Import Specialist Mexico & Colombia
Apple’s Global Trade Compliance team collaborates with multiple groups within Apple and with Customs agencies to resolve issues and implement policies and procedures, improving market access and creating a direct impact on Customer experience.
As the global regulatory environment changes, our teams must adapt to new challenges. We are looking for an experienced Import Specialist to support Mexico and Colombia operations, with experience in Customs broker management and Foreign Trade knowledge. If you are interested in driving a critical and important part of enabling Apple’s products to successfully be introduced in these markets, this role may be for you.
We manage different countries and programs, each with an outstanding set of challenges. We do not work only on straightforward problems. Issues only reach our team when they are complex and ambiguous. Solutions are worked with Customs brokers, Customs authorities and other Governmental entities. Improving cross-functional, internal and external partnerships is crucial in this scenario.
It's imperative to be an expert at building and growing relationships. You must be comfortable operating in new and unfamiliar areas, quickly building competence to bring insights into your work. Success requires breaking down seemingly impossible problems into manageable pieces, contributing with specialists and owners, and adapting as we learn more.
You will work with 3 Customs broker companies in the LATAM region (2 companies in Mexico and 1 in Colombia), interacting with approximately 12 different people across these companies. These interactions will ensure that all importations and exportations are cleared compliantly and according to the Global Trade Compliance metrics. Also monitoring the accuracy of the information reported to Customs and controlling the broker fee in accordance with the Master Agreement in force with Apple procurement, are part of your activities.
Strong communication is required for our success and credibility. You are required to synthesize complex issues into clear points. You must be able to tailor your communication to the appropriate context and seniority. You need to be able to write clearly, deliver effective presentations, and run large and difficult meetings. Technical depth is needed for your success. We are not an engineering team, but we are closely tied to software, infrastructure, and data.
Other key job responsibilities:
- Monitor data accuracy reported to Customs.
- Control broker fee expenditure according to the contract.
- Develop, document, and maintain operational processes and procedures to support trade compliance and overall cross-border activity in Colombia and Mexico.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, providing important inputs for pricing definition, participation on governmental agencies and business associations meetings, discussing and advocating for new regulations that could impact business.
- File classification rulings based on General Rules for Interpretation of the Harmonized System (GRI-SH).
- Monitor import/export regulatory or procedural changes that could affect planning or related requirements, and clearly communicate those guidelines to partners during the export/import planning process.
- Work with WW global security team to secure the importation of prototypes.
- Establish and lead positive business relations with key partners and business teams.
- Possess strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Collaborate with business divisions to proactively identify compliance issues and comply with regulatory obligations. Support external and internal audits.
- Assist with hardware trade classification and related activities.
- Technical understanding of electronic data interchange (EDI) participating with IT team on global projects.
- Collaborate with internal and external functional partners to identify and rectify any information/process gaps.
- Pursue cost saving initiatives involving the usage of special provisions (ex-tarifarios).
- Build communications and training plans to achieve awareness in all internal and external partners so that they are aligned to trade and product compliance processes.
- Monitor strikes and government moves that may affect the release of our products, keeping upper management aware of the situation and impacts (short and long term).
- Free Trade Agreement monitoring and also new treaty implementation.
- 3+ years of experience in Broker Management, Customs Regulations in Mexico, Colombia, coordinating with Customs, other local authorities and experts to successfully resolve audits, queries and issues preventing market access.
- Proficiency in Spanish and English.
- Expert in Excel and SAP.
- Previous experience managing Customs brokers companies across LATAM region, ensuring that all imports and exports are cleared compliantly and according to the Global Trade Compliance metrics.
- Bachelor in Business Administration with a focus in International Trade or equivalent experience.
- HTS classification knowledge.
- Customs Valuation methodology.
- Self-starting, self-motivated, self-directed and self-sufficient, knowing how to work independently.