Counsel, Global Trade Compliance

Title:

Counsel, Global Trade Compliance

We are KBR

When you become part of our KBR team, your opportunities are endless. Through internal collaboration, and with our partners and customers, we’re defining tomorrow’s challenges, then providing the innovative solutions to overcome those challenges, always maintaining our commitment to Zero Harm and our Sustainability Platform.

Trinzic, currently KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business, delivers advanced engineering, science, technology, and mission support solutions to customers operating in the world's most demanding environments.

In September 2025, KBR announced plans to spin off its Mission Technology Solutions business into a separate public company, Trinzic. Upon completion of the separation, this position will become part of Trinzic. Our teams support defense, intelligence, space, aviation, cyber, and critical infrastructure missions, helping customers solve complex challenges across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.

Join us and be part of a team delivering mission critical solutions that make a lasting impact.

We Are Legal 

We take on any legal or related task. Every day we work across many different jurisdictions and interface with many different cultures. Our versatility is reflected in our strong commercial awareness and ability to adapt to the circumstances at hand, to provide solid practical legal and commercially focused solutions.

About the Role

The Global Counsel, Trade Compliance is responsible for managing and overseeing the company's global trade compliance program and leading the day-to-day operations of the International Trade Controls Office (ITCO). This role provides legal guidance and compliance oversight related to U.S. and international export controls, sanctions regulations, licensing requirements, technology transfers, and cross-border business activities. The position partners closely with business leaders, program teams, customers, suppliers, and government agencies worldwide to ensure trade compliance requirements are effectively integrated into business operations while supporting organizational objectives and global growth initiatives.

The Global Counsel, Trade Compliance serves as a key advisor on international trade controls matters, overseeing export licensing activities, business clearances, due diligence, compliance training, audits, investigations, and regulatory engagement. This role monitors global regulatory developments and helps ensure the company maintains an effective compliance framework aligned with applicable laws and regulations across the jurisdictions in which it operates.

Key Responsibilities

Export Licenses & Government Authorizations

• Ensure controlled technology, software, technical data, products, and services are exported in accordance with applicable export licenses and government authorizations.
• Liaise with U.S. and foreign government agencies and regulatory authorities to understand compliance requirements, licensing obligations, and authorization processes.
• Monitor U.S. and international trade regulations and communicate relevant regulatory developments and compliance impacts to key stakeholders.
• Serve as one of the company's designated ITAR Empowered Officials.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of export license applications, classification requests, commodity jurisdiction requests, advisory opinion requests, and other government authorizations.
• Oversee export requirements associated with employee international travel and business activities.
• Prepare documentation and monitor the use of export license exemptions and exceptions.
• Oversee the classification of products, services, technical data, and technology subject to export controls.
• Maintain oversight of export compliance recordkeeping requirements and related retention practices.
• Support business units in determining licensing requirements, managing export authorizations, and identifying transactions that may be restricted or prohibited.
• Oversee administration of the company's automated export compliance systems and tools.

Procedures & Compliance Program Management

• Ensure global business processes effectively incorporate applicable trade compliance, export control, sanctions, and customs requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and periodically update the Export Compliance Manual, policies, and procedures to reflect regulatory, organizational, and operational changes.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen the company's trade compliance program, controls, and compliance processes.

Approvals, Reviews & Clearances

• Review proposed projects, master agreements, joint ventures, and follow-on work to identify export control requirements and potential compliance risks.
• Provide trade compliance clearances and approvals for projects, pursuits, and transactions, including any required conditions or mitigation measures.
• Review and approve business opportunities involving international participation, including proposal and execution-stage clearances.
• Advise stakeholders on export control, sanctions, and cross-border regulatory implications associated with international business activities, opportunities, and contractual arrangements.
• Assist in reviewing, drafting, and negotiating export compliance provisions within customer, subcontractor, supplier, and partner agreements.
• Oversee denied party screening, sanctions reviews, customer vetting, supplier screening, and related due diligence activities.

Training & Awareness

• Promote awareness of trade compliance requirements and assist employees in understanding their compliance responsibilities.
• Develop, implement, and deliver trade compliance training, onboarding materials, and targeted educational programs.
• Provide guidance and support to employees, managers, and business leaders on export control and sanctions compliance matters.
• Foster a culture of compliance, accountability, and ethical business conduct throughout the organization.

Audits & Monitoring

• Coordinate and facilitate internal trade compliance audits across business units and programs.
• Conduct periodic reviews of projects and operations to ensure adherence to export control requirements and ITCO approval conditions.
• Identify compliance gaps, recommend corrective actions, support remediation efforts, and monitor overall compliance program effectiveness.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage with customers, subcontractors, suppliers, and business partners to provide export compliance guidance and support compliance across the supply chain.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal stakeholders, external partners, and government representatives.
• Collaborate across Legal, Compliance, Business Development, Contracts, Supply Chain, Human Resources, and Operations functions to support compliance objectives.
• Promote the company's values, culture, and commitment to a safe, supportive, inclusive, and compliant work environment.

Basic Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active bar admission in at least one U.S. state jurisdiction.
• Minimum 8-10 years of legal practice experience.
• Extensive experience advising on global trade compliance matters, including U.S. export controls, economic sanctions, and foreign trade control regulations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of U.S. export control regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
• Familiarity with Department of Energy (DOE) and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) export control requirements.
• Experience supporting Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programs.
• Experience implementing, managing, or advising on trade compliance programs.
• Experience supporting defense, aerospace, government contracting, or other highly regulated industries involving controlled technologies.
• Ability to satisfy applicable pre-employment screening requirements and obtain and maintain any required security clearances.

Professional Skills & Competencies

• Deep knowledge of global trade controls, export regulations, sanctions compliance requirements, cross-border regulatory frameworks, and government authorization processes.
• Ability to apply complex regulatory requirements to business operations and strategic initiatives.
• Strong legal analysis, risk assessment, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to develop a strong understanding of business processes and their interaction with trade compliance requirements.
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with government agencies, regulatory authorities, and trade organizations.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence and communicate effectively with personnel at all levels of the organization.
• Strong organizational, project management, and team leadership capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as an ITAR Empowered Official.
• Experience supporting multinational operations and advising on foreign export control regimes and compliance requirements outside the United States.
• Experience implementing or managing automated export compliance systems and screening tools.
• Experience supporting public companies or organizations undergoing significant corporate transformation.
• Prior experience designing and delivering enterprise-wide compliance training programs.
• Experience leading compliance audits, investigations, and regulatory reviews.

Additional Compensation: KBR may offer bonuses, commissions, or other forms of compensation to certain job titles or levels, per internal policy or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be in the form of sign on bonus, relocation benefits, short term incentives, long term incentives, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance.

Benefits: KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include a 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture.  These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company.  That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together. 

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.