Head of Customs, Excise and Trade Compliance at Diageo

About the role:

• Provides strategic leadership and oversees the management of Diageo’s Customs & Global Trade Compliance
• Develops a strong compliance mind-set through building strong relationships with senior internal stakeholders namely - Supply, Market and Global Functions and externally through Trade Bodies and Government Agencies
• Provides the Regional Customs and Global Trade Compliance Team with strong technical leadership in all Global Trade customs & excise matters
• Identifies, plans and delivers key projects, including risk and effective supply chain management to protect brands and generate shareholder value

Accountabilities

• Implement global trade strategies and policies in the African Region
• Provide strategic leadership to the Regional CoE Compliance Team
• Lead internal senior stakeholder engagement
• Promptly identify and manage emerging risks or opportunities arising from business/operational change such as supply chains and/or new customs and excise legislative changes
• Actively manage 3Pls to ensure optimum compliance and efficiencies
• Accountability for delivering to leading import/ export customs & excise performance metrics across Africa.
• Accountable for trade compliance (local and Global legislation requirements plus Diageo Ways of working) across Africa.
• Lead and motivate the team to deliver the CoE requirements including influencing those non direct reports.

Key interactions - Internal

• Global Trade and Customs Compliance Team and other Regional CoE Teams
• General Managers, Brand Teams and Market Finance Directors – collaborate with a wide range of business partners to deliver on commercial and operational objectives whilst managing regional trade risks
• Diageo Enterprise Operations teams - establish a close, collaborative and transparent relationship to ensure delivery of high quality, timely, end to end customs and excise activities and processes
• Governance & Change – collaborate on prioritisation and delivery of change programmes

Key interactions - External

• Governments / tax authorities  – build and maintain an on-going relationship and dialogue with tax authorities and other governmental bodies
• Trade Bodies – active participation in industry forums to promote effective global trade, customs & excise policies

About you:

• Deep understanding of Customs and Excise
• Managing risk through internal controls
• Establish & manage a regional programme of risk assurance in relation to customs and excise duty compliance
• Excellent communication and influencing skills that facilitate effective networking and relationship building
• Inspire direct reports to deliver a great performance

Qualifications / experience

• Minimum 8 years’ experience managing customs clearance and trade compliance
•  Minimum 2 years’ experience of shipping and inland transport management
• Excellent knowledge of customs & Excise  practices and compliance preferably in Africa region
• A strong network with customs brokers/ freight forwarders in the Africa region.
• Extensive global trade experience
• Excellent knowledge of customs practices and compliance preferably in Africa region
• A strong network with customs brokers/ freight forwarders in the Africa region.
• Demonstrable ability to engage and align stakeholders behind plans and win support for implementing new compliant practises.
• BSc or MSc in a supply chain related subject
• Ability to lead and develop a high performing team and a track record in coaching and developing talent
• Significant experience of leadership within a global trade function in a multinational company
• Ability to lead complex projects
• Demonstrable Anti Bribery & Corruption awareness and managing fully compliant processes.
• Demonstrable knowledge of end to end supply chain and in-direct tax related processes.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written combined with the ability to engage effectively at all  levels in the organisation
• An understanding of how leading technology can enable effective logistics operations
• Knowledge of trade compliance systems
• Numerate and ability to apply KPI’s to drive performance management at all levels.