Trade Compliance Global Logistics Manager

Trade Compliance &
Global Logistics Manager
Defense & Commercial Communication Products

Position Summary
The Trade Compliance & Global Logistics Manager leads global trade compliance, import/export operations, transportation, and 3PL governance for defense and commercial communication products. The role protects the company while enabling timely product movement, customer fulfillment, repair operations, and international growth.
The manager is the cross-functional expert for export controls, customs, sanctions, classification, logistics execution, inventory integrity, and 3PL performance, partnering across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Sales, Legal, Finance, Quality, and Customer Support.
Scope of Products and Operations

• Defense and tactical communications, secure networking, radios, SATCOM, encryption-enabled products, software, and technical data.
• Commercial wireless broadband, Wi-Fi, private LTE/5G, enterprise networking, cloud-managed platforms, accessories, spares, and service parts.
• Global movement of finished goods, components, prototypes, demonstrations, repair assets, replacements, and returns through suppliers, contract manufacturers, carriers, brokers, repair depots, and 3PLs.

Key Responsibilities
Trade Compliance & Regulatory Management

• Own and improve the trade compliance program covering ITAR, EAR, OFAC, U.S. Customs, applicable foreign regulations, and government customer requirements.
• Review exports, re-exports, retransfers, imports, temporary movements, deemed exports, technical-data access, end users, end uses, and destinations.
• Manage licenses, agreements, exceptions, exemptions, screenings, escalations, and required records.
• Monitor regulatory changes and translate them into procedures, system controls, training, and operating guidance.

Product Classification & Origin

• Determine and maintain USML categories, ECCNs, HTS classifications, and country of origin for hardware, software, firmware, encryption, technical data, prototypes, and accessories.
• Maintain controlled classifications in ERP, shipping, licensing, and product records; support jurisdiction, classification, and ruling requests as needed.

Global Logistics & Transportation

• Develop domestic and international logistics strategies balancing compliance, service, speed, cost, and continuity.
• Manage carriers, freight forwarders, and customs brokers across air, ocean, ground, parcel, expedited, and specialized transportation.
• Ensure accurate shipment documentation and resolve transportation or customs exceptions through root-cause corrective action.
• Optimize routes, modes, consolidation, packaging, and provider performance while protecting controlled items.

3PL Warehouse Management & Maintenance

• Select, onboard, manage, and evaluate 3PL partners supporting finished goods, spares, RMA inventory, and service operations.
• Own statements of work, service levels, rates, escalation paths, performance reviews, and core warehouse processes from receiving through fulfillment and returns.
• Set facility, equipment, safety, environmental, preventive-maintenance, security, access, segregation, recordkeeping, and business-continuity standards.
• Conduct operational, inventory, security, and compliance audits and drive corrective actions for service, inventory, capacity, or control gaps.

Inventory, Security & Controlled Material

• Establish governance for commercial, dual-use, ITAR-controlled, serialized, high-value, customer-owned, and government-owned material.
• Define segregation, access, traceability, chain-of-custody, cycle-count, aging, loss, damage, and reconciliation controls.
• Lead investigations and corrective actions for inventory discrepancies, unauthorized access, loss, damage, or shipment nonconformance.

Reverse Logistics & RMA Support

• Oversee compliant returns, depot repair, refurbishment, advanced replacement, warranty exchange, and asset recovery.
• Coordinate temporary exports/imports, repair-and-return transactions, duty relief, and movement among customers, depots, contract manufacturers, and 3PL hubs.
• Improve turnaround time, visibility, asset utilization, and compliant screening, storage, and disposition of returned products.

Supply Chain Compliance, Audit & Training

• Assess trade and logistics risks across suppliers, contract manufacturers, distributors, customers, and service providers.
• Embed compliance into sourcing, contracts, purchase orders, sales processes, product launches, manufacturing transfers, and distribution models.
• Lead audits, investigations, disclosures, corrective actions, recordkeeping, and role-based training.
• Provide executive reporting on material risks, licensing status, logistics performance, and improvement priorities.

Qualifications
Required Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in International Business, Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business Administration, Legal Studies, or related field.
• 812+ years of progressive experience in trade compliance, import/export, global logistics, warehousing, or distribution.
• Experience supporting defense/government and commercial portfolios and managing international carriers, forwarders, brokers, and 3PLs.
• Industry experience in communications, wireless, networking, telecommunications, electronics, aerospace, defense, or related technology.

Required Knowledge & Capabilities

• Strong knowledge of ITAR, EAR, OFAC, U.S. Customs, export licensing, classification, country of origin, and trade recordkeeping.
• Practical expertise in logistics, warehouse controls, inventory, reverse logistics, provider governance, and product assessment with Engineering.
• Ability to balance compliance, customer commitments, cost, lead time, and operational risk.
• Strong executive communication, investigation, negotiation, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• LCB, CES, CCS, CGBP, APICS CSCP/CLTD, or Lean Six Sigma certification.
• Experience with ERP, global trade management, screening, warehouse systems, and government licensing portals.
• Experience with secure communications, wireless/networking, encryption, SATCOM, private LTE/5G, contract manufacturing, RMA, or government/customer-owned property.

Key Competencies
Regulatory judgmentOperational executionRisk management3PL governanceCross-functional leadershipContinuous improvementExecutive communicationAttention to detail
Role Profile
This hands-on manager role combines strategic ownership with disciplined execution across regulatory interpretation, shipment operations, warehouse governance, provider management, audit readiness, and executive risk communication.
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