The Description of a Customs Compliance Specialist Job
A customs compliance specialist may work within a number of government or private company agencies. A customs compliance specialist is responsible for ensuring that the imports and exports of a company are in compliance with various federal and international regulatory laws. A minimum of a college degree is required, though those seeking management positions need to acquire a master's in business administration or management. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that compliance officers employed by the federal government are expected to experience some of the greatest increases in job opportunities among federal jobs.
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Professional Responsibilities
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A customs compliance specialist is responsible for providing regulatory compliance guidance for import/export products and services traded by the federal government or a private company. The compliance specialist must review and perform corrections to anticipated import/export quantities or products to meet regulatory standards. The specialist must have extensive knowledge of international trade law regulations, supply chain operations and the global trade compliance network to apply those laws to trade procedures. A customs compliance specialist may work with other relevant departments, both domestic and abroad---such as agriculture or food and drug---to ensure that compliance standards are met.
Required Skills
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Excellent interpersonal communication skills are a must, because it is necessary to relay alternative solutions regarding compliance issues to the government agency or company. A strong ability to identify, research and analyze compliance issues, should they arise, is an integral part of the job function. The compliance specialist may need to liaison with the trade logistics, customer service, regulatory and research departments to ensure that product flow meets the demands of the consumer and regulatory law ordinances. As a result, multitasking skills are a must.
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Education and Prior Experience
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A bachelor's degree in any discipline is the minimum education requirements, though those interested in a management position are required to hold a master's degree in business administration or management. Experience working directly with U.S. import and export regulations that may have been attained by work experience with one of the following agencies are relevant job experiences that may prove helpful as a customs compliance specialist in both the public and private sector: U.S. Border and Customs Protection, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A U.S. Customs Broker's license is preferred. An application may be made to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Certification requires satisfactory completion of an examination and payment of the application fee.
Job Outlook
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BLS projects a 10 percent job growth rate for federal government (includes compliance officers) jobs for the 2008 to 2018 decade. Those working in compliance and other government regulatory positions will experience some of the greatest benefits from this job growth. A reason for the boost in compliance specialists is due to an increased concern in accountability and complex global transactions.
Salary
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According to Indeed.com, the average customs compliance specialist salary is $55,000, as of April 2010.
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References
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