Assistant Manager, UK Customs Center of Excellence

Bring your passion, ideas and purpose to life in a company that can help you shape your career as you shape the future of healthcare. Abbott is about the power of health. For more than 130 years, Abbott has been helping people reach their potential — because better health allows people and communities to achieve more. With a diverse, global network serving customers in more than 160 countries, we create new solutions — across the spectrum of health, around the world, for all stages of life.

The Opportunity:

We currently have an exciting opportunity for an Assistant Manager to join our UK Customs Center of Excellence. Joining a dedicated team, your main responsibility will be overseeing the daily operations of the UK Centralised Customs team for all UK Affiliates. By leading process improvement initiatives and ensuring compliance with customs regulations, you will help enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our customs operations. The role will require collaboration across functions including Compliance, Logistics, and Trade teams worldwide.

The Role:

In this role, you will assist in ensuring that all customs activities comply with UK HM Revenue and Customs regulations, trade laws, and Global Trade Compliance policies. You will be directly responsible for a team of four, providing them with guidance, training, and support to ensure smooth operations. Your oversight will extend to import and export processes, ensuring that documentation and clearance are handled timely and accurately within the UK Customs team.

You will identify and mitigate risks related to customs and trade compliance, playing a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of our operations. Leading continuous improvement initiatives, you will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our customs processes. Reporting will be a key part of your responsibilities, as you prepare and review reports on customs activities, compliance status, and team performance, sharing these insights with senior management.

Effective communication with internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, customs authorities, and logistics providers & brokers, will be essential. You will assist in developing and delivering customs training programs for the customs team and general staff of all UK Affiliates. Documentation management will also be under your purview, ensuring alignment with divisional retention policies and maintaining a risk register for each UK entity. You will coordinate with management and the customs team to address any issues and review local customs procedures and process changes when required.

Your expertise will be vital in performing classification of products, preparing related diligence documents, and conducting country of origin reviews when necessary. You will support the team with the use of customs special procedure codes. Ensuring broker due diligence and controls are in place, including SLAs and regular KPI reviews, will be part of your role, with feedback provided to senior management.

Fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the team, you will align with the vision for the Customs Centre of Excellence in the UK. Your subject matter expertise will be invaluable as you provide guidance on classification, valuation, and country of origin decisions, as well as customs procedure codes within a dynamic environment.

About You:

We are looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in international Trade, Business Administration, or a related field, although this is preferred and not required. Candidates should possess equivalent knowledge or experience in the customs field, with practical experience and familiarity with industry practices being highly desired. Experience working in a collaborative and cross-functional environment, both domestic and international, is essential.

You should have a strong understanding of UK Customs regulations and International Trade laws, along with extensive knowledge and experience of global customs regulations and administrations, rules of origin, customs valuation rules, and the application of free trade agreements. Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills are crucial, as is the ability to manage complex compliance issues as they arise.

Experience with customs software, Microsoft Office Suite, and various ERP systems such as SAP, SAGE, and AS400 is necessary, with the ability to effectively utilize these tools to streamline operations and enhance productivity. Relevant certifications, such as Certified Customs Specialist, are desired.

Personal Attributes:

The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, with a strong attention to detail and accuracy. You should be a problem-solver, capable of identifying issues and developing effective solutions. Team leadership is important, as you will foster a collaborative and supportive team environment, encouraging open communication and teamwork to achieve common goals.

Why Abbott?

Abbott has health/wellness and financial benefits that help provide security for you and your family. In addition to a competitive salary, Abbott offers a highly attractive benefits package which includes a defined-contribution pension scheme, a share ownership scheme, private healthcare, life assurance, and a flexible benefits scheme which you can tailor to your own requirements.