Senior Customs and Trade Consultant

How to Apply The full Job Description and Person Specification, together with further information about the role and application process, are available on the British Chambers of Commerce website.   To apply, please submit your CV and covering letter. https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/careers/senior-customs-consultant/   The British Chambers of Commerce is committed to creating an inclusive working environment and welcomes applications from candidates with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.   Title: Senior Trade and Customs Consultant Directorate: Trade Services Reporting to: Head of Training and Consultancy Hours of work: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week, full-time. Location: Remote, with regular UK travel for client consultancy delivery and approximately 6-8 in-person team meetings per annum in London or elsewhere in the UK. Salary: £55,000 - £60,000 Website: www.britishchambers.org.uk and www.chambercustoms.co.uk   The Senior Trade and Customs Consultant will independently deliver and lead complex customs and international trade engagements, from discovery and scoping through technical assessment, recommendations and implementation support.   The role requires substantial practical expertise in Customs Special Procedures, supported by broad working knowledge across wider customs matters.   The postholder will take responsibility for the effective delivery of assigned projects within agreed scope, budget and timescales, working collaboratively with colleagues and supporting clients in their dealings with HMRC.   Working within the ChamberCustoms technical framework, the postholder will contribute to proposals and service development, and help strengthen consultancy capability across the ChamberCustoms team and wider Chamber Network.   This is primarily a consultancy and technical-delivery role, rather than a customs declaration- processing or general operational-management position.   KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES   Consultancy Delivery

• Lead complex customs consultancy engagements, including on-site assessments, feasibility studies, gap analyses, compliance reviews and customs audits.
• Develop practical, compliant and commercially appropriate recommendations, reports, procedures and other client outputs.
• Lead discovery, define technical requirements and contribute to proposals, scoping and resourcing.
• Manage engagements to agreed scope, budget, timescale and technical standards, maintaining accurate records, escalating risks and sustaining an appropriate level of chargeable delivery.
• Coordinate colleagues contributing to projects, delegating agreed tasks and providing clear direction and feedback.
• Support and represent clients in dealings with HMRC, including authorisation applications, audits, enquiries and technical discussions.
• Manage the professional and commercial risks of customs advice by documenting scope, evidence, assumptions and limitations, and seeking assurance or escalation when required.   Customs Special Procedures
• Lead end-to-end Customs Special Procedures projects, assessing the technical, operational and commercial feasibility of areas such as Inward Processing, Outward Processing, Customs Warehousing, Temporary Admission and Authorised Use.
• Prepare HMRC authorisation applications and supporting technical documentation. Develop procedures, controls, record-keeping and compliance frameworks, and support implementation and knowledge transfer.
• Provide internal guidance within areas of expertise, escalating high-risk or novel issues through the agreed technical governance route.   Technical Expertise
• Provide robust advice in areas of demonstrated competence, including classification, origin, valuation, Free Trade Agreements, customs Special procedures, duty optimisation and wider compliance.
• Interpret relevant legislative, regulatory and policy developments, including UK and EU CBAM, and translate them into practical implications for clients.
• Improve technical resources, consultancy methodologies and services in response to client needs and regulatory change.
• Share learning through briefings, reusable resources, case studies, articles, blogs and practical guidance, respecting confidentiality and approval requirements.
• Use technology, automation, AI and other digital tools responsibly to improve research, analysis, efficiency and consistency.   Client & Team Engagement
• Build trusted client relationships, lead meetings and communicate complex matters clearly to stakeholders at all levels.
• Provide technical direction and peer review across relevant consultancy work.
• Support colleagues' development through the team's 'deliver and teach' approach.
• Collaborate openly and positively in a virtual team, sharing information and maintaining strong working relationships.   The role has no formal line-management responsibility but may coordinate project contributors and delegate agreed tasks.