Director of Trade Compliance

Job Title: Director of Trade Compliance
Company: Ignium
Location: Remote (with option to work from Maryland)
Employment Type: Full-time
About the Role
Ignium is seeking an experienced Director of Trade Compliance to lead and oversee the company's global trade compliance program. This executive-level role serves as the organization's subject matter expert for U.S. export controls, import compliance, customs regulations, and international trade requirements across Ignium and its subsidiary companies.
Reporting directly to the Chief Legal Officer, you will provide strategic leadership for ITAR, EAR, U.S. Customs, OFAC sanctions, antiboycott, and international trade compliance while developing scalable compliance programs that support our continued global growth.
Key Responsibilities
Empowered Official: Serve as the company's Empowered Official and lead the corporate Trade Compliance Program.
Licensing & Regulatory Filings: Manage ITAR and EAR licensing, agreements, exemptions, and regulatory submissions.
Classifications: Oversee export classifications, jurisdiction determinations, and product classifications (USML, ECCN, and HTS).
Customs Compliance: Ensure compliance with U.S. Customs regulations, including valuation, country of origin, marking, preferential trade programs, import/export documentation, and customs broker activities.
Governance & Policies: Develop and maintain trade compliance policies, procedures, standard operating procedures, technology control plans, and recordkeeping controls.
Audits & Metrics: Lead enterprise-wide compliance audits, monitoring activities, corrective actions, and executive reporting on compliance metrics and material risks.
Risk Management & Screening: Oversee restricted and denied party screening, sanctions and embargo compliance, antiboycott compliance, due diligence reviews, and risk assessments.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Engineering, Contracts, Supply Chain, Operations, Shipping, IT, Security, Finance, and HR to integrate compliance into core business processes.
Training & Mentorship: Develop and deliver trade compliance training across the organization.
Disclosures: Investigate potential compliance issues and prepare voluntary disclosures when necessary.
Subsidiary Leadership: Provide functional leadership, oversight, and guidance to Trade Compliance personnel across subsidiary companies.
M&A Integration: Support integration of newly acquired businesses into the corporate compliance program.
Travel: Travel periodically to domestic and international subsidiary locations.
Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree.
Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in export controls and international trade compliance.
Regulatory Expertise: Extensive knowledge of ITAR, EAR, and U.S. Customs regulations.
Customs & Trade Expertise: Deep expertise in import/export compliance (classification, valuation, country of origin, customs broker oversight).
Sanctions & Licensing: In-depth knowledge of OFAC sanctions, antiboycott compliance, and export licensing.
Portal Proficiency: Direct experience preparing and managing ITAR/EAR license applications using DDTC DECCS, BIS SNAP-R, and CBP ACE.
Logistics: Strong knowledge of Incoterms and international shipping documentation.
Core Skills: Excellent communication, analytical, and leadership skills.
ITAR Eligibility: Must satisfy the requirements of 22 C.F.R. § 120.67 to serve as an ITAR Empowered Official, including applicable U.S.-person status requirements.
Clearance: Must be eligible to obtain and maintain the level of U.S. security clearance required for the position.
Preferred Qualifications
ECoP ITAR and ECoP EAR certifications.
Previous experience serving as an Empowered Official.
Background in the defense or aerospace industry.
Familiarity with EU Dual-Use Regulations and international export compliance.
Proven success implementing enterprise compliance programs and audit frameworks across decentralized, international, or acquisitive organizations.
Work Environment & Travel
Location: Remote work arrangement, with the option to work from Maryland.
Travel: Periodic domestic and international travel to subsidiary locations required.
Physical & Schedule: Extended periods of computer-based work; flexibility to work outside normal business hours as needed.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Ignium provides equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law. Ignium will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities during the application process and employment, as required by applicable law.

Work arrangement
Yes