Executive Director, Global Trade Services and Customs Operations

Role Overview

The Executive Director serves as the enterprise head of Global Trade Services, holding ultimate functional accountability for the centralized shared services hub, corporate governance architecture, and the 9-figure global trade spend across the Disney corporate footprint. Operating within the IC@D Enterprise Standards, this executive leader serves as the principal architect balancing strict regulatory compliance with high-velocity, cost-optimized transactional performance.

The position acts as the primary executive sponsor for trade modernization, transforming regulatory requirements into scalable operational workflows that proactively insulate regional businesses from geopolitical disruptions, volatile tariff environments, and trade friction. The role owns the multi-year investment roadmap, corporate trade risk segmentation, and cross-functional financial strategies required to optimize enterprise-wide systems, duty savings program sponsorship, and supporting business cases.

Key Responsibilities

• Govern the Shared Service Operating Model: Establish standardized operational KPIs, communication cadences (including bi-weekly Trade Champion review cycles), and cost-containment metrics for decentralized segment Trade Champions to ensure effective compliance governance without unnecessary duplication of efforts.

• Own the Global Trade Spend & Multi-Year Capital Investments: Direct business case creation and cross-functional budget sign-off for multi-year capital investments, responsible for 8-figure duty optimization portfolio programs including Foreign Trade Zones, First Sale Valuation, Duty Drawbacks and Tariff Engineering to directly enhance the enterprise bottom line and contribute meaningfully to gross margin improvements.

• Drive Executive Cross-Functional Alignment: Secure active strategic alignment with Corporate Tax, Corporate Sourcing, Treasury, Finance, Product and segment executives to embed forward-looking trade strategy and landed-cost optimization into global vendor selections and product development.

• Sponsor Trade Automation Modernization: Act as the executive champion for transitioning to scalable, cost-effective, compliant, human-in-the-loop AI, and standardized system-embedded controls across the Disney trade technology landscape to deliver value to the Global Trade Services team and its core stakeholders globally.

• Advise on Trade Policy: Partner directly with Legal and Government Public Affairs (GPA) team to monitor emerging trade legislation, geopolitical shifts, and international supply chain policies; acts as an internal translator converting macro tariff trends and trade policy developments into actionable corporate guardrails, sourcing risk analytics, and enterprise supply chain changes.

• Authorize High-Risk Material Submissions: Serve as the final internal functional signatory and reviewer for non-routine government inquiries, prior disclosures, or regulatory remediations that carry material financial or brand exposure.

• Lead Trade Education Initiatives: With the Integrity and Compliance @ Disney team, sponsor the creation and global delivery of awareness, deep-dive, proficiency and expert training, ensuring that international trade stakeholders and Global Trade Services are provided the appropriate level of learning opportunities across the Disney trade landscape.

Basic Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive executive leadership experience directing global trade compliance, international supply chain operations, corporate regulatory auditing, or closely related matrixed financial/sourcing functions within a large public multinational enterprise.

• Proven track record of successfully managing 9-figure duty portfolios, establishing or restructuring centralized corporate shared service hubs / Centers of Excellence (COE), and delivering measurable duty savings and margin enhancement to the P&L.

• Comprehensive technical knowledge of international customs valuation and classification mechanics (transfer pricing, assists, royalties, First Sale) and complex export control regimes (EAR, OFAC sanctions, technology transfers, and access controls).

Preferred Education

• BA/BS in International Business or Economics preferred. Ideal candidate will have a Customshouse Brokers License

The hiring range for this position in Orlando, FL is $213.600.00-$261,100.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.