Customs Declaration Manager (Ho Chi Minh City)

About The Role

As Customs Declaration Manager, you will lead the day-to-day declaration operations, ensuring every filing is accurate, timely, and fully compliant with Vietnam customs regulations. You are the operational bridge between the Compliance Team, Operations Team, and the Declarants, responsible for final review, workload management, system administration, and team performance.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring deep operational expertise in customs declaration for complex commodity groups (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, high-tech electronics, FMCG and other regulated products) for diverse company types: Trading, Export Processing, Export Production, etc.

Key Responsibilities

Declaration Operations Management

• Design and continuously improve declaration and related processes
• Manage daily declaration workflow: workload allocation across declarants, priority scheduling based on shipment urgency and client SLAs, and deadline tracking
• Conduct final review and approval of declaration packages (when needed in complex cases)
• Monitor declaration throughput and processing times
• Ensure smooth coordination with field teams for physical inspection, on-time clearance at ports, airports, and warehouses
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting and data entry into operational systems
• Prepare supporting documentation for commodity regulation requirements (exp: synchronization registry, quality inspection filings, etc.)

Regulatory Compliance

• Conduct HS code classifications (where required)
• Screen commodity policies, import/export restrictions, licensing requirements, and FTA certificate of origin eligibility before filing
• Ensure all declarations comply with the latest regulatory requirements
• Conduct periodic internal audits of declaration accuracy and document filing, identifying patterns, root causes, and corrective actions

Document Management & Audit Readiness

• Oversee document completeness and timeliness for every shipment
• Maintain organized, audit-ready declaration archives in compliance with post-clearance retention requirement
• Respond to customs queries, post-clearance inspections, and audit requests

System & Staff Credential Management

• Manage electronic system accounts and staff credentials
• Administer digital signature tokens and VNACCS/VCIS access for the declaration team

Team Leadership & Performance

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of customs declarants, fostering accuracy-first culture and continuous improvement
• Monitor team KPIs
• Conduct regular performance reviews and identify training needs in coordination with the Compliance Manager
• Establish escalation protocols: ensure declarants flag anomalies and complex cases for review before filing

Stakeholder Coordination

• Coordinate with the Compliance Team on pre-filing checks, regulatory updates, SOP changes, and customs solution development
• Liaise with customs on queries, inspections, classification disputes, and post-clearance requests
• Liaise with IT, Compliance, and Operations teams for automation projects and function testing
• Liaise with Transportation team for timely pick-up/delivery upon clearance
• Interface with client operations teams and freight operations to ensure smooth documentation flow and shipment clearance
• Report to CDZ Head on operational status, capacity utilization, risk incidents, and team performance

Experience

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in customs declaration operations in Vietnam, with at least 3 years supervising or leading a declaration team
• Demonstrated experience handling high-volume declaration operations with proven accuracy and compliance record
• Experience with complex commodity groups: high-tech electronics, chemicals, machinery, pharmaceuticals, industrial equipment, etc. Strong preference for candidates with multi-industry exposure for diversed company types
• Prior experience working within a customs brokerage firm, freight forwarder, or in-house customs team
• Familiarity with post-clearance audit processes and customs dispute resolution
• Valid Customs Agent Certificate issued by the General Department of Vietnam Customs

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong operational command of Vietnamese customs declaration procedures, including HS classification, customs valuation, duty/tax calculation and refund, FTA/C/O application, and commodity policy screening
• Proficiency with VNACCS/VCIS electronic customs declaration systems — hands-on filing experience required
• Strong organizational skills — ability to manage multiple concurrent declarations, prioritize under time pressure, and maintain zero-error standards
• Proficient in English (working level) — ability to communicate with multinational client teams
• Leadership and coaching capability — able to develop declarants and build a high-performance team culture
• Strong automation skills and mindset are advantageous

Education

• Bachelor's degree in International Trade, Customs, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Economics, or related fields

#DHL #DGF #DHLGlobalForwarding #DHLGlobalForwardingVietnam