DCS Engineering
Head Of Trade Compliance
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Head of Trade Compliance
Location: Dorset
Salary: Up to £100,000 + Excellent Benefits
Job Type: Permanent | Full Time (37 hours per week)
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Head of Trade Compliance to join a leading organisation operating within a highly regulated international environment. This is a senior leadership position responsible for developing and leading a global trade compliance function, ensuring the business operates compliantly while supporting commercial growth across international markets.
This role would suit a strategic trade compliance professional with extensive experience in export controls, customs and international trade regulations, who enjoys influencing senior stakeholders and embedding best practice across a complex organisation.
The Role
Reporting into senior leadership, you will take ownership of the organisation's global trade compliance strategy, ensuring compliance with UK, EU, US and international trade regulations while supporting business operations across multiple jurisdictions.
You will act as the subject matter expert for all trade compliance matters, providing practical, risk-based guidance to senior management and ensuring compliance is integrated into business processes without impacting operational performance.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop, implement and continually improve the global trade compliance strategy.
- Establish and maintain trade compliance policies, procedures and governance frameworks.
- Ensure compliance with UK, EU and US export control regulations, customs legislation, sanctions and embargo requirements.
- Monitor changes in international trade legislation and implement business-wide compliance measures.
- Lead export licensing strategies and oversee licence management.
- Identify, assess and mitigate trade compliance risks across the organisation.
- Manage internal audits, compliance reviews and gap analysis activities.
- Lead investigations into potential compliance breaches and implement corrective actions.
- Act as the primary point of contact with regulatory authorities during audits and disclosures.
- Embed trade compliance into key business functions including sales, supply chain, engineering, product classification, business development and new market entry.
- Provide commercially focused advice to enable business growth while managing regulatory risk.
- Lead, mentor and develop the Trade Compliance team.
- Deliver trade compliance training and promote a strong culture of compliance across the business.
- Provide reporting, assurance and strategic guidance to senior leadership and governance committees.
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About You
We're looking for an experienced Trade Compliance leader who combines strong technical knowledge with excellent commercial awareness.
You will have:
- Significant experience (typically 10+ years) within Trade Compliance, Export Controls, Customs or International Trade.
- Previous leadership experience within a multinational or highly regulated organisation.
- Strong working knowledge of UK, EU and US export control legislation including:
- UK Export Control Order
- EAR (Export Administration Regulations)
- ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations)
- EU Dual-Use Regulations
- OFSI and OFAC sanctions requirements
- Experience designing and implementing enterprise-wide compliance frameworks.
- Experience managing regulatory audits, investigations and authority engagement.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence senior leaders.
- Excellent analytical and risk assessment capabilities.
- The ability to interpret complex legislation and translate it into practical business guidance.
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Desirable Qualifications
- Degree in Law, International Trade, Supply Chain, Business or a related discipline.
- Professional Trade Compliance or Customs certifications (ACSS, CIPS, ICC or equivalent).
- Ongoing professional development within international trade regulations.
What's On Offer
- Salary up to £100,000
- Annual bonus scheme
- Up to 12% matched pension contribution
- Private Medical Insurance
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
- Technology voucher scheme
- Employee wellbeing programmes
- Excellent career development opportunities
- The opportunity to shape and lead a global trade compliance function within a complex international organisation
If you're an experienced Trade Compliance leader looking for a role where you can influence strategy, develop a high-performing compliance function and support a globally recognised organisation operating within a highly regulated environment, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today or contact our engineering recruitment team for a confidential discussion.
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