Global Trade Compliance Manager

About the role

The Global Trade Compliance Manager in Costa Rica is a key leadership role within AbbVie's Global Trade Compliance organization, which sets scalable, business-focused trade controls that protect the company, support supply continuity and create operational value. The manager leads the local trade compliance team, ensures import and export activities comply with customs and trade laws, and acts as the main trade compliance business partner for site leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Global Trade Compliance in Costa Rica, aligned with the global operating model and business objectives.
• Own the Free Trade Zone program and ensure admission, import and export transactions comply with Costa Rican Customs Law.
• Lead, coach and develop trade professionals, with clear accountability, performance expectations and succession coverage.
• Partner with site and functional leaders to identify, assess and mitigate customs and trade risks, including impacts on supply, cost, market access and business continuity.
• Ensure import and export transactions follow customs regulations, trade laws, AbbVie policies and internal controls.
• Advise local partners on classification, valuation, origin, permits, recordkeeping and broker management.
• Act as the main contact with customs authorities and lead responses to audits, inspections and inquiries with Legal and other stakeholders.
• Oversee customs brokers, freight forwarders and other trade service providers, and oversee governance of tariff classification, customs valuation, country of origin and import permits.
• Run transactional testing, post-entry reviews and annual compliance assessments, ensuring risk-ranked findings lead to corrective and preventive actions.
• Manage special trade programs, supply-chain security programs and other facilitations, and drive process excellence, standardization and automation.
• Lead or support cross-functional projects and build metrics, analyze trends and recommend actions to leadership.
• Monitor regulatory changes and build compliance capability through training, documented procedures and knowledge sharing.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in international trade, business, logistics, supply chain, legal, finance, engineering or a related field; advanced degree or professional certification preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in customs, import/export operations, global trade compliance, a customs broker or freight forwarder, consulting or a multinational company; pharmaceutical, medical device or regulated industry experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading people, coaching talent and managing government interactions, customs audits and corrective action programs.
• Strong working knowledge of Costa Rican customs and foreign trade requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English and Spanish.

Required skills

• Knowledge of tariff classification, customs valuation, origin, permits, broker oversight and special trade programs.
• Experience driving process improvement, standardization, automation and data-based decision-making.
• Familiarity with ERP and global trade technology platforms preferred.