Senior Director, Global Trade and Risk Compliance - UK

Purpose of the job

This role will own our global trade compliance operating model and ensure HH Global's cross-border transactions are executed in a consistent, auditable and regulator-ready manner across all countries where HH Global operates.

You'll design, govern and continuously improve end-to-end global transaction processes so they align with trade compliance rules, regulatory requirements and HH Global policy. You will have worldwide coverage across all HH Global entities, tax registrations and cross-border shipping lanes while partnering closely with internal colleagues across Logistics, Finance, Tax, Legal, Freight and Client Engagement.

This is a UK based position and flexible on exact location.

Key responsibilities

Global trade compliance governance

Own the global trade compliance framework that enables compliant cross-border execution across all HH Global regions

Translate regulatory requirements into clear global standards, process gates and minimum evidence requirements for audit readiness

Establish and maintain a global compliance schedule for permits, licenses, broker credentials and recurring regulatory trade obligations

Global transactions process ownership + control design

Lead process design and continuous improvement for global cross-border workflows using Lean Six Sigma tools

Build measurable control points across title transfer, entity selection, Incoterms, customs documentation and record retention

Create standard work, checklists and stop-ship gates to prevent non-compliant transactions from progressing

Define defect taxonomy, root cause methods and corrective action standards for incidents and near misses

Incoterms, title transfer + entity alignment

Ensure global alignment to Incoterms usage and governance, including training, monitoring and remediation

Ensure projects are raised in the correct entity and confirm supplier PO, client SO and client invoice alignment

Partner with Commercial Finance, Legal and Tax to ensure compliant structure decisions are built into process and tools

Broker + freight governance

Establish governance standards for customs brokering activities performed by Freight or coordinated third parties

Define documentation standards, service expectations, escalation triggers and evidence retention requirements

Create a structured escalation model for broker rejections, customs holds and documentation disputes

Cross-functional leadership + compliance enforcement

Lead a cross-functional trade compliance council with Freight, Logistics, Finance, Tax, Legal and Operational Excellence participation

Drive adherence through training, operational health checks and performance interventions

Risk management, incident response + audit readiness

Own trade compliance incident response playbooks for customs, holds regulator inquiries, audits, investigations and license issues

Ensure audit-ready transaction packs can be produced consistently and reliably

Drive corrective actions, preventive controls and documented lessons learned following incidents

Knowledge, skills + experience

Considerable experience in trade compliance, customs compliance, international trade governance, or cross-border regulatory operations

Demonstrated experience owning or governing global trade compliance processes across countries and regions

Strong working knowledge of Incoterms, title transfer, and customs documentation

Proven ability to lead cross-functional change across Freight, Logistics, Finance, Tax and Legal stakeholders

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt required; Black Belt preferred

What success looks like

Control maturity _ maintain a documented, adopted trade compliance operating model with clear standards, gates, and escalation paths

Defect reduction _ reduce preventable customs holds, broker rejections, documentation defects, and late compliance

Issue resolution _ improve speed, ownership and closure discipline for trade compliance issues and near-functional adoption

Consistency _ drive consistent use of trade compliance standards across CE, Logistics, Freight, Sourcing, Finance, Tax and Legal

Financial and operational impact _ track avoided cost, reduced rework, protected margin, disruption avoidance and automation progress

Essential criteria

Location and remit _ must be able to operate in a global role across multiple regions, time zones and legal entities, with the flexibility to support cross-border trade issues as they arise

Critical trade compliance background _ direct experience in global trade compliance, customs compliance or cross-border regulatory operations, with demonstrable ownership of compliance governance across more than one country or region

Technical expertise _ must have strong working knowledge of Incoterms, title transfer, customs documentation, entity alignment and PO/SO/invoice flows, with the ability to define compliant transaction structures and evidence requirements

Measurable governance and control capability _ must be able to design, implement and monitor auditable controls, process gates, defect tracking, corrective actions and compliance KPIs that reduce customs holds, documentation defects and compliance-related delays

Essential continuous improvement capability _ Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (+) is required, with proven application of structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, control plans and measurable defect reduction in a regulated or compliance-led environment