post-entry claims, resolve entry discrepancies, and maintain defensible classification and origin positions. Furthermore, you will integrate customs compliance into the selling process and internal software stack (ERP/MRP), build scalable SOPs and governance embedded into engineering and supply chain workflows, maintain audit-ready documentation aligned with CBP reasonable care standards, and deliver training while directly executing complex classification and origin analyses.
The ideal candidate will possess a university degree in business, international trade, engineering, law, or a related field, along with formal training or certification in customs/trade compliance. A minimum of 5–10 years of experience in global trade compliance, preferably with a customs broker, consultancy, or similar environment, is required. Strong expertise in HTSUS, USMCA, tariff shift, and substantial transformation is essential, as well as experience reviewing complex BOMs and working cross-functionally with engineering teams. The candidate should be structured, detail-oriented, and execution-focused.
Vention offers real opportunities to grow through personalized development plans, bi-annual employee reviews, and a mentorship program. Continuous training in performance management, inclusive leadership, leadership operating model, team building, and giving/receiving feedback is provided. The company conducts pay equity reviews, maintains inclusive policies, and supports a Women’s Employee Resource Group offering networking, mentorship, and quarterly learning sessions. Enjoy flexibility with our hybrid work model, allowing you to work from home on select days. Employees receive two paid volunteering days per year to give back to causes they care about. Regular team gatherings and a collaborative office space are located in the heart of Montreal, surrounded by cafés and restaurants. All year round, employee events include an annual kick-off, employee summit, quarterly happy hours, and department events. A complete group benefits plan for you and your family starts on day one.
Vention is an uplifting environment for high achievers. The company values ambitious goals, facts and data, and constructive debates, while also fostering a stimulating and caring work environment. The culture emphasizes making clients successful, executing and delivering, debating then committing, innovating to inspire, collaborating to achieve more, and empowering people to reach their full potential. Vention believes strongly in promotion from within and has structured a comprehensive professional development program that elevates high-performing individuals who deeply understand the inner workings of the company.