Foreign Trade Specialist

The International Trade Specialist supports Vertivs Global Supply Chain and Commercial Operations by leading international trade activities for the Latin America region including Brazil Chile Colombia Mexico and Peru. The role provides strategic oversight of import and export operations ensuring compliance with local and international trade regulations and efficient logistics flows from supplier factories to Vertiv warehouses and end customers.
The position collaborates closely with procurement logistics customs authorities and freight forwarders to define trade strategies optimize shipping networks mitigate risks and improve supply chain performance. Acting as a subject matter expert and escalation point the International Trade Specialist provides guidance on trade documentation cost management and continuous process improvements across the region.

Responsibilities:

Strategy and Order Governance: Own and govern the regional purchase order backlog strategy ensuring end-to-end visibility of manufacturing timelines alignment with regional demand and proactive risk management across the order lifecycle.
Oversight and Factory Governance: Lead strategic follow-up with Vertiv factories validating production commitments managing exceptions and ensuring adherence to agreed timelines and priorities.
International Trade Execution Oversight: Govern import and export operations across ocean air and ground transportation ensuring service level adherence regulatory compliance and alignment with Vertivs global trade and logistics strategies.
International Trade Execution Oversight: Govern import and export operations across ocean air and ground transportation ensuring service level adherence regulatory compliance and alignment with Vertivs global trade and logistics strategies.

Trade Execution Oversight: Govern import and export operations across ocean air and ground transportation ensuring service level adherence regulatory compliance and alignment with Vertivs global trade and logistics strategies.
Supplier and Freight Forwarder Management: Serve as the regional focal point for strategic suppliers and freight forwarders driving performance capacity planning service optimization and issue resolution.
Management and Financial Governance: Lead oversight of freight costs duties and taxes ensuring invoice accuracy budget adherence and identification of cost optimization opportunities through analytical insights.
and Risk Management: Act as the primary regional escalation point for complex trade and logistics issues leading cross-functional resolution mitigating operational and regulatory risks and ensuring business continuity.
Excellence and Standardization: Drive continuous improvement initiatives in international trade and logistics defining best practices leading SOP development and ensuring regional alignment with global standards.
-functional Strategic Partnership: Partner with regional business units procurement logistics warehouse and commercial teams to align trade strategies with business objectives and operational priorities.
Systems Governance and Visibility: Govern shipment visibility and data accuracy in system and related platforms ensuring reliable timely and decision-ready information for planning execution and reporting.
Governance and Performance Management: Own regional trade and logistics KPIs ensuring data integrity actionable insights and clear communication to leadership to support strategic decision-making and continuous improvement.

Education & Certifications:

• Bachelors degree in international business Supply Chain Management Logistics Business Administration or a related field.
• MBA or Postgraduate degree in Supply Chain International Trade Logistics or related areas is a plus.
• Advanced expertise in trade compliance regulations Incoterms and customs procedures across Latin America acting as a subject matter expert and reference for the business.

Requirements:

Minimum Experience & Skills:

• 7 years of experience in international trade import/export operations or global logistics with end-to-end ownership of door-to-door processes and multimodal transportation across complex networks.
• Deep expertise in Incoterms with proven ability to assess risks responsibilities and commercial impacts across different trade scenarios.
• Strong experience overseeing and governing international shipments via ocean air and ground freight including exception and risk management.
• Advanced knowledge of customs compliance international trade regulations and trade documentation (BL AWB invoices packing lists certificates) across multiple countries.
• Proven experience leading cost management activities including freight cost analysis duties taxes invoice validation and identification of optimization opportunities.
• Extensive experience partnering with freight forwarders suppliers customs brokers and internal stakeholders to drive trade performance and strategic outcomes.
• Strong end-to-end supply chain knowledge with the ability to connect trade activities to broader business and operational strategies.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills with strong attention to detail and ability to manage complex scenarios.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word PowerPoint and Excel including reporting and analytical applications.
• Working knowledge of SAP/Oracle or similar ERP systems leveraging systems to support visibility and decision-making.
• Strong communication and writing skills in English (minimum C1). Spanish proficiency is a plus
• Strong interpersonal collaboration and leadership-influence skills with a proactive and self-driven mindset.

Preferred Experience & Skills:

• Experience in Latin American markets (Brazil Chile Colombia Mexico Peru).
• Experience with trade systems or platforms (Oracle SAP Smartsheet Power Bi).
• Prior experience in escalation management and process improvement initiatives.
• Exposure to complex supply chains for technology or critical infrastructure products.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with procurement warehouse commercial and operations teams.