Sr. Director of Import Compliance - Aerospace

Sr. Director of Import Compliance - Aerospace at Honeywell Aerospace US LLC Sr. Director of Import Compliance - Aerospace at Honeywell Aerospace US LLC in Phoenix, Arizona Posted in 10 days ago.

Type:

Full-Time Job Description:

Serve as the leader on all aspects of the import compliance practice at Honeywell Aerospace, a newly-formed public company that will emerge from the spin of Honeywell's Aerospace division ($17B annual revenues) by Q3 2026. This position has significant influence on legal and business strategy. This role will report to the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, who also oversees litigation, intellectual property and ESG. The role will work with senior legal and compliance leadership and interact closely with business leaders and other functional professionals including Supply Chain, each business unit, Finance and IT, among other key areas. This role will refine and implement the legal and compliance enterprise strategy for Honeywell Aerospace, ensuring that all aspects of operations and strategy, related to import compliance. With the explosion of tariffs globally, import management plays a key role in ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery of goods and materials to our customers. In this role, the chosen candidate will provide critical leadership in establishing governance, policies, and engagement models appropriate for a newly independent public company, including designing scalable compliance infrastructure and regulator-facing protocols. Responsibilities Key Responsibilities Import Compliance Strategy and Policy Development The Sr. Director will develop, implement, and maintain enterprise-wide import compliance policies and procedures to ensure adherence to all applicable import regulations, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requirements, the Tariff Act, and applicable trade agreements. This includes establishing standard operating procedures for all import transactions, maintaining the company's customs compliance manual, and ensuring alignment with the company's broader trade compliance framework. The Director will stay current with changes in trade regulations and communicate the operational and financial impact of those changes to the organization, ensuring timely compliance with new requirements. Tariff Analysis and Complianc e The Sr. Director will oversee comprehensive tariff analysis across all product lines, including monitoring the impact of antidumping and countervailing duties, Section 201/232/301 tariffs, and preferential tariff programs under free trade agreements (USMCA, bilateral agreements, GSP where applicable). The Director is responsible for identifying tariff mitigation opportunities that reduce landed cost while maintaining full regulatory compliance, and for advising procurement and supply chain leadership on the tariff implications of sourcing decisions. HTS Classification The Director will manage and oversee the classification of all imported goods under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), ensuring accurate and defensible classification determinations for aerospace components, raw materials, assemblies, and finished goods. This includes establishing classification procedures, maintaining a binding rulings strategy with CBP, resolving classification disputes, and ensuring classification databases are current and auditable. Given the technical complexity of aerospace commodities, the Director will work closely with engineering and product teams to understand article composition, function, and end use for proper tariff treatment. Maquiladora Compliance in Mexico The Director will oversee import compliance for all maquiladora operations in Mexico, including compliance with Mexico's IMMEX program requirements. This encompasses managing temporary import permits, ensuring accurate bills of materials for duty-deferral calculations, coordinating with Mexican customs brokers, and maintaining compliance with Annex 24 inventory control requirements. The Director will ensure that transfers between maquiladora facilities and between Mexico and the United States are properly documented and that all IMMEX obligations (including return/destruction timelines) are met. Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Compliance The Director will oversee all Foreign Trade Zone operations, including FTZ activations, admissions, manufacturing determinations, and weekly entry filings. This includes ensuring compliance with 19 CFR Part 146, maintaining accurate FTZ inventory control and recordkeeping systems, managing annual reconciliation processes, and coordinating with CBP FTZ staff during audits and compliance reviews. The Director will evaluate opportunities to expand or restructure FTZ usage to optimize duty savings, particularly for aerospace manufacturing operations involving inverted tariff scenarios. Customs Broker Management The Director will manage all relationships with licensed customs brokers, including selection, performance evaluation, and oversight of broker operations. This includes establishing and enforcing service level agreements, conducting periodic broker audits, ensuring accurate power of attorney documentation, and holding brokers accountable for entry accuracy, timeliness, and regulatory compliance. The Director will ensure that broker instructions and standard operating procedures reflect current company requirements and regulatory changes. Duty Drawback Programs The Director will manage the company's duty drawback program, including identification of drawback-eligible transactions, maintenance of drawback recordkeeping requirements under TFTEA, and timely filing of drawback claims. The Director will work with finance, supply chain, and sales teams to capture all eligible drawback opportunities (manufacturing, unused merchandise, and rejected merchandise drawback) and maximize duty recovery while maintaining audit-ready documentation. Import Auditing and Post-Entry Compliance The Director will establish and manage a comprehensive import audit program, including pre-entry review, post-entry auditing, and periodic compliance assessments to identify areas of risk, drive continuous improvement, and implement corrective actions.6 This includes conducting focused assessments aligned with CBP's Centers of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) priorities, managing prior disclosures when errors are identified, and maintaining metrics and reporting on compliance performance. The Director will also manage the company's participation in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program. Corporate Transactions Support The Director will support mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and corporate restructuring activities by conducting import compliance due diligence, identifying inherited compliance risks, and developing integration or separation plans for import operations. Team Leadership and Development The Director will lead, mentor, and develop a team of over 30 import compliance professionals across multiple locations and functions. This includes recruiting top talent, identifying and developing successors, driving retention and engagement, and building an inclusive, high-performing team culture. The Director will establish individual development plans, provide ongoing coaching, conduct performance evaluations, and ensure the team maintains current knowledge of evolving trade regulations through structured training and awareness programs.6 The Director will also provide guidance and training to internal stakeholders outside the compliance team on import compliance requirements and responsibilities. Qualifications

YOU MUST HAVE

• Bachelor's degree in international trade, supply chain management, business administration, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in import and trade compliance, with at least 5 years in a managerial or leadership role overseeing a compliance team.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. import regulations, including customs laws, the Tariff Act, CBP regulations (19 CFR), and applicable trade agreements.
• Demonstrated experience managing trade compliance programs, including HTS classification, country of origin determinations, and customs valuation.
• Experience leading and managing a team of trade compliance professionals.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex regulations and provide practical, business-oriented solutions.
• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including customs authorities, regulatory agencies, and senior leadership.1
• Working knowledge of Foreign Trade Zone regulations (19 CFR Part 146), duty drawback provisions, and maquiladora/IMMEX program requirements.

WE VALUE

• Licensed Customs Broker (LCB) designation.
• Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) or CUSECO certification.
• Master's degree in international trade, law, or business administration.
• Prior experience in the aerospace and defense industry, with familiarity with ITAR-controlled and EAR-classified commodities.
• Experience managing C-TPAT certification and Trusted Trader programs.
• Familiarity with SAP Global Trade Services (GTS), Descartes, or similar trade compliance automation platforms.
• Experience managing customs broker relationships across multiple ports of entry.
• Knowledge of Mexico's customs laws and IMMEX program from an operational (not just oversight) perspective.
• Prior experience managing prior disclosures or responding to CBP focused assessments and audits.
• A legal background is not required but is valued.

Physical Requirements / Travel This position is primarily office-based with a hybrid work schedule. Travel is expected at approximately 15-25% annually, including visits to manufacturing and FTZ facilities, maquiladora operations in Mexico, customs broker locations, and port facilities. Occasional international travel may be required to support compliance assessments at foreign supplier or manufacturing sites. The role may require availability outside standard business hours to address urgent customs holds or time-sensitive import issues. Due to compliance with U.S. export control laws and regulations, candidate must be a U.S. Person, which is defined as, a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or have protected status in the U.S. under asylum or refugee status or have the ability to obtain an export authorization.