INTERNATIONAL/EXPATRIATE ROLE – HEAD OF LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS DESIGN – THIRD PARTY CONTRACT LOGISTICS

“Very innovative Warehouse and Transport Solutions Design specialist with experience of Robotic Process Automation and similar technologies required to lead, coach and develop country solutions design team.”

£Excellent + Bonus + Benefits & Relocation Assistance

South East Asia – Full Relocation Assistance Available

Our client is a global multinational.  A true market leader, they have a strong culture of safety, customer focus, quality and reliability.

Highly successful and long-established with industrial expertise across a number of verticals, our client has a global network of operations and integrated state-of-the-art information technology across warehousing and transport.   

As result of dynamic growth our client is seeking a very innovative, degree educated, Head of Solutions Design with “hands on” warehouse and transport solutions design experience to lead, coach and develop its country solutions design team.  

We are seeking individuals with experience of various types of warehousing and storage including robotic process automation, automatic storage and retrieval systems, transport network design including fleet design, track and trace and route optimisation.  

The Role:

• Managing a team of Solutions Managers and Analysts, you will support the country Business Development and Implementation teams in developing innovative, cost effective and profitable logistics and supply chain solutions for new and existing multinational and regional clients.
• Through strategic consulting assignments, you will work at both operational and Board level to identify business issues focused on process improvement and cost effectiveness; propose value adding and innovative solutions and subsequently manage the delivery of projects.
• This will entail analysis of existing inhouse and customer operations and the subsequent design of proposals, managing resource and cross functional teams during implementation, planning and solutions delivery.  In addition, you will develop the supply chain solutions design strategy and manage the departmental budget.
• As Head of Solutions Design your role will be broad - data analyst, strategist, salesperson, key account manager, material handling consultant, warehousing and transport network subject matter expert, supply chain and logistics systems specialist, management accountant, facilitator, leader, mentor, coach and project manager.
• You will possess extensive warehousing and transport solutions design, planning, projects, consultancy, value chain engineering and productivity improvement expertise.  You will be highly proficient in liaising, presenting and working at Board level both internally and externally with key multinational client accounts.  
• You will direct and manage your team in multiple implementation and re-engineering projects enabling cost and service improvements whilst at the same time managing teams involved in new operational start-ups.

The Ideal Applicant:

• The ideal applicant will be educated to degree/post graduate level and will possess a substantial and demonstrative track record of successful project delivery gained within a third-party contract logistics solutions design/projects environment.  
• We are inviting applications from either highly accomplished professionals seeking to consolidate and apply their solutions design, leadership and coaching experience in a new and challenging growth environment or alternatively someone with at least 5-8 years fast track operational and solutions design experience who wishes to further develop their managerial experience by heading up and grow a team of solutions design specialists.
• Experience of transport planning, supply chain optimisation and warehouse design tools as well as formal project management capabilities will be a prerequisite.  Experience of managing multi-disciplined teams is essential.
• It is imperative that you will be possess a portfolio of successful projects completed across, for example, retail and FMCG, industrial, technology or pharmaceutical verticals.  
• Most importantly you will also have a demonstrable track record of success in coaching and developing a team of Solutions Design Analysts and Managers, ensuring a consistent, best in class approach.
• Previous international solutions design and solutions design and implementation project team leadership would be extremely advantageous as would cultural experience of visiting South East Asia on business or vacation.

Please note: This is an expatriate career development role on a permanent local contract and therefore you will be required to relocate to a country in South East Asia (shortlisted candidates will be advised of the precise location at the outset of the recruitment process) to be based there full time.  Our client will provide full relocation assistance.  Our client offers a very competitive salary and benefits package including bonus and private healthcare.  Please note however that although housing allowance may be provided, school fees are not provided as part of the package.
 

SENIOR BUYER/TEAMLEITER (m/w/d) EINKAUF – EINKAUFSTEAM FÜR TECHNOLOGIE- UND KAPITALPROJEKTE

„Beteiligen Sie sich an der kontinuierlichen Verbesserung – eine spannende Position für einen erfahrenen Senior Buyer (m/w/d) mit Hochschulabschluss und fließenden Deutschkenntnissen wartet auf Sie– Führung des Einkaufsteams für Technologie- und Kapitalprojekte für ein globales Energieunternehmen“

€ Sehr attraktiv + Ausgezeichnete Vorteile

Nordrhein-Westfalen – Unterstützung beim Umzug

Unser Kunde ist ein weltweit führendes Unternehmen im Sektor Energie, Strom- und Wärmeerzeugung.  

Im Rahmen einer strategischen Umgestaltung der Beschaffungsfunktion über seine globalen Betriebseinheiten hinweg sucht unser Kunde einen innovativen und kreativen Senior Buyer/Einkaufsteamleiter (m/w/d), um in Deutschland Category-Management-Lösungen bereichsübergreifend umzusetzen. Sie leiten ein Einkaufsteam und sind für indirekte Ausgaben, Projekte im Bereich Ingenieurswesen und Finanzierung zuständig.  

Wir suchen nach hoch motivierten Kandidatinnen und Kandidaten, die auf Veränderungen ausgerichtet sind und die dazu beitragen, die Beschaffungskapazität unseres Kunden maßgeblich auszubauen. Es erwartet Sie die volle Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung Ihrer strategischen Pläne in einem anspruchsvollen Unternehmen, das sich durch das unablässige Streben nach Exzellenz auszeichnet und bei der Bereitstellung von sicheren, nachhaltigen Dienstleistungen für seine Kunden keine Kompromisse eingeht. Die Verbesserung der Flexibilität der Leistungseinheit „Procurement“ und des Unternehmens insgesamt innerhalb eines stark reglementierten Umfelds ist eine äußerst attraktive Herausforderung.

Sie haben ein Geschick für kulturübergreifende Zusammenarbeit und können wesentliche Veränderungen in einem reglementierten Umfeld bewirken. Auf die Erreichung dieser teilweise miteinander konkurrierenden Ziele hinzuarbeiten und gleichzeitig einen Mehrwert für den Kunden zu generieren, schafft ein anregendes und herausforderndes Umfeld, das Sie jeden Tag aufs Neue auf die Probe stellt. 

Ihre Aufgaben:

• Die Vision ist es, ein globales Beschaffungsteam einzurichten, dessen Mitglieder von betrieblichen und funktionalen Business Partnern als vertrauensvolle Berater wertgeschätzt werden. Dieses Team setzt kommerzielle und Supply-Chain-Lösungen um und regt so zu einem Umdenken an und treibt betriebsinternen Wandel voran. 

In Deutschland beinhaltet das:

• Bereitstellung neuer strategischer Optionen; 
• Anpassen der Verhaltensweisen von Lieferpartnern und Leistungserwartungen; 
• Schaffen geeigneter Beziehungen und Neudefinieren der Erwartungen an die Lieferantenbeziehungen mit den Unternehmen.   

• Ihre Fähigkeit, die diesbezüglichen Category-Strategien umzusetzen, ist ausschlaggebend für die Rolle des Senior Buyer und Teamleiters in Deutschland. 
• Sie übernehmen eine Schlüsselrolle bei der Zusammenstellung eines lokalen Beschaffungsteams und dessen Realisierung der Beschaffungsvision. In Ihrer Rolle prägen Sie die Beziehung zwischen dem Einkauf und prominenten Business Leadern vor Ort, unter anderem dem Anlagenmanagement und den Finanzen, und gewährleisten, dass Einkaufs- und Betriebsziele aufeinander abgestimmt sind. 
• Abgesehen vom Management eines Ausgabenbereichs sind Sie für die tägliche Führung eines Teams zuständig, dessen Aufgaben die strategische Beschaffung und Category-Planung bis hin zur P2P-Umsetzung abdecken. 
• Sie vertreten den Geschäftsbereich Deutschland bei globalen Category-Management-Aktivitäten und beim Team für das globale Beschaffungswesen. 
• Sie leiten den Ausbau globaler Kapazitäten und neuer Kapazitäten für unsere Funktion. Dies ist eine ausgezeichnete Gelegenheit für einen neuen Manager am Ausbau von Führungskompetenzen sowie der eigenen Beschaffungs- und Category-Management-Kompetenzen in einer globalen Matrixorganisation zu arbeiten. 
• Sie leiten das Einkaufsteam erfolgreich zur Zufriedenheit der Business Partner im Betrieb in Deutschland und zur Verbesserung des Tagesgeschäfts als Erfolgsfaktor. 

Ihr Profil:

• Sie verfügen über ein abgeschlossenes Studium im Bereich Maschinenbau oder Naturwissenschaften oder einem vergleichbaren Fach sowie einen Abschluss auf Masterstufe im Beschaffungswesen und/oder einen abgeschlossenen Masterstudiengang.  
• Mindestens 5-7 Jahre Fast-Track-Berufserfahrung als Senior Buyer, Category Manager oder im Beschaffungsmanagement mit Schwerpunkt indirekte Kategorien und Engineering.
• Mindestens 18 Monate Führungserfahrung im Bereich Beschaffung zwecks Leitung eines Teams erfahrener Einkäufer.
• Erfahrung in bereichsübergreifender Zusammenarbeit in einer globalen multinationalen Matrixorganisation. Dies umfasst beispielsweise die Sektoren Öl und Gas, Energie, Hilfsstoffe, Bergbau und Förderung von Mineralien oder die kapitalintensive industrielle Fertigung von Stahl oder Baumaterialien. Erfahrung in den Sektoren FMCG oder Pharmazeutik wird ebenso berücksichtigt, wenn der Schwerpunkt auf der indirekten Beschaffung, Projekten im Ingenieurswesen oder der Finanzierung lag. 
• Sie setzen sich engagiert für einen Wandel ein und haben während Ihrer bisherigen beruflichen Laufbahn gezeigt, dass Sie bereichsübergreifende Teams mit Mitarbeitenden aus den Bereichen globale/europaweite Beschaffung, Technologie und Projektmanagement geschickt und zielsicher einsetzen können.
• Die Vorbereitung, Präsentation und Begründung von Geschäftsszenarien für die obere Führungsebene nehmen Sie souverän und kompetent in die Hand.
• Sie besitzen einen erstklassigen Leistungsausweis was den Aufbau erfolgreicher interner und externer Geschäftsbeziehungen angeht und tragen so zur Sicherung der Position unseres Kunden als weltweit führende Organisation im Bereich Beschaffungswesen bei.
• Sie bringen Erfahrung im Bereich von Beschaffungssystemen und  technologien mit sowie die Fähigkeit, betriebliche Maßnahmen zu verankern, die sicherstellen, dass Verträge zum Erfolg führen. 
• Sie verfügen über vertiefte Erfahrung im Einkauf und in den Bereichen Projektmanagement, Lieferantenbereitschaft und Management der Lieferantenbasis sowie über Verhandlungsgeschick im Tagesgeschäft.
• Ihre Führungskompetenz in einer multinationalen Matrixorganisation, die Zusammenarbeit im Team und Ihr ergebnisorientiertes Einbeziehen Anderer haben sich bewährt.
• Eine ausgeprägte Affinität für kaufmännische Belange und die strategische Beschaffung sowie ausgezeichnete Projektmanagementfähigkeiten und Verhandlungsgeschick in der Fertigungsindustrie zeichnen Sie aus.
• Sie übernehmen gerne Verantwortung, stellen sich Herausforderungen und treffen Entscheidungen.
• Sie bringen Eigeninitiative und Teamgeist mit und blühen in einem reglementierten Umfeld auf.
• Sie schaffen ein positives Arbeitsumfeld, indem Sie Ihre funktionale/technische Expertise und Erfahrung zeigen und an Mitarbeitende weitergeben.
• Sie haben eine ausgeprägte Kommunikationskompetenz in Wort und Schrift und legen Wert auf zwischenmenschliche Kontakte, die Darstellung der Gruppe und Teammoderation.
• Fließendes Geschäftsenglisch in Wort und Schrift und Deutsch (Muttersprache) runden Ihr Profil ab.

Im Gegenzug dafür bietet unser Kunde äußerst attraktive Gehaltsaussichten und ein erstklassiges Leistungspaket sowie die Möglichkeit, Ihre Karriere innerhalb eines marktführenden Unternehmens voranzutreiben. Die Vorstellungsgespräche finden in Deutschland statt.

Bewerben Sie sich ab sofort mit Ihrem Lebenslauf unter Angabe der Kennnummer J13631 bei applications@martinveasey.com  Tel.: 0044 1905 381 320 www.martinveasey.com

PLEASE CAN YOU SEND US YOUR CV IN BOTH GERMAN AND ENGLISH.
 

SENIOR BUYER/PURCHASING TEAM LEADER- ENGINEERING & CAPITAL PROJECTS BUYING TEAM

“Exciting continuous improvement role for fluent German Speaking, Degree educated, experienced Senior Buyer to lead Engineering & Capital Projects Buying Team for Global Energy Company”

C€Very Attractive + Excellent Benefits

North Rhine-Westphalia – Relocation Assistance available

Our client is a global player within the specialist energy, electricity and power generation sector.  
As part of a strategic transformation of the procurement function across its global operating units, our client seeks to strengthen its German team with the appointment of an innovative and creative Senior Buyer and Purchasing Team Leader for its indirect, engineering and capital projects buying team.  

This is a key appointment at Country level and you will be based at a large processing plant working closely with senior cross functional stakeholders at executive leader level including Plant Manager and Finance Manager.  

In addition, you will also work closely with centralised global category management, project procurement and P2P functions across Europe.  The ideal candidate will possess a track record as a Senior Buyer, Category Manager or Purchasing Manager specialising in indirect and engineering categories.   Experience of managing a team of Buyers will be essential for success in this role.  

Experience will ideally have been gained within a best in class global multinational, matrix organisation.  Experience of SAP would be advantageous.

The Role:

• Lead, manage, motivate, coach, develop and empower a team of three Buyers specialising in indirect and engineering based categories.
• Plan, organise, lead and control the work of the German purchasing team to ensure that objectives are achieved and services are delivered to the customers/stakeholders.
• Contribute to purchasing strategy for engineering and capital projects
• Work closely with business leaders to position the business for future growth
• Leverage expertise and know how to improve purchasing’s critical processes
• Define and implement procurement and supply chain procedures and policies in line with group and category strategies
• Shape and manage supplier relationships to ensure value is delivered including value definition, value creation including opportunity development and supply chain execution process; value capture including governance and compliance management and value protection to mitigate risk. 
• Management of purchasing, tactical buying, sourcing and supplier management activities to achieve cost efficient, accurate and on time purchases, including compliance to corporate purchasing policies
• Improve value adding capabilities of the indirect and engineering procurement function through best practice, cost savings, cost avoidance and spend control
• Identify, drive, implement and sustain indirect and engineering procurement focused process improvements and cost efficiency
• Actively seek improvements in supply chain activities and performance, primarily through coordination and collaboration with Supply Chain and Category Management team
• Develop reports enabling tracking of Supply Chain performance against KPI's
• Negotiate and implement supplier SLA's to meet business requirements
• Establish, implement and manage system to evaluate, monitor and report supplier scorecard performance
• Manage supplier audits from an operational capability standpoint
• Lead the purchasing team to deliver business reviews with key suppliers
• Lead the purchasing team to manage supplier accreditation activities, customer supplier support and issue resolution related to requisitions, purchase orders and goods receipts

The Ideal Candidate:

• University Degree educated in Engineering or Science or similar plus Post Graduate level qualification in Procurement and/or Master’s Degree.  
• At least 5-7 years consistent, fast track career development within a Senior Buyer, Category Manager or Procurement Management roles focused on indirect and engineering categories.
• At least 18 months leadership experience within procurement in order to manage an experienced team of buyers.
• Experience of working cross functionally within a global multinational matrix environment. This could include oil and gas, energy, utilities, mining and minerals exploration, or capital-intensive industrial manufacturing sectors such as steel or construction materials.  FMCG or pharmaceutical sector experience will also be considered if the focus is on indirect, engineering or capital projects focused procurement. 
• You be highly motivated to deliver change and transformation and your career to date will be characterised by your ability to engage cross functional teams and global/pan European procurement, engineering and project management colleagues to achieve this.
• You will be confident and experienced in preparing, presenting and justifying business cases to senior executive level.
• Track record of building successful relationships internally and externally to contribute to the development of our client as a world-class procurement organisation
• A knowledge of Procurement systems and technologies and the ability to put operational measures in place to ensure contracts deliver brilliantly. 
• Strong purchasing background with proven experience in the areas of project management, supplier readiness and day to day supply base management and demonstrated negotiations capability
• Demonstrated ability to lead in a multinational matrix organisation, work collaboratively with colleagues, and get results through others
• Excellent skills and experience in purchasing operations and strategic sourcing with ability to demonstrate strong project management and negotiation skills in a manufacturing environment
• Must welcome responsibility, challenge and decision making 
• Self starter and a team player who will thrive in a regulated environment
• Creates a positive working environment by demonstrating and sharing functional/technical expertise/knowledge
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, emphasising interpersonal, group presentation and team facilitation skills
• Fluent in spoken and written Business English and (native) German language

In return our client offers a very competitive salary and blue-chip benefits package and the opportunity to develop your career within a market leader.   Interviews will be held in Germany.
 

HEAD OF TRANSPORT PLANNING – PARAGON SPECIALIST

“Excellent opportunity for experienced and graduate calibre transport network planning & Paragon transport systems specialist to lead brand new transport management centre”

£Excellent + Blue Chip Benefits

South East Asia 

Our client is global market leader.  As part of an Asia Pac transformation programme to improve and drive transport network synergies, centralised planning, visibility and control, our client is seeking a Head of Transport Planning who is also a very experienced Paragon transport planning systems specialist.

As Head of Transport Planning you will lead and manage a new centralised Transport Planning Management Centre, planning our client’s very large-scale, 1500 vehicle + fleet. This will include planning inhouse full load networks, LCL networks and scheduling of a large pool of national sub-contractor transport partners. This is expected to grow further as part of an ambitious strategic plan. You and your team will support multiple sites and operations serving customers nationally. You will lead a team of Planning Managers and Planners.  

The ideal applicant will be of graduate calibre, in logistics, engineering or business and a strategic thinker with excellent change programme management experience. Your career history will be characterised by fast track career progression and demonstrable achievements in transport planning excellence.  Most importantly, you will possess in-depth and consistent experience of large-scale in house and sub contract fleet planning and management across multiple locations, gained within a multinational high velocity Retail or FMCG or third-party logistics environment.

This is high profile and senior customer facing role and you will play a key role in understanding and fulfilling customer transport network requirements.  You will be diplomatic and confident with the experience and credibility to successfully question and extract information and constructively challenge your internal and external stakeholders and your operational colleagues.

You will be logical and data driven in understanding problems and developing practical solutions.  This will include setting KPI’s, targets and goals for monitoring and evaluating operations and cost effectiveness.  You will also drive and control the effective use of resources in order to stay within budget. 

You will ensure statutory and legal compliance developing a culture focused on safety, quality, service excellence, integrity and cost consciousness.  

The Role:

• Leading the Planning Team at a new Transport Management Center.
• Using Paragon Software, you will plan and design optimised schedules creating the greatest value for our client and its customers. 
• Interpret data, understand complex demand planning and create optimal transport solutions across multiple customers, business divisions and operational locations.
• Create meaningful business intelligence reports for Transport Directors and create continual improvement solutions.
• Developing strategies and use state of the art systems to optimize fleet and create innovative transport solutions for multiple business sector. 
• Manage planning, solutions, costs and reporting. Create planning schedules that achieve contractual service and performance levels and continue to improve transport models to beat the budgets and develop innovation.
• Deliver operational strategies using Paragon transport planning software.
• Reviews and updates KPIs, targets, and goals within Paragon for monitoring and evaluating operations and cost effectiveness.
• Develop Paragon transport software Super Users and upskilling the planning team.
• Understand and drive optimal solutions within transport national planning execution.
• Deliver continuous and unrelenting drive for improvement within our client’s transport and distribution operations. Including logical roll out strategies to achieve ambitious targets.
• Communicate effectively and constructively and diplomatically challenges and addresses site operational issues or people orientated issues in an open and collaborative manner.
• Lead from the front with an open and approachable “hands on” coaching and mentoring management style, which encourages empowerment and accountability and engenders enthusiasm and respect.
• Accountable to Board level for the delivery of operational and financial results

The Ideal Candidate:

• University degree educated in logistics or business or engineering or science.  A Master’s Degree in logistics and supply chain or transport planning would be highly advantageous.
• An experienced transport management professional experienced in running large primary and secondary road transport fleets both in house and via third party 3PL and 4PL partnerships.
• A Paragon transport software specialist.  This is a prerequisite.
• At least 7-10 years transport operations management and transport network planning experience.
• Experience of transport network planning, transport control tower concepts, transport operations management and project management.
• A track record of network development including implementation of centralised planning, transport management systems, network consolidation and integration.
• Transport operations leadership, customer relationship management, and project management expertise.
• This experience may predominantly have been gained within 3PL contract logistics focused on both primary and secondary road transport or large retail or other large FMCG or Industrial multinational, multi-site, complex and high velocity transport operations.
• Highly analytical and data driven with experience of transport management, routing and planning software packages.  An advanced user of Excel.  A project management qualification would be highly advantageous.
• Fast track career progression to date with the ambitious and desire to progress to Director level within this dynamic growth environment.
   

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE – WAREHOUSING & LOGISTICS 

“Career development opportunity for Degree/Masters educated Operational Excellence specialist with a track record of lean CI and programme management within multinational warehousing and supply chain operations.”

£Excellent + Blue Chip Benefits

South East Asia 

Our client is a global multinational.  A true market leader, they have a strong culture of safety, customer focus, quality and reliability.  

Highly successful and long-established with industrial expertise across a number of verticals, our client has a global network of operations and integrated state-of-the-art information technology across warehousing and transport.  

As a result of internal promotion, they are seeking a Director of Operational Excellence.  As the Director of Operational Excellence, you will combine strategic insight and execution excellence. You will be responsible for the overall delivery, implementation and maintenance of the operational excellence programme across multiple countries and supply chain (predominantly warehousing) operations.  This will include facilitating the lean, continuous improvement process, training local teams, ensuring the sustainability of local compliance, coaching local Operational Excellence Programme Managers in managing improvement projects and training the local operations and management teams, continuous identification and development of best practice.

Specifically, this will include strategies for lead time reduction, faster time to market, process excellence and product lifecycle management.  Our client’s objective is enhanced service levels and efficiency throughout its supply chains, through best practice sharing and a culture of continuous improvement.  This includes increased transport, warehousing, management and supplier-related efficiency via enhanced traceability systems, optimised costs and inventory levels.  Our client’s aim is to mitigate supply chain risks through high flexibility and adaptability to change and a reduced negative impact on the environment via its sustainability initiatives.

Our client is seeking a university degree/Master’s degree educated Engineering or Logistics professional with a track record of Operational Excellence focused on large, multi-site manual, automated and semi-automated warehousing and logistics operations. This may include end-to-end fulfilment solutions, including order management, inventory planning, order picking and packaging, value-added logistics services such as repair services and spare parts or production or retail or ecommerce logistics. This experience may have been gained either inhouse within a multinational retailer, manufacturer or third-party contract logistics environment.  Candidates must have specifically worked within a lean, continuous improvement and operational excellence function.  Earlier operational leadership and change programme management experience must also be highly evident in your experience.  Multi country, multi-site and multinational experience are prerequisites.

You will work in partnership with highly experienced and skilled warehousing and logistics leadership colleagues to develop just-in-time and scalable solutions that optimise operations and boost productivity. You will apply best practices and management skills to improve business processes – enabling our client’s supply chains to gain a genuine competitive edge in the marketplace.  Through optimising organisational structures, improving critical material and information flows you and your Operational Excellence team will create sustainable value for the future, keeping business processes agile, smart and able to respond quickly to the pace of change.  Accordingly, your track record will include experience of end-to-end supply chain management and lean operational excellence which have driven efficiency and achieved optimum performance.

The Role:

• Lead the Operations Excellence function across a cluster of countries.
• Responsible and accountable for delivery of the agreed global agenda and value of Operational Excellence initiatives within the cluster.
• Ensure that the Operational Excellence agenda is aligned to support the business needs in each country within the cluster.
• Responsible for the Operational Excellence input to new business tenders and proposals
• Supports effective start-ups and implementations by providing resources, advice and guidance.
• Seeks commercial opportunities from promoting Operational Excellence initiatives with customers.
• Communication responsibility - to business, to customers, to employees.
• Represent the Operational Excellence agenda as a key member of the cluster senior leadership team.
• Working closely with senior colleagues in Safety, Quality, Compliance, Sustainability and HR you will be responsible for Operational Excellence across all elements of our client’s operations.
• Lead the Operational Excellence function by example, supporting the cluster senior leadership and management teams on their journey towards Lean thinking            
• Fosters a lean thinking, continuous improvement culture and relentlessly seeks opportunities for improvements on all levels within the organisation.            
• Maintains close relationship with customers from the business development phase through the customer life cycle.
• Ensures accurate management reporting from operational sites, utilising this management information to make recommendations for continuous improvement and take mitigating action.                            

The Ideal Candidate:

• University degree/Master’s degree educated in Engineering, Logistics, Business or similar
• Track record gained within a global multinational, best in class, matrix corporate environment.
• Current or very recent experience within an Operational Excellence role in APAC or Europe would be particularly advantageous.
• Previous experience of operational line management in a supply chain and logistics environment, with a strong emphasis on warehousing, will be essential to success.
• Industry sector experience could be industrial, automotive, retail, FMCG manufacturing or third-party contract logistics.
• Must demonstrate excellent and successful change and programme management experience in a culturally diverse and dynamic growth/transformational corporate environment.
• Solid understanding of the operational excellence function
• Excellent project and programme management skills ideally with a project management qualification.
• Strong leadership capability with gravitas.  Capability to deliver a compelling vision and to inspire, motivate, empower and facilitate change through direct and indirect teams. 
• Strong commercial acumen and financial capability familiar with partnering with commercial/sales teams and working closely with clients from tender to implementation and beyond. 
• Excellent experience and track record of implementing Lean methodologies and a continuous improvement.  
• Strong influencing skills and credibility with senior stakeholders, confident strategists, highly adept at presenting compelling business cases for change and improvement to board level.
• Diplomatic and mature with excellent listening skills, able to quickly assimilate a situation, analyse the data and facts and prepare a compelling plan of action taking account of all opportunities and risks.
• A fantastic team leader with the ability to work effectively and deliver successfully via direct and indirect teams within the Operational Excellence network within the organisation. 
   

CONTRACT MANAGERS – THIRD PARTY LOGISTICS RETAIL/FMCG OPERATIONS

“Accelerated career development opportunities for degree educated warehousing professionals to drive operational growth on existing FMCG retail and grocery retail logistics accounts.”

£Competitive + Car/Car Allowance + Bonus + Benefits

Actual Job Location: Vietnam

Our client is one the world’s most successful third party logistics service providers with an impressive portfolio of blue chip multinational accounts across a range of industries.  In order to bolster growth on existing FMCG retail consumer goods, fashion and grocery accounts they are now seeking two university degree educated warehousing/distribution centre management professionals as Contract Managers for a variety of dedicated and shared user third party logistics and warehousing contracts.  Experience of transport operations would be advantageous but the key focus will be on warehousing, case and pick and pack operations.  Experience of retail logistics operations is a pre-requisite for these roles.

The Roles:
As an experienced grocery/retail/FMCG distribution centre operations manager, either from a third party/contract logistics service provider or from inhouse retail logistics, you will work closely with clients and will take the operational lead for automated and semi-automated DC’s.  You will be responsible for operational development and performance optimisation against stringent service level agreements and challenging KPI’s covering both warehousing and transport logistics operations.  You will engage and develop key account focused, client relationships.  You will already be adept at leading, coaching and developing your DC leadership teams to create a best in class and high performing operation.  Therefore, to date you will already have recent/current experience of leading a at least 100 operational colleagues through a first line management team.

Skills, Experience, Qualifications:
As these roles are part of our client’s talent and succession plan for the region, they are specifically seeking university degree educated candidates.  Candidates who have benefitted from an in-depth management development programme with extensive operational management exposure, either within a 3PL or a large food/non-food retailer would be of particular interest.

Your experience to date, minimum 4-8 years post-graduation, will have included either extensive 3PL contract account management directly interfacing with clients or in house cross functional stakeholder engagement across corporate and store operations.  Also, either in house or within a 3PL you have built upon your operational project management and continuous improvement skills to reduce cost and increase efficiencies.  This could include operational turnaround, employee engagement and development, new site openings, through to large scale physical and systems redesigns.  However, the bulk of your experience must be operations management and leadership of a DC as opposed to pure projects and planning.

You will highly numerate and analytical with a strong commercial acumen, already used to budgetary management responsibility or even full P & L.  Exposure to implementing cost saving initiatives and leading teams through numerous periods of change and growth, to become high performing will be essential to success in this role.  You will be developing a reputation for your highly visible “walk the floor” leadership style.

You will be very ambitious, with a track record of successful performance improvement and results delivery, as you will further build your expertise in these exciting Contract General Management roles, to eventually take on senior executive roles in a rapidly developing international market.

 The ideal applicants will be university degree educated perhaps in logistics or business or engineering, sciences. You will be a high energy, resilient person, with a warm personality and a real passion for developing people and driving a logistics business to succeed.  Your talent and development reviews to date will already have earmarked you as a high potential talent.    

From an operational perspective, you must be adept at running a retail warehousing case and pick pack and despatch operations.  Experience of a multi drop primary and secondary transport function would be very advantageous.  Your financial management and planning skills will be excellent. Your attention to detail, self-control and drive will be of the highest levels.  You will be comfortable persuading, influencing and presenting at both shop floor and director level internally and externally to the client.   

Previous experience of working abroad or extended periods of travel or of living and working in South East Asia or other developing markets will be highly advantageous as you will need to be able to quickly adapt to a different cultural style and your personal people management and leadership approach will be one that respects loyalty and engenders trust whilst remaining highly results driven and focused on success.  In return our client offers a competitive salary (low tax) and very low cost of living and benefits such as car, bonus, pension, healthcare and fantastic career development.  These are permanent opportunities requiring relocation to Vietnam.  Relocation assistance will be provided including initial short-term rental support.