KIBO is a registered United States company dedicated to providing governments worldwide its services of inspection, analysis, certification, and compliance.
The Customs & Valuation Subject-Matter Expert provides the domain authority behind the service — spanning customs practice and international best practice, customs valuation, tariff classification and origin, and risk-analysis practice — and ensures KIBO's methods align with recognized customs standards. Beyond valuation and risk scoring, the role grounds the whole service in sound, modern customs procedure: how declarations are processed, how clearance and controls work, and what good practice looks like against World Customs Organization (WCO) and WTO norms. It also maps and coordinates with other customs-modernization initiatives in Haiti so KIBO's work complements rather than duplicates them.
Key Responsibilities
- Customs practice & best practice. Serve as the authority on modern customs procedure and international best practice — declaration processing, clearance, controls and trade facilitation — benchmarked against WCO instruments (such as the Revised Kyoto Convention and the SAFE Framework) and WTO trade-facilitation norms, and advise how the service reflects and reinforces good practice.
- Procedure & controls guidance. Advise on customs procedures, controls and clearance workflows, and on how KIBO's verification and inspection activities fit within them without disrupting legitimate trade.
- Valuation methodology. Own the price-verification methodology under the WTO Agreement on Customs Valuation and the Article VII (GATT 1994) hierarchy, and ensure outputs are technically sound and defensible.
- Classification & origin. Advise on tariff (HS) classification and origin determination as they bear on risk and valuation.
- Risk-management practice. Guide risk-rule design and prioritization so the risk assessment reflects sound customs practice, and advise on the review workflow with the customs administration.
- Programmed coordination. Map other customs-modernization activities in Haiti (including EU- and World Bank-supported programs) and coordinate so KIBO's service avoids duplication and aligns with wider efforts.
- Training design. Design and help deliver training for customs officials on customs procedure and best practice, verification, valuation, risk and inspection.
- Advisory posture. Advise the team while recognizing that final customs decisions rest with the customs administration.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience in customs administration, customs modernization, trade facilitation, customs valuation, tariff classification, origin, or related international trade advisory work.
- Deep practical knowledge of customs procedure and international best practice, including declaration processing, clearance workflows, controls, post-clearance review, inspection practices, and trade facilitation.
- Strong command of the WTO Customs Valuation framework, including the GATT Article VII valuation hierarchy, and the ability to apply valuation principles in real operating environments.
- Working knowledge of WCO instruments and international standards, including the Revised Kyoto Convention, SAFE Framework, and WTO trade-facilitation norms.
- Strong understanding of HS classification, rules of origin, customs risk management, and how valuation, classification, and origin affect revenue and enforcement risk.
- Experience applying, benchmarking, or improving customs procedures and controls in operational customs environments.
- Ability to translate complex customs and valuation concepts into clear, practical guidance for analysts, engineers, program leaders, customs officials, and other non-specialist stakeholders.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing guidance, training materials, technical notes, or advisory briefings.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior advisory work with a national customs administration or customs-modernization program.
- Experience benchmarking or reforming customs procedures against WCO, WTO, or other international standards.
- Experience coordinating with EU, World Bank, IMF, WCO, IDB, or other multilateral customs-reform or trade-facilitation programs.
- Familiarity with ASYCUDA/SYDONIA or other customs declaration and clearance systems.
- Regional experience in Haiti, the Caribbean, or Latin America.
- Working French or Haitian-Creole language skills.
- #LI-NA1
What Success Looks Like in Your First Few Months
During your first months, you will:
- Confirm the price-verification methodology and the risk-practice framework and brief the analysis team.
- Complete a landscape review of related customs initiatives and an alignment approach.
- Shape training content for customs officials ahead of inspection getting under way.
Reporting and Working Relationships
Advises the Engagement / Delivery Lead and the Senior Data Scientist on method; coordinates with the Field-Operations Lead on inspection practice; interfaces with counterparts on related programs. Advisory only — final decisions rest with the customs administration.
What KIBO Offers
- Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package.
- High-impact, mission-driven work supporting the modernization of a national customs administration.
- The opportunity to help design a platform with long-term economic, operational, and public-sector impact.
- A collaborative, multidisciplinary team of customs, technology, data, and engineering specialists.
- Significant ownership and influence during a critical program build-out phase.
- Opportunities for professional growth as the platform and program expand.
Join Us
If you are motivated by mission-driven work and want to help establish the architecture behind a transformative customs-modernization program, we encourage you to apply.
KIBO Laboratories LLC is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes qualified applicants of all backgrounds. Offers are contingent on background, right-to-work and — where applicable — sanctions-screening checks.
