Regulatory Specialist

Gate Gourmet, a gategroup company, is the world's largest independent provider of catering and provisioning services for the airline industry. For the past 70 years, we have served over 250 carriers in more than 30 countries. Gate Gourmet combines culinary expertise with the highest standards of food safety and production to deliver delicious, healthy, and affordable meals to over 270 million travelers around the globe.

This role is responsible for managing and ensuring compliance with bonded storage requirements, liquor licensing laws, and a broad range of regulatory permits across North America operations. The position serves as a primary support liaison to regulatory authorities: including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and state, local, or provincial environmental agencies; to maintain compliance, mitigate operational and legal risks, and support business continuity.

The role leads permitting activities, oversees environmental related project management, and reviews contracts and legal documentation for regulatory implications. This position ensures strong governance of bonded goods, controlled products, and regulated materials.

• $95,000-$105,000/Per Year
• Paid time off
• 401k, with company match
• Company sponsored life insurance
• Voluntary short-term/long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary life, accident, and hospital plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts

• Oversee all aspects of customs bonded storage operations, ensuring full compliance with CBP regulations and internal company policies.
• Manage bonded goods inventory control processes, including FIFO requirements, CF 7512 documentation and closure, export timelines, and related record‑keeping.
• Ensure bonded cages (Customs Authorized Storerooms) meet all required security, access control, and inventory protection standards. Serve as the primary point of contact for CBP audits, inspections, verifications, and operational inquiries.
• Manage and maintain liquor licenses across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring timely applications, renewals, and ongoing compliance with state and local regulatory requirements.
• Develop, implement, and maintain processes for the handling, storage, and reporting of controlled substances in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Monitor and maintain compliance with local or state regulatory permits associated with catering, environmental oversight, waste management, and related operational activities.
• Investigate permitting or compliance issues; coordinate resolutions with regulatory authorities, legal counsel, and internal stakeholders as required.
• Track regulatory and legislative changes—including CBP, USDA, environmental, and licensing requirements—and communicate implications to leadership and operational teams.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on regulatory readiness, process standardization, system enhancements, and efficiency improvements.
• Review vendor contracts, service agreements, and operational documentation to assess and ensure compliance with customs, licensing, environmental, and other regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with Legal, Procurement, Supply Chain, and operational teams to mitigate risk and ensure contractual obligations align with regulatory standards.
• Develop and deliver training programs on customs compliance, bonded storage requirements, liquor licensing, and other applicable regulatory obligations.
• Provide guidance to unit managers, compliance staff, and operational teams on best practices and evolving regulatory expectations.
• Maintain accurate, organized records of customs documentation, permits, and licenses to ensure audit readiness and regulatory transparency.
• Prepare compliance reports, dashboards, metrics, and risk assessments for senior leadership and regulatory agencies as needed.

• Associate’s degree in Law, Business Administration, Supply Chain, International Trade, Environmental Management, or related field required. Equivalent work experience may be considered.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in customs compliance, bonded storage management, regulatory permitting, or regulatory affairs, preferably within aviation, airline catering, logistics, or a similarly regulated operational environment. Experience in inventory management processes and CBP regulatory requirements preferred. Experience managing liquor licensing, regulatory permitting processes, and supporting regulatory audits. Demonstrated experience in project management and reviewing contracts, service agreements, or legal documents.

• In-depth knowledge of CBP regulations, bonded storage requirements, and liquor licensing laws.
• Familiarity with USDA, FDA, and other relevant regulatory frameworks.
• Licensed Customs Broker or related certification preferred.
• PMP or equivalent project…