Lead Trade Compliance Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Title: Lead Trade Compliance Specialist
Location: Chicago
Shift: 1st Shift - Hybrid schedule, 3 days in office, 2 at home
Hire Type: Direct Hire
Pay Rate: $120,000–$130,000 per year

Compensation & Benefits:

- Hybrid schedule

- Full medical, dental and vision and life insurance coverage

- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) with 3% of salary in company stock

- Paid 7-10 day shutdown in December each year

- Matching 401k up to 6%

- Available ½ days, Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, 5 sick days

Sterling Engineering is hiring a Lead Trade Compliance Specialist for a highly respected, global manufacturer with a strong presence in the energy and industrial sectors for more than 100 years. This is a rare opportunity to step into a high-impact role where you’ll have full ownership to build and shape a trade compliance function from the ground up. If you enjoy solving complex problems, creating structure in unstructured environments, and driving real organizational change. This role offers visibility, autonomy, and long-term career growth in a stable, industry-leading company.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and rebuild the company’s trade compliance function, establishing scalable processes and best practices
• Serve as the subject matter expert on import/export regulations, compliance controls, and documentation
• Develop and standardize product classification processes (HTS, Schedule B, HS codes)
• Clean, validate, and organize large datasets to ensure accurate classification and duty optimization
• Create and improve workflows for trade documentation (Certificates of Origin, affidavits, invoices, etc.)
• Evaluate and correct import/export documentation to ensure compliance and audit readiness
• Oversee post-entry corrections, duty drawback opportunities, and reconciliation processes
• Develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting tools to track compliance performance and risk areas
• Support internal and external audits, implementing corrective actions and long-term improvements
• Partner with legal, supply chain, procurement, and finance teams to ensure regulatory compliance
• Manage relationships with customs brokers, freight forwarders, and external partners
• Monitor regulatory changes (CBP, BIS, OFAC, EAR) and implement necessary process updates
• Train and educate internal teams on trade compliance requirements and best practices

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, International Trade, or related field
• 7+ years of experience in trade compliance, import/export, or global logistics
• Strong knowledge of U.S. trade regulations (CBP, BIS, EAR, OFAC, FTA, valuation, origin rules)
• Expertise in HTS, Schedule B, and HS classification systems
• Experience building or improving trade compliance programs, processes, and documentation workflows
• Strong data analysis skills (Excel, pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data cleansing)
• Experience working with ERP systems (Oracle, SAP, or similar)
• Knowledge of duty drawback, post-entry corrections, and audit processes
• Experience managing broker and freight forwarder relationships
• Ability to work in ambiguous environments and build structured, scalable solutions

Helpful Credentials and Skills:

• Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) or Licensed Customs Broker
• Certified International Trade Professional (CITP)
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
• Experience with Global Trade Management (GTM) systems

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.