John Lewis & Partners
Customs Analyst
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About The Role
We are looking for a dedicated compliance professional to join our Waitrose Customs and Excise team who ensure all imported and exported stock is accurately declared to Customs on time. In this role, you will champion regulatory compliance, manage commodity code classification and use of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in accordance with Preferential Origin rules. You’ll play a crucial part in maintaining robust audit trails, monitoring UK and Channel Islands customs entries, supporting sustainability reporting, and ensuring we pay the correct duties and VAT.
At a glance
Salary range - Expected Salary up to £45,000, depending on skills and experience
Contract type - This is a permanent position
Working pattern/flexible working - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. There is an expectation you will attend the office regularly to connect with the team and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings as required.
Hours of Work - 35 hours per week
Location - Pimlico, London
Key Responsibilities
- Legal Compliance: Make declarations to HMRC through the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), ensuring entries meet all regulatory requirements and are within the correct time period. Adhere to all classification, origin, preference, and valuation legislation across both EU and ROW movements. Maintain operational awareness of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) and Windsor Framework.
- Product Classification & FTAs: Work closely with Buying to identify new products and confirm the correct commodity code to set import duty rates and identify import restrictions. Act as a subject matter expert on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to optimise preferential origin sourcing.
- Risk Management: Establish how to identify and apply relevant rules of origin and valuation rules, ensuring suppliers are aware of their responsibility. Maintain appropriate controls and up-to-date evidential documentation. Assist with Business Control checks, MSS checks, and entry amendments. Raise and escalate areas of concern. Manage returns and deferment accounts appropriately.
- Reporting & Sustainability Support: Extract, manage, and prepare compliance data to support wider team needs, specifically generating reports required for modern environmental and sustainability tracking.
- Process Development & Systems: Work proactively to identify opportunities for process improvements. Utilise advanced Google Spreadsheets (including Apps Script) to automate and streamline workflows. Leverage modern tech to boost efficiency.
- Teamwork, Training & Functional Leadership: Lead the onboarding process for new starters and provide functional leadership on specific compliance tasks. Coordinate work proactively with others to ensure deadlines are met and maintain high service levels.
- Control use of Deferment and VAT: Help manage the use of our Deferment and EORI numbers through the controlled approval of road, air and courier shipments. Understand when it is appropriate for other deferment accounts to be used. Authorise and manage returned goods with support of the Line Manager
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Essential Skills/experience You’ll Need
- Proven experience of Customs entries including extensive hands-on experience using the Customs Declaration Service (CDS)
- Deep knowledge of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and both preferential and non-preferential origin rules
- Strong knowledge of customs valuation rules
- Knowledge of documentation requirements for different products and origins
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent attention to detail
- Ability to train and support others (Onboarding Lead)
- Ability to work under pressure to remain compliant and meet deadlines
Desirable Skills/experience You May Have
- Experience of working in Excise matters
- Experience with AI-assisted classification tools
- Advanced proficiency in Google Spreadsheets (including Apps Script)
- Knowledge of Incoterms and associated risks
- Advanced data visualisation skills (e.g., Tableau)
About The Partnership
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Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.
We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.
As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.
We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.
As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.
Important points to note
It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.
We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.
We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.
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