ICT Finance Systems Lead – North America

ICT Finance Systems (NA) – Systems Lead

The ICT Finance Systems (NA) – Systems Lead serves as the technical and functional lead for North American customs systems, providing strategic oversight, solution leadership, and operational governance for mission-critical import/export platforms. This role is accountable for end-to-end system ownership, ensuring operational continuity, compliance, data integrity, and alignment with evolving business and regulatory requirements.

The role partners closely with North American Customs Operations, Logistics & Export Operations, external customs brokers, consulting and audit partners, and strategic suppliers to deliver scalable and secure customs technology solutions supporting vehicle and parts cross-border operations.

As a senior SME and trusted advisor, this position drives modernization initiatives, process standardization, and enterprise-wide improvements that enhance customs compliance, operational efficiency, and duty optimization outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical & Functional Leadership

• Serve as the primary technical and functional authority for North American customs systems and related integrations.
• Provide strategic solution direction, governance, and decision-making support for mission- and business-critical customs processes.
• Lead cross-functional alignment between ICT, Customs Operations, Logistics, external brokers, and strategic vendors.
• Influence enterprise customs technology strategy and roadmap planning.
• Operational Ownership & Production Support
• Ensure stability, availability, and performance of customs systems supporting vehicle and parts import/export operations and production schedules.
• Lead production incident, problem, and risk management activities for critical operational issues.
• Drive root cause analysis, corrective actions, and long-term process and system improvements.
• Ensure compliance with cybersecurity, audit, and enterprise operational standards.

Compliance & Trade Operations

• Support key compliance pillars including:
  Mandatory Declarations, USMCA enforcement, Trade security initiatives, Free Trade Agreement (FTA) compliance, Duty recovery and optimization, Customs reporting and audit support.
• Partner with business stakeholders to ensure systems align with changing customs regulations and operational requirements.
• Support audit readiness and regulatory compliance activities across North American operations.

Solution Delivery & Modernization

• Translate complex business requirements into scalable technical solutions and executable delivery plans.
• Lead modernization initiatives leveraging automation, analytics, AI, and data quality improvements.
• Drive standardization and simplification of customs processes and systems across regions where feasible.
• Oversee supplier delivery execution, ensuring alignment to scope, timelines, budget, and quality expectations.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Act as the primary liaison between ICT leadership, customs business teams, and external strategic suppliers.
• Provide concise executive-level communication regarding project status, operational risks, escalations, and key decisions.
• Ensure vendors and service providers meet SLAs, cybersecurity standards, operational requirements, and delivery expectations.
• Mentor and guide junior analysts, project contributors, and support teams as needed.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance, Business, or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience supporting enterprise business systems, operational platforms, or mission-critical applications in automotive, manufacturing, logistics, or industrial environments.
• Proven experience serving as a lead SME, systems owner, or technical lead for business-critical applications.
• Strong understanding of customs operations, trade compliance, import/export processes, or cross-border logistics.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Excellent communication, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Experience managing vendors, external partners, or strategic suppliers in a complex enterprise environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting customs brokerage systems, trade compliance platforms, or global logistics technologies.
• Knowledge of USMCA, Free Trade Agreements, customs regulations, and duty recovery processes.
• Experience with ERP integrations, EDI/API integrations, and enterprise data management.
• Familiarity with automation technologies, AI-enabled solutions, analytics platforms, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience with ITIL processes, production support governance, and operational service management.