Trade & Customs Associate-Japan

As a Trade & Customs Associate, you will support the execution of trade & customs operations by ensuring timely documentation, tracking shipments through customs clearance, and maintaining compliance with relevant regulations.

 

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Financial planning & cost management

・Review and approve transport and trade invoices. 

Specialized operations & administration

・Provide training to local teams on changes in trade regulations, processes, and system rollouts/updates. 

・Build strong fundamentals: be able to read permits/authorizations and ensure all documents are properly filed and retained.

・Continuously monitor shipment information from origin (e.g., SPC LOG) and follow up on questions from customs brokers to keep customs preparation on track.

・Update ETAs on the shipping schedule and coordinate timely clearance and receiving as needed.

・Support day-to-day customs filings and related documentation (e.g., customs declarations, bills of lading, invoices) for all international movements of goods, including commercial and NCG. 

・Monitor inbound shipping schedules to ensure timely customs clearance and coordinate ETAs with the receiving warehouse team when required. 

・Use local SOPs for customs purposes and suggest/update them when needed. 

Coordination & stakeholder management

・Coordinate with customs brokers and transport service providers to ensure timely, compliant shipment processing, and support resolving customs clearance delays. 

・Support the Trade & Customs team with routine operational tasks to ensure smooth trade execution. 

Compliance, risk & governance

・Ensure customs documentation is complete and compliant to minimize disruptions. 

・Retain customs documentation to support audit trails for internal/external audits. 

・Support preparation of documents for customs audits when requested by the regional Trade & Customs operations team or customs authorities.

 

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

・Trade & Customs team and local internal teams

・Customs brokers and transport service providers

・Customs authorities

・Receiving warehouse team (for ETA coordination)

・Regional Trade & Customs operations team (for audit support)

 

WHO YOU ARE

・Basic trade/customs knowledge (preferred)

・Customs/logistics ops experience (preferred)

・Highly organized; strong documentation skills

・Detail-oriented and compliance-minded

・Collaborative with internal/external partners

・Comfortable with trade systems & document tools

・Strong problem solver

・Ability to communicate and write in both Japanese and English

・Only individuals with authorization to work in Japan will be considered

You proactively strengthen the team’s capabilities by updating SOPs and sharing knowledge (e.g., running workshops), with a “everyone is a leader” mindset.

You have a strong compliance mindset and act with high integrity and attention to detail.

 

Benefits​

We offer all our employees at H&M Group attractive benefits with extensive development opportunities around the globe. All our employees receive a staff discount card, usable on all our H&M Group brands in stores and online. Brands covered by the discount are H&M (Beauty and Move included), COS, Weekday, Monki, H&M HOME, & Other Stories, ARKET, Afound. In addition to our staff discount, all our employees are included in our H&M Incentive Program – HIP. You can read more about our H&M Incentive Program here.​

In addition to our global benefits, all our local markets offer different competitive perks and benefits. Please note that they may differ between employment type and countries.​

Inclusion & Diversity​

H&M is a part of H&M Group. At H&M Group, we’re determined to create and maintain inclusive, diverse and equitable workplaces throughout our organization. Our teams should consist of a variety of people that share and combine their knowledge, experience and ideas. Having a diverse workforce leads to a positive impact on how we address challenges, on what we perceive possible and on how we choose to relate to our colleagues and customers all over the world. Hence all diversity dimensions are taken into consideration in our recruitment process. ​

We strive to have a fair and equal process and therefore kindly ask you not to attach a cover letter in your application as they often contain information that easily can trigger unintentional biases. ​

Company Description​

H&M is a fashion brand that offers the latest styles and inspiration, from fashion pieces and unique designer collaborations to affordable wardrobe essentials. Our business idea is fashion & quality at the best price in a sustainable way. Learn more about H&M at www.hmgroup.com