Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

Customs plays a vital role by ensuring regulatory compliance, facilitating efficient cross-border movement of adidas products, and determining applicable duties and taxes. This role is aiming to ensure seamless, compliant, and cost-efficient import and export operations, safeguarding our brand reputation, driving operational excellence, and enabling business growth.

Key Responsibilities: 

Planning

• Develop and maintain a proactive Customs compliance program in partnership with China Customs and relevant government agencies to ensure smooth import/export operations, prevent penalties, and safeguard brand reputation.
• Establish internal self-auditing and rectification mechanisms, including defense documentation, to mitigate trade compliance risks and manage significant regulatory changes effectively.

Management

• Compliance Leadership:  Act as the primary liaison with Customs and regulatory agencies, oversee import/export declaration processes, and ensure adherence to international trade standards and updated China Customs regulations.
• Performance & Risk Management: Design inbound reporting matrix to monitor efficiency, cost, and workload; manage broker performance through KPI tracking; and minimize business impact from regulatory changes.
• Operational Oversight & Team Alignment – Provide expert guidance on import/export operations, manage HTS classification and compliance metrics, and ensure the inbound team conforms to the latest regulations, including AEO audit support.

Financial Oversight

• Cost Analysis & Forecast: Analyze the beneficial impact of preferential duty, inbound delivery cost and other key initiatives.
• Expense Management Oversight: ensure expense and cost efficiency by monitoring operational and travel expenses.

System and Processes

• Lead and conduct on-site compliance reviews of the business and implement compliance process improvements or new process establishments.
• Continuously explore opportunities for import & export process optimization, including duty-saving initiatives.

People Management

• Team Management & People Development: Build and manage a capable and efficient working team. Set performance target with high standards, provide frequent coaching and feedback, proactively identify training and development needs, and drive continuous improvement of the Inbound Operations team

Key Relationships: 

Internal

• SCM cross functional team: China Distribution Center, OmniChannel Fulfillment & Deployment,
• Internal cross functional team: Sourcing, Finance, Tech, Global Product Supply, Global Logistics, Global Customs, Legal, Brands etc.

External

• Logistics service providers, factories, system vendor, Customs etc.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge / Experience

• Strong understanding of Inbound logistics operations, In-depth knowledge of China Customs regulations, international trade laws, and compliance frameworks (e.g., AEO, HTS classification, duty/tariff structures).
• Demonstrated success in logistic process optimization and project management, including cross-functional collaboration
• Hands on experience of SAP MM flow knowledge in Supply Chain Function

PC/Language/Other Skills

• Strong analytical and presentation skills with proficiency in Excel/PowerPoint/BI tools
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

Competencies/Attributes

• Integrity
• Capable of dealing with crisis management
• Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities
• Strong leadership with people management skills
• Detail-oriented
• Stress proof

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably with a supply chain management, logistics or related background
• 8+ years’ experience in inbound logistics operations in highly matrixed organization, preferred FMCG or Retail industries
• Proven track record in analysis and project delivery in supply chain function