Associate Director, Cell Therapy Trade Compliance Operations

Overview

Associate Director, Cell Therapy Trade Compliance Operations

Introduction to role:
Are you ready to build a world-class trade compliance engine that keeps life-changing cell therapies moving on time to patients who are waiting? In this role, you will turn complexity into clarity—designing the operating model, shaping standards, and setting the pace for compliant, reliable import/export and FTZ execution across a growing cell therapy network.

You will own the execution cadence and first-line escalation framework that safeguards chain of identity and chain of custody while meeting strict regulatory expectations. Your leadership will ensure patient materials, critical manufacturing inputs, intermediates, and finished goods move precisely when and where they must—aligned to patient schedules and manufacturing timelines.

You will lead a high-performing team of Senior Specialists and partner across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Logistics, Quality, Tech Ops, and Digital to simplify workflows, scale through data and digitization, and strengthen vendor performance. Do you thrive at the intersection of regulation, operations, and data, where decisive action and sound judgment make an immediate difference?

• Trade compliance operating model:
  Build, maintain, and enforce the network operating model for import/export and FTZ activities. Establish execution rhythms, governance routines, escalation paths, and cross-site coverage to support daily continuity and reliable execution.
• Shipment and FTZ execution leadership:
  Lead shipment and FTZ execution across the network, including shipment booking coordination, slot alignment, broker management, exception resolution, and escalation support. Ensure activities are executed in line with 19 CFR Part 146, customs requirements, FDA/CBER import expectations, and internal procedures.
• People management:
  Provide direct people leadership for Senior Specialists supporting global trade compliance operations. Set priorities, clarify roles and accountabilities, coach performance, support development, and ensure effective workload balancing and cross-coverage across the network.
• Process improvement and scalability:
  Identify and implement process improvements that increase operational reliability, efficiency, control, and scalability. Simplify workflows, remove bottlenecks, standardize execution, and build processes that can support future site, volume, and shipment growth.
• Digitization and reporting:
  Partner with business and digital stakeholders to improve system workflows, operational reporting, KPI visibility, and exception tracking. Advance digitization opportunities that reduce manual effort, improve control, and enable more scalable and data-driven trade compliance operations.
• SOPs, work instructions, and playbooks:
  Develop, implement, and maintain SOPs, work instructions, training materials, and operational playbooks for shipment execution, FTZ processes, broker coordination, issue management, and business continuity. Ensure documentation remains current, practical, and aligned with regulatory and business requirements.
• Performance management and KPIs:
  Own dashboards and reporting for key operational metrics, including on-time shipment rate, exception closure time, FTZ execution performance, inventory accuracy, broker performance, hold rates, and duty deferral or avoidance value. Use data and supply chain analysis to identify trends, manage risk, and improve execution.
• Vendor and broker management:
  Oversee day-to-day operational performance of customs brokers, freight forwarders, and logistics vendors. Manage service issues and escalations, reinforce execution standards, and provide input to scorecards and performance reviews.
• Coverage and continuity:
  Ensure daily continuity of trade compliance operations across East and West Coast activities through effective resource planning, cross-cover, and incident coordination. Support urgent issues affecting patient materials, manufacturing inputs, critical shipments, or FTZ controls.
• Cross-functional leadership:
  Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Logistics, Quality, Tech Ops, and Digital teams to align…