Customs Specialist (CS)

Job Description

Customs Specialist
Windsor (Ontario), Mississauga (Ontario) or Montreal (Québec)
Regular Full-Time, Salaried Exempt
 

About the Position

As a Customs Specialist (CS), you will play a key role in supporting ADM’s Customs & Excise Trade Compliance (CETC) function across the United States and Canada. Reporting to the Senior Manager, CETC Canada, you will oversee customs compliance activities, including audits, broker and declaration oversight, classification, valuation, country of origin, and free trade agreement compliance. You will work closely with global CETC teams and cross-functional stakeholders across Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, Legal, and Commercial, you will help identify and mitigate trade compliance risks, drive corrective and preventive actions, and support initiatives that improve compliance, efficiency, and data visibility across ADM’s North American operations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Audits, Controls & Continuous Improvement: Support external customs audits, inquiries, and regulatory reviews. Conduct internal compliance reviews to evaluate control effectiveness and identify gaps. Develop and monitor corrective and preventive actions to address findings and strengthen controls. Identify opportunities to standardize and continuously improve trade compliance processes.
• Broker & Declarations Oversight: Maintain the master list of customs brokers, Powers of Attorney, and related documentation. Obtain, review, and analyze customs declaration data provided by brokers. Identify declaration errors, compliance risks, duty-saving opportunities, and process improvement areas. Monitor broker performance and support consistent declaration quality across US and Canada operations.
• Classification, Valuation & Compliance Operations: Oversee accurate HS classification and customs valuation of products and transactions. Provide guidance on classification, valuation, and other customs compliance requirements. Ensure business strategies and cross-border transactions align with CETC policies and applicable US and Canadian regulations. Partner with business and functional teams to assess trade compliance impacts of new products, processes, and business initiatives.
• Country of Origin (CoO) & FTA: Investigate and resolve historical country-of-origin and FTA compliance issues. Establish preventive measures and controls to improve origin determination and documentation. Support compliance with USMCA and other applicable free trade agreements. Identify opportunities to improve FTA utilization and duty savings while maintaining compliance.
• Special Projects & Program Implementation: Support CETC special projects and drive regional implementation across US and Canadian operations. Coordinate with cross-functional teams to implement trade compliance initiatives, processes, and controls. Identify opportunities for new CETC projects that enhance compliance, efficiency, and risk management. Track implementation progress and support sustainable adoption of new programs.
• Systems & Data: Support data analytics for trade compliance KPIs, reporting, and compliance dashboards. Analyze trade data to identify trends, exceptions, risks, and opportunities for improvement. Support system enhancements and automation initiatives that improve data quality, visibility, and compliance. Develop meaningful reporting to support management decision-making and ongoing compliance monitoring.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of customs legislation and regulatory requirements, with a focus on North American trade, including Canada.
• Proven experience in trade compliance, including internal and external customs audits.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex trade data, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Excellent organizational skills, with a high level of attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Self-motivated and proactive, with the ability to work independently, take ownership, and drive initiatives through to completion.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with proven ability to manage stakeholders and provide training to non-experts.
• Strong digital literacy, with proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook) and collaboration tools.
• The ability to communicate in English is essential in this role since this is our common business language and is used to communicate effectively with colleagues and clients around the world.

Education and Professional Experience

• The CS holds a relevant university degree or higher in International Trade, International Business, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Law, or a related field, complemented by relevant professional training or certifications in customs, import/export, and trade compliance.
• Must have at least 7 years of hands-on experience working as a Customs Specialist within a medium-sized or large organization. Previous experience should include customs and excise declaration filing, internal compliance audits, customs data processing and analysis, and preparation of trade compliance reports.
• Relevant training may include Harmonized System (HS) classification, customs valuation, Country of Origin (CoO), United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and applicable customs and regulatory requirements will be considered as an asset.

Additional Information

• It will be necessary for certain projects to accommodate the availability of our colleagues located in other time zones.
• Perform other duties as assigned, which may include additional responsibilities beyond the core scope of the role.