Customs Brokerage Specialist

About the role

Container Nine is a mid-sized NVOCC and customs brokerage working the Hong Kong-Shenzhen corridor. Roughly a third of our volume crosses the boundary by truck, which means our customers live or die by paperwork that is right the first time.

The Customs & Trade Compliance team of five handles declarations, licensing and advisory work. We are hiring a specialist because two of our larger accounts have moved into regulated goods — one imports cosmetics with ingredient restrictions, the other ships lithium batteries and machinery with dual-use exposure. Both need someone who can read a tariff note and give a defensible answer.

You will work alongside our brokerage clerks, the mainland declaration team in Shenzhen, and a network of licensed brokers. Expect to spend part of your week teaching customers what they are actually obliged to do.

What you'll do

• Classify goods under the HS/Hong Kong Harmonised System and document the reasoning so it survives an audit
• Prepare and lodge import/export declarations and Trade Declaration Certificates within statutory deadlines
• Apply for and maintain licences — strategic commodities, pharmaceutical, reserved commodities, CITES where applicable
• Advise customers on origin, valuation, FTA preference and free-trade agreement documentation for GBA shipments
• Handle Customs & Excise queries, inspections and detentions; prepare voluntary disclosures where an error is found
• Maintain the compliance manual and run quarterly refresher sessions for the brokerage clerks

What we're looking for

• Higher Diploma or degree in Logistics, International Trade, Law or a related field
• 5+ years in customs brokerage, trade compliance or a customs-facing role at a forwarder or manufacturer
• Working knowledge of the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60) and the Strategic Commodities Regulations
• Confident in Cantonese and Mandarin for broker and authority contact; strong written English for advisory notes
• The judgement to escalate rather than guess when a classification is genuinely ambiguous

Nice to have

• Experience with China Customs declarations or AEO mutual recognition programmes
• Familiarity with dual-use export control lists (Wassenaar, EAR)
• Prior involvement in a customs audit or post-clearance review

What you get

• 16 days annual leave plus a day off on your birthday
• Double pay at Lunar New Year
• Medical and dental scheme with outpatient and Chinese medicine cover
• Sponsored professional training and licence renewal fees
• Five minutes' walk from Kwai Hing MTR