Associate Director – Global Customs, Trade Counsel

General Motors

. Serve as GM’s senior legal and compliance authority for global customs and North American export-control matters .

Posted 10/21/2026full-timeUnited StatesSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive expertise in customs and trade legal matters, including compliance, regulatory audits, and governance frameworks. Proven ability to lead high-performing teams and collaborate cross-functionally with senior executives and external stakeholders.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Juris Doctor Degree10+ Years Legal ExperienceCustoms Compliance ExpertiseLeadership in Compliance ProgramsExcellent Written and Oral Communication

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Customs ValuationTrade ComplianceRegulatory AuditsRisk AssessmentsGovernance FrameworksExport-Control RegulationsDuty-Benefit ProgramsTransfer PricingLegal DraftingNegotiation

Soft Skills

Problem-SolvingCollaborationJudgmentInfluencingSelf-Motivation

Tools & Technologies

Compliance AutomationData GovernancePerformance Monitoring

Certifications & Qualifications

Active Law LicenseLicensed Customs Broker (Preferred)

Industry Keywords

International TradeGlobal Supply ChainsAutomotive ManufacturingContract ManufacturingComplex Commercial Agreements

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as GM’s senior legal and compliance authority for global customs and North American export-control matters
Establish and maintain legal and compliance strategy, risk priorities, policies, procedures, and governance frameworks
Advise senior executives and cross-functional stakeholders on material customs, trade, export-control, and regulatory risks
Lead legal strategy for customs and trade audits, investigations, disclosures, protests, appeals, enforcement matters, and regulatory controversies
Draft, review, and oversee U.S. Customs and Border Protection protests, appeals, prior disclosures, voluntary disclosures, and other regulatory filings
Maintain globally consistent positions on valuation, classification, country of origin, admissibility, transfer pricing, free trade agreements, and duty-benefit programs
Partner with Transfer Pricing to align customs valuation positions with legal, regulatory, and financial requirements
Represent or support GM’s engagement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Industry and Security, regulators, industry associations, and external stakeholders
Select, direct, and manage outside counsel, consultants, and technical experts
Provide legal guidance on customs and trade requirements in complex contracts, new business lines, global deployments, and evolving supply-chain models
Develop legal memoranda, guidance, communications, and training materials
Serve as accountable legal partner to the Office of Export Compliance and facilitate quarterly export-compliance meetings
Partner on export-compliance policies, training, investigations, corrective actions, and responses to potential violations
Oversee Customs compliance exercises, including validations, questionnaires, heat maps, audits, and risk assessments
Establish and monitor controls to identify, escalate, remediate, and prevent compliance issues
Improve compliance controls, processes, documentation, automation, data, and technology
Develop standardized customs service-provider bidding, contracting, transition, performance-monitoring, and governance processes
Provide direct and indirect leadership to Customs professionals, focusing on capability development, engagement, inclusion, succession planning, and performance
Exercise independent legal judgment in situations involving ambiguity, competing priorities, financial exposure, or regulatory and reputational risk
Report directly to the General Director – Global Customs

Requirements

What you’ll need

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction and ability to maintain that license in good standing
10+ years of legal, customs, international trade, export-control, or closely related experience, including significant experience advising multinational companies
Substantial experience with customs and trade legal matters, including valuation, classification, country of origin, admissibility, entry and export compliance, free trade agreements, duty-benefit programs, corporate compliance, self-assessment, and transfer pricing interactions
Demonstrated experience managing regulatory audits, investigations, disclosures, protests, appeals, enforcement matters, and outside counsel
Experience developing and implementing enterprise policies, compliance programs, controls, risk assessments, and governance frameworks
5+ years of demonstrated leadership experience developing high-performing teams and influencing through direct and indirect leadership
Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and globally with senior executives, business leaders, Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Engineering, and external stakeholders
Excellent written, oral, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex legal requirements into clear, practical business guidance
Strong executive presence, judgment, problem-solving ability, and ability to initiate and implement continuous improvement
Self-motivated, collaborative, and effective in a highly complex, global, and rapidly changing environment
No GM immigration-related sponsorship is provided; candidates must not require sponsorship now or in the future
Licensed Customs Broker credential preferred
Experience with automotive manufacturing, global supply chains, contract manufacturing, technology licensing, joint ventures, or complex commercial agreements preferred
Experience leading compliance automation, data governance, or process-transformation initiatives preferred
Experience working with major law firms, customs brokers, consultants, and other external service providers preferred

Benefits

Comp & perks

Hybrid work arrangement with reporting to the designated office at least three times per week
Relocation benefits available for candidates who qualify under company policy
Travel required under 25% of the time
Benefits and Total Rewards resources available from day one
Reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities