Customs & Trade Operations Lead - Safran Seats Dubai M/F

Ready to take part in shaping the future of aerospace in the Middle East? Safran Seats is expanding its industrial footprint with a brand-new production plant, bringing our expertise even closer to customers and the region's dynamic aviation hub. Here, our teams will deliver top-tier Business and Economy Class seats, supporting airline partners.

To join this exciting new journey, we are now seeking a Customs & Trade Operations Lead – a key role at the heart of our growth. You'll have the unique opportunity to develop and implement customs and trade operational procedures, define operational customs and compliance requirements, and escalate customs compliance risks impacting operations as we launch and secure our Dubai operations.

Customs Operations Management

• Establish and maintain customs and trade processes for Safran Seats Dubai.
• Ensure efficient import/export of materials, equipment, spare parts, and products.
• Coordinate customs clearance with brokers, forwarders, and logistics partners.
• Ensure accurate, compliant customs declarations.
• Minimize customs-related delays for production, procurement, and customer - operations.
• Maintain operational readiness for inbound and outbound logistics.

Process Development & Industrialization

• Develop and maintain SOPs for imports, exports, temporary admissions, repairs/returns, re-exports, intercompany shipments, freezone, and sample/prototype shipments.
• Define roles, responsibilities, and process controls.
• Build scalable customs processes for future growth.
• Support digital tool and workflow automation implementation.
• Integrate customs requirements into ERP and logistics systems.

Customs Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with UAE and international customs/trade regulations.
• Maintain records per legal retention requirements.
• Develop controls for declaration accuracy; conduct compliance reviews and audits.
• Support Safran Group trade compliance and coordinate corrective actions for compliance gaps.

Training & Awareness

• Develop and deliver customs compliance and operational training.
• Train logistics, procurement, and operations teams on customs procedures.
• Promote compliance culture through operational best practices and support onboarding of new employees.

- Bachelor\'s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, International Trade, Business Administration or equivalent.

- Minimum 8–12 years of experience in logistics, customs, import/export operations or international trade.

- Experience establishing customs processes within a manufacturing or industrial environment.

- Experience working directly with customs brokers, freight forwarders and customs authorities.

- Experience supporting production and customer delivery environments.

The ideal candidate has ERP experience (Infor M3 preferred), strong logistics and freight management knowledge, and expertise in process mapping and procedure development. They bring a pragmatic, operational mindset, are analytical and detail-oriented, and excel in planning, organization, communication, and cross-functional stakeholder management.