Trade Compliance Specialist

We have a great opportunity at Pavers to join our Head Office Team as a Trade Compliance Specialist. This is a full‑time permanent opportunity, based at our Northminster Business Park offices in York. As our Trade Compliance Specialist, you'll run Pavers' day‑to‑day customs operations across all UK and Irish import flows, keeping goods moving and ensuring every declaration is accurate, documented and compliant. The role operates within an established compliance framework: classification logic, valuation positions, origin rules, justification‑sheet templates and standing broker instructions codified in SOPs and reference logic maintained by the function. This role will include working with volume transactions, preparing and lodging 60+ import entries a month and classifying around 3,500 new product lines a year. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with strong customs knowledge who enjoys problem‑solving, managing data accuracy and working across a fast‑paced international supply chain and is a key stand‑alone role within the wider finance area of the business, reporting directly to the Finance Director.

Responsibilities

• Track inbound shipments and manage customs clearance timelines.
• Prepare and submit accurate customs clearance instructions and import entries (60+ per month) using Customslink.
• Maintain shipment documentation, ensuring invoices, packing lists and bills of lading are complete and audit‑ready.
• Liaise with freight forwarders and expedite unresolved documentation issues.
• Classify in line with HMRC requirements and internal SOPs, primarily within footwear (Chapter 64).
• Maintain classification records, justification sheets and supporting documentation.
• Obtain missing supplier data and escalation of complex classifications for review.
• Manage supplier origin documentation, including LTSD requests and renewals across multiple languages.
• Maintain origin records and apply preference claims in line with approved procedures.
• Escalate unsupported or non‑standard preference claims.
• Apply approved customs valuation methods, including transaction value and HMRC‑agreed discounts.
• Manage customs and classification inboxes, ensuring queries are logged, resolved and archived.
• Support internal teams, suppliers, carriers and freight partners with customs‑related queries.
• Maintain key customs reference data and broker instructions.
• Identify import entry errors and support corrections, adjustments and voluntary disclosures.
• Ensure compliance records remain accurate and audit‑ready.
• Audit import entries using MSS data and produce monthly UK and Ireland import compliance metrics.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing UK import customs processes, including preparation and submission of customs declarations and working with freight forwarders/brokers.
• Experience completing import entries, including commodity codes (HS classification), customs values, country of origin, preference claims and CPC procedures.
• Practical experience classifying products using HS codes and applying HMRC classification guidance, ideally within retail, footwear, fashion or consumer goods.
• Experience managing supplier origin documentation, Long‑Term Supplier Declarations, certificates of origin and preference claims.
• Experience performing post‑clearance checks, identifying errors, supporting amendments and maintaining audit‑ready records.
• Strong experience managing import documentation, including commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading and compliance records.
• Stakeholder Management experience.
• Experience using customs entry systems and databases.
• Complete audits and produce accurate compliance reports.
• High attention to detail.

Desirable

• Multilingual capability (particularly European languages) would be beneficial for supplier communication.

Benefits

• Competitive salary of approximately £40,000, dependent on experience.
• Enrolment in the company pension scheme.
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme.
• Generous colleague discount scheme, some of which can be shared with family and friends.
• Free onsite parking at York Head Office.
• Death in Service Benefit.
• Holiday entitlement (increases with service).
• Access to RetailTRUST (well‑being & financial support).
• Access to the Pavers Foundation: employee‑led grant application and charitable giving scheme.
• Access to wider training and development opportunities through Pavers Academy.
• Company pension contribution.
• Well‑being assistance through RetailTRUST.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
• Gym discounts.
• Multiple retailer discounts.