Job Description

At DHL Express,  our people are our greatest strength . Every individual contributes to making us the world’s #1 Express Delivery and Logistics Company , recognized as the #1 World’s Best Workplace™by Great Place to Work and Fortune. 

DHL Express is committed to maintaining an environment that empowers every team member to make the greatest possible impact on our business. Our culture is about personal commitment to our business, to each other and to our global communities. DHL is dedicated to being a great place to work. In addition to competitive compensation packages, our employees enjoy a range of programs, services and benefits that bring the best to their personal lives. 

Start YOUR career with DHL today…

The  Head of Customs, Trade and Compliance leads DHL’s national strategy across customs, tariffs, and trade compliance, driving measurable outcomes in risk reduction, cost efficiency, and service reliability across the U.S. network. This role ensures full compliance with all import and export regulations while proactively anticipating and navigating the evolving U.S. tariff and customs landscape to protect DHL’s license to operate. It also sets the long-term strategy for clearance-related regulatory compliance and serves as the primary revenue driver for customs fees, with P&L ownership. 

As the company’s licensed Customs Broker and national permit holder, this leader is accountable for brokerage operations and compliance governance across three Hubs and three Gateways, ensuring consistent execution, regulatory adherence, and minimal disruption to customer shipments. 

Through strong partnership with senior leadership, government regulators, and internal stakeholders, the role identifies and mitigates compliance and operational risks, reduces exposure to penalties and delays, and drives process optimization to improve clearance speed, cost discipline, and overall network performance. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as DHL’s licensed Customs Broker national permit holder.
• Provide strategic guidance to senior leaders and key stakeholders to ensure enterprise-wide regulatory compliance.
• Assess the impact of current and emerging U.S. customs and trade regulations in partnership with Government Affairs and Legal.
• Identify regulatory, financial, and operational risk exposure; recommend and drive corrective actions.
• Translate regulatory requirements into actionable, scalable operational plans.
• Drive strong audit performance, achieving high compliance scores and no material findings.
• Improve first-pass clearance rates and reduce shipment holds to minimize operational disruption.
• Own customs-related P&L, ensuring alignment between compliance strategy and financial performance.
• Ensure full compliance with all U.S. import/export laws and regulations governing the movement of goods.
• Develop and implement national trade compliance programs, strategies, and controls.
• Oversee compliance documentation, duty and tax payments, and entry filings.
• Design and execute audit plans; remediate gaps and close findings.
• Manage ECCF applications and approvals.
• Oversee U.S. Customs programs, including CTPAT.
• Ensure 100% completion of country-specific customs and regulatory training for relevant personnel.
• Partner with CBP and government officials across U.S. hubs and gateways.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external regulators on U.S. and global trade compliance matters.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and compliant customs filings and transactions.
• Proactively identify and resolve compliance-related quality, service, and cost issues.
• Drive modernization, automation, and continuous improvement of compliance processes.
• Lead a national compliance organization with multiple teams led by Directors and Senior Managers.
• Build and develop a high-performing, inclusive, future-ready compliance organization.
• Foster a culture of accountability, compliance excellence, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of senior-level experience in customs, trade compliance, or international logistics within complex, large-scale operations.
• Active U.S. Customs Broker License required.
• Demonstrated leadership experience operating in highly regulated environments and engaging directly with regulatory agencies.
• Deep expertise in U.S. customs law, tariffs, import/export regulations, and compliance frameworks, with the ability to anticipate evolving trade and customs requirements.
• Proven ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into clear business strategies and operational execution.
• Executive-level communication skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership and external regulators.
• Strong analytical capability, including assessment of tariff impact, compliance risk, and regulatory trends.
• Experience leading and managing large-scale compliance programs.
• Established relationships with federal agencies and industry partners.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) required for executive-level engagement across national operations.

Employee Benefits & Incentives

DHL Express benefits and incentive offerings are designed to reflect a substantial experience for both employees and their dependents during their career and life journey. The specifics will vary, but wherever you join and in whatever role, you'll find our benefits and rewards are among the best in the industry They include: 

• Competitive Pay 
• Compensation Range for Washington, DC: $246,000 – $328,000 based on experience and qualifications.
• Bonus/Incentive Programs 
• Retirement Savings – 401K with company match 
• Medical, Dental, Vision, well-being programs 
• Tuition Reimbursement 
• Generous Paid Time Off – Starting at 4 Weeks (PT/FT) 
• Paid Leave 
• Employee Discount Program 
• Employee Assistance & Work Life Program 
• Outstanding training opportunities 

DHL is an equal opportunity employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.  The EEO is the Law poster is available here: 

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

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