Senior Corporate Counsel, Compliance - Customs

Career Area:

Legal and Compliance

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other.  We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

This is Caterpillar

Caterpillar is seeking a Senior Corporate Counsel, Compliance - Customs in either Irving, Texas, Washington DC, or Peoria, Illinois to provide legal advice and support on customs and trade compliance matters.   As a Senior Corporate Counsel, Compliance - Customs at Caterpillar, you won’t just advise on the law—you’ll help shape how a global company operates, grows, and helps our customers build a better, more sustainable world.

This is a rare opportunity for a customs/trade attorney to step into a highly visible in-house role where your advice directly drives business outcomes.  You’ll work alongside business leaders, advise on strategy, and solve complex, real-world challenges across global supply chains—all within a collaborative, high-performing legal team at an organization with consistent financial performance and historical significance.

The role is focused on customs compliance support for the US and Canada and reports to the Associate General Counsel for Trade and Fair Competition, who is based in Irving, Texas.

What You Will Do:

• Partner with the business on day-to-day and strategic customs and trade compliance matters, including import/export procedures, tariff classification, customs valuation, duty suspension administration, free trade agreements, rules of origin, customs compliance process development, and other trade-related compliance requirements

• Translate complex regulatory developments into clear, actionable guidance for business stakeholders

• Shape and strengthen compliance programs by assisting with the design and improvement of policies, procedures, and controls that work in practice—not just on paper

• Support strategic initiatives that intersect with global trade, supply chain, and Caterpillar’s growth objectives

• Collaborate cross-functionally with trade, logistics, tax, and commercial teams to solve problems and enable the business

• Work globally with legal colleagues around the world to deliver coordinated, high-quality legal support

• Why This Role is Different:  This is not a back-office compliance role. You will:

• Have direct access to business leaders and decision-making processes—you will not be sitting on the sidelines

• See the immediate impact of your advice on operations and strategy

• Move from issue-spotting to holistic problem-solving

• Develop a broad commercial perspective that enables expansion of your career beyond legal technical work

• Join a team that values practical judgment, responsiveness, and collaboration

What You Have:

• Risk Management: Knowledge of processes, tools, and techniques for assessing and controlling an organization's exposure to risks of various kinds; ability to apply knowledge of risk management appropriately to diverse situations

• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; Willing to take initiative, bear risks, make decisions, and take responsibilities to resolve problems and improve business results 

• Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools, and techniques; Ability to collaborate vertically and horizontally, across levels and various business functions, and with external parties 

• Managing Multiple Priorities: Knowledge of effective self-management practices; ability to manage multiple concurrent objectives, projects, groups, or activities, making effective judgments as to prioritizing and time allocation

• Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational, or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations

• Resource Management: Knowledge of the resources required to achieve business objectives; ability to pl