Make the right UK trade compliance hire — first time
Specialist UK recruiters for export controls, customs, and sanctions roles — combining deep networks with real-time market insight on salary, availability, and hiring timelines.
Trusted by organisations hiring across the UK, often alongside mandates in Europe and the United States.
UK Trade Compliance Expertise
Focused coverage across export controls, customs, and sanctions — placing talent that keeps your operations compliant and moving.
Global Export Controls
Securing technical specialists and strategic leads to manage SIEL/OIEL applications through the ECJU while ensuring adherence to UK military and dual-use lists.
Complex Customs Management
From operational specialists to Heads of Customs, we place experts who master classification and valuation within the current UK Global Tariff frameworks.
Sanctions & Global Governance
Identifying senior practitioners to navigate the UK sanctions regime and OFSI mandates, protecting your business through robust regulatory leadership.
UK Trade Compliance Placements
Recent placements across export controls, customs, and sanctions — delivering measurable impact for UK organisations.
Selected assignments include:
Head of Trade Compliance
Built a greenfield compliance function and implemented audit protocols across a global aerospace operation.
Aerospace & Defence — Bristol, UK
Export Controls Manager
Secured niche technical expertise to manage complex UK and US export licensing across defence programmes.
Defence & Security — Lancashire, UK
Customs & Trade Compliance Manager
Streamlined import/export operations and reduced duty exposure for a high-volume retail business.
Consumer Goods — Birmingham, UK
Sanctions Advisory Lead
Appointed a subject matter expert to lead regulatory change and strengthen sanctions screening for an international bank.
Banking & Financial Services — London, UK
Trade Compliance Director
Transformed customs valuation processes and implemented origin reporting across a global logistics provider.
Supply Chain & Logistics — South East, UK
Borders & Customs Manager
Led day-to-day customs operations, strengthened audit readiness, and reduced border friction across UK distribution.
Logistics — Newark, UK
“
They not only understood the technical requirements, but also the personality needed for such a demanding environment. Which resulted with a shortlist of exceptional profiles.
TaylorCurcio understood the UK trade landscape perfectly, securing a key hire for our export control team.
— Chief Compliance Officer, UK-based Aerospace & Defence Group
UK trade compliance hiring dynamics
Post-Brexit regulatory shifts
EU–UK cross-border hiring
Trade compliance in the UK has become more complex following Brexit, with organisations needing to navigate both UK and EU regulatory frameworks…
Hiring is often impacted by reduced mobility between the UK and EU, with fewer candidates willing or able to relocate compared to pre-Brexit conditions.
London-led talent pool
Mid-level talent gaps
London remains the primary hub for trade compliance professionals, driven by multinational headquarters, financial services and global trade functions, with more limited talent pools outside the South East.
There is a noticeable shortage of professionals at Manager and Senior Manager level, particularly those with both regulatory expertise and practical, operational experience.
Flexible hiring strategies
Flexible and hybrid working models are increasingly important in the UK market, enabling organisations to access talent beyond London and address constraints in the mid-level talent pool.
Planning your next UK trade compliance hire?
Start with a strategy call — or share your requirement if you're ready to move forward.