Customs Manager
Location: Leipzig
Job responsibilities:
1. Overall responsibility for the customs warehouse (Type C/D/E)
- Overall management and monitoring of daily customs and warehousing processes within the customs warehouse.
- Ensuring proper storage, retrieval, inventory management, and stocktaking in accordance with customs authority requirements.
- Responsibility for warehouse accounting, stock controls, and customs status management (e.g., status A/B/C).
- Continuous optimization of processes within the customs warehouse to increase efficiency and compliance.
2. Leadership and Development of the Customs Team
- Professional and disciplinary leadership of the customs team.
- Planning, training, and professional development of employees in the area of customs and compliance.
- Definition and implementation of team KPIs and ensuring high-quality work.
- Escalation point for complex customs cases, risk analyses, and process decisions.
3. Ensuring Customs and Compliance Requirements
- Responsibility for compliance with all relevant customs regulations (EU UCC, German customs regulations, internal compliance guidelines).
- Point of contact for customs authorities (customs office) and management of operational audits, customs warehouse audits, and internal audits.
- Support for EORI, AEO, export control, and dual-use compliance (BAFA).
- Development and maintenance of an internal control system for customs-related processes.
- Monitoring and approval of all import and export procedures via ATLAS.
- Review and approval of all customs-related documents (invoices, packing lists, origin, proof of delivery, etc.).
- Responsibility for correct goods classification (HS code / customs tariff number) and assessment of customs risks.
- Analysis and optimization of customs duties and import VAT costs.
5. Collaboration with Internal Departments and External Partners
- Close collaboration with logistics, purchasing, sales, accounting, production, and IT.
- Management and evaluation of service providers such as freight forwarders, warehousing providers, and customs brokers.
- Support for projects in the areas of supply chain, system integration (e.g., SAP/GTS), and process digitization.
Expected qualifications & degrees:
- Professional Requirements:
- Completed degree in Logistics, Foreign Trade, Supply Chain Management, or a comparable qualification.
- At least 5 years of professional experience in customs, ideally with management experience in customs warehousing.
- Excellent knowledge of EU customs law, UCC, German customs regulations, and customs warehousing procedures.
- Sound knowledge of ATLAS, SAP/GTS, or comparable customs systems.
- Experience in collaborating with customs authorities and in conducting audits.
- Skills:
- Strong understanding of HS coding, customs valuation, preferential trade agreements, and export controls.
- Strong analytical skills and a structured approach to work.
- Excellent communication and assertiveness skills.
- Team-oriented leadership personality with a strong sense of responsibility.
- Languages:
- German: C1 level required.
- English: very good.
- Knowledge of Chinese is an advantage (for international companies).
Professional experience:
- Min 3 years of experience in Customs processing in bonded warehouses.
- Have a good understanding of ATLAS System Operation，UCC, Delegated Act, Implementing Act,EUSt.Zollager A/B/C Regulatory requirements。
Personality:
- Ability to work in a team environment.
- Skills to communicate ideas clearly and concisely
- Excellent active listening, negotiation and presentation skills
- Competence to build and effectively manage interpersonal relationships at all levels of the company
- Skill to plan work in order to meet deadlines
- Ability to work independently