TRANSPORT GENERAL MANAGER - THIRD PARTY LOGISTICS

“3PL Food Retail Logistics operation.  A fantastic opportunity for a high potential graduate with excellent UK chilled/frozen food retail primary and secondary transport operations management expertise to lead very large national fleet and drive team.”

C£Very Competitive + Car Allowance + Bonus + Benefits

Actual Job Location: Thailand    

Our client is a highly successful third-party logistics service providers with an impressive portfolio of blue chip multinational accounts across a range of industry sectors.  
This role is a high profile one, taking the lead managing a very large primary and predominantly secondary multi drop, retail/FMCG transport operation.  As an experienced Transport Operations Manager/General Manager you will have responsibility for the national fleet which serves 400 plus stores on a 6 day per week 24-hour operation.  This is a demanding role in a rapidly developing country, where infrastructure development is also trying to keep pace with consumer demand.  You will lead a mix of in house and subcontractor drivers and traffic office personnel to ensure optimal route planning, on time deliveries, backhaul, trunk and staff deployments are operating effectively, safely and in a customer focused and cost efficient and legal manner.  You will regularly audit the transport operations including satellite depots to ensure loss prevention, compliance with company policies and legal requirements for a safe transport operation. You will also focus on developing your team, instilling a continuous improvement approach, an empowered and devolved decision-making ethos within the realms of the Thai cultural environment, whilst also supporting the team, providing leadership and vision and communicating and implementing change.

To succeed in this role, you will be university degree educated, and will perhaps have benefitted from an in-depth management development programme either with a large 3PL or a food/grocery retailer.  This will have encompassed a series of operational leadership roles with the emphasis on transport (including acquisition of a CPC) interspersed with project work culminating in your current or most recent transport operational role, running a large scale multi temperature FMCG retail transport operation employing 200-300 plus drivers.

Your 3PL experience will have included extensive contract account management and client stakeholder engagement.  You may already have been involved in network optimisation programmes, driver training and other leading edge transport development initiatives focused on delivering cost savings and efficiencies whilst achieving excellent health and safety and environmental targets within a lean, continuous improvement culture.  
You will be strategic and commercially minded, with some experience of shaping strategic plans and implementing cost saving initiatives in complex, large retail FMCG operations. You will be “hands on” in style, experienced in coaching and leading teams through numerous periods of change producing high performing teams. You will therefore be extremely keen and ready to build on this in your next role as you take on a senior leadership role at Director level in a developing international market.  

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 high potential/highly successful.    
From an operational perspective you must be adept at running a retail despatch operation as well as a multi drop primary and secondary transport function.  In terms of budgetary responsibility my client’s business is big -  in the range of £40-60 million plus revenue so 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 driver and director level internally and externally to the client.   
Previous experience of working abroad or extended periods of travel to the Far East 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.
 

CLINICAL TRIALS PROJECT MANAGERS 

“Fluent English & Japanese Speaker with project management track record in clinical trials research, clinical trials or pharmaceutical manufacturer”

Salary & Benefits:  JPY Excellent Salary to Attract the Best + Bonus + Benefits
 
Tokyo, Japan 

Our client is the division of a NYSE quoted multinational. A global leader in outsourced pharmaceutical solutions, the company works with major international pharmaceutical/drug manufacturers to provide exceptionally high on-time service levels to stringent regulatory and QA standards. 

Due to dynamic growth, our client is now seeking to appoint two-three experienced Clinical Trials Project Managers. 

The Opportunities:

You will manage and co-ordinate all technical and service aspects of clinical trials projects on behalf of major pharmaceutical companies.  This will range from initial discussions with clients, development of the project specifications, documentation aspects of setting up the project and management of all project related activities through to project/study completion.

You will need to have robust Project Management experience, ideally in Clinical Research, Clinical Trials or the Pharmaceutical sector.  Your focus will be on the projects undertaken for specific clients which may include pharmaceutical manufacturers or CRO’s (Clinical Research Organisations). 

As a Clinical Trials Project Manager, you need to demonstrate past experience of: scheduling workloads; meeting key delivery dates; managing costs and risks; understanding the scope of the project and ensuring change control and change management principles are included, ensure the quality is measured and Key Performance Indicators met or exceeded. 

Key Accountabilities:

• The Clinical Trials Project Managers will serve as the primary operational interface internally with cross functional departments and externally with clients, with responsibility for the oversight of timelines, milestones, and financials during the project lifecycle
• The focus will be to manage client expectations effectively and to ensure client projects proceed on time, within budget and with quality, therefore maintaining and enhancing client satisfaction.
• Manages the project timeline regularly, sharing this information with internal stakeholders and the client as appropriate.
• Communicates regularly with internal and external team members regarding study status and provides timely notification to all appropriate parties with deviations from timelines and/or deliverables.
• Actively identifies, manages, and mitigates any project risks, ensuring appropriate input from all stakeholders, maintaining accurate documentation, and communicating to internal and external parties as appropriate.
• Identifies inefficiencies with current processes and recommends improvements.
• Supports communication flow in matrix organization to ensure collaboration across project teams for efficient achievement of project goals.
• Supports Business Development and Sales efforts.
• Collaborates with Business Development colleagues (and other relationship stakeholders) to highlight areas of client opportunity or relationship concerns.
• Leads and facilitates customer teleconferences, visits and audits as required, and provides timely provision of customer reports and updates.
• Provides accurate and timely financial forecasting and reporting.
• Ensures customer needs are properly translated into quotation, and has responsibility to monitor and amend the quote and budget as required.
• Manages the delivery of all technical and service aspects of projects and studies for clients.

The Ideal Candidates:

• Excellent Business English & Fluent Japanese.
• Educated to Degree level in a science-based subject including biomedical science, medicine or pharmacology.
• Experience in a Clinical Trials Project Management or Clinical Research Associate role in pharmaceutical or clinical research industry.
• A thorough understanding of clinical trials Project Management principles, concepts and approaches - a project management qualification would be advantageous.
• Experience/understanding of the clinical research environment and GCP principles is preferred.
• Ability and experience of direct project activities and ensuring customer satisfaction while understanding and adhering to the project budget.
• Excellent Communication & Influencing.
• Excellent in Planning & Organising.
• Able to portray a professional appearance and presentation to customers.
• Able to communicate and deal effectively with all levels of the organisation.
• A team-oriented person with a “can do” attitude.
• Problem resolution skills; ability to analyse and solve a range of simple and complex problems.
• Experience of working with a matrix environment.
• Financial acumen.

An excellent opportunity to progress your career into Project Management based on the experience you have within clinical research or clinical trials supply.  This role may suit an ambitious Clinical Trials Project Manager or a Clinical Trials Administrator, Clinical Research Associate, Clinical Project Co-ordinator, Clinical Trials Data Co-ordinator, Packaging Technologist, Pharma Supply Chain Specialist, Drug Safety Officer or Regulatory Affairs Officer.
 

AREA SALES/KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER – BUILDERS MERCHANT CHANNEL

“Graduate calibre, high potential, construction materials /building products regional sales and account manager required to drive key account growth within the builder’s merchants’ channel”.

C£35-46000 + Bonus + Car + Benefits

Location:  London, South East, Home Counties (Flexible Field & Home-Based role)
Commutable locations:  London, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire

Our client is a major group specialising in the construction materials sector.  It is an iconic brand with an excellent and highly successful track record, and is undoubtedly regarded as a market leader.  This is an excellent opportunity for a university degree educated and experienced construction materials/building products Sales & Key Account Management professional. The successful candidate will ideally already have experience of sales and key account management into the builders’ merchant sector.  This must include experience of training branch staff in the benefits and advantages and technical applications of market leading products.  A good understand of marketing, merchandising, brand and category management within the builders’ merchant sector would be ideal.  The role will cover the Home Counties and London region of the UK and the successful candidate can be based anywhere along the M1, M40, M25, M4 and M3. 

The Role:
As an Area Sales/Key Account Manager, you will have responsibility for developing and driving the growth plans across your area, the objective for the Area Sales Manager will include the continuing development of strong and sustainable customer relationships, optimising sales activity and ensuring a high level of customer service.

You will take complete ownership of the area. This will involve managing key relationships with branches of national and independent builder’s merchants, so previous experience of selling into this sector is important, however we may also consider applicants with experience of selling building materials/products via other channels.

Day to day, you will be responsible for:

• Achievement of sales/profit targets (volume, revenue, product mix & margin) ensuring that customers adhere to agreements and forecasts
• Preparation and development of business plans for your territory.
• Increased sales value through up-selling of products and other value added/premium products, using value propositions and marketing support to encourage sales where appropriate. 
• Ownership of account relationship development within your territory working closely with national key account management, internal sales and operational colleagues to ensure excellent customer service.
• Development of sales propositions, analysis and presentation of territory branch performance metrics and activity plans.
• Proactively identify new customers and opportunities with high commercial value.
• Improve monitoring of customer performance through providing accurate forecasts, reviewing progress monthly.
• Prioritise activity (eg customer visits) to commercial value (profits, volume and revenue).
• Oversee technical support for products, ensuring customer satisfaction with the quality of products sold, escalating to technical teams if appropriate. 

The Ideal Person:

The successful applicant will possess the following skills, attributes and experience:

• University degree educated.
• Excellent Key Account Management track record.
• Currently working for a market leading brand within the construction materials or building products market sector.
• Must have experience of key account management/sales into the builders’ merchant channel. 
• Demonstrable track record of sales success, selling construction material/building products into the builders’ merchant sector.  Experience of selling construction equipment or tooling would also be considered.
• An understanding of merchandising, category and brand marketing within the builders’ merchant channel would be very advantageous.
• Strong negotiation skills and a customer-focused approach. 
• Excellent commercial acumen with experience in developing new business whilst managing existing accounts. 
• Excellent presentation skills.  Confident, credible, knowledgeable and mature manner.  
• Intelligent, articulate, professional, presentable and with a high level of integrity.
• Driven, energetic, dynamic, and committed to grow the region. Be able to develop and build on an existing client base / portfolio.
• Proven analytical and problem solving skills.
• Proven interpersonal and communication skills.
• A self-starter with excellent organisational, planning, prioritisation and time management skills.
• An aspiring, target driven, self-motivated, enthusiastic "do it now" attitude towards your work is essential.

Career development prospects are excellent within this multinational group.
 

WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS MANAGER - PHARMACEUTICAL LOGISTICS

“Time Critical, Temperature Controlled/Cold Chain, Packaging, Processing & Order Fulfillment Operations”

Location:  Suzhou, Free Trade Zone, China (Relocation Assistance available within China)

Salary:  Excellent + 13th Month + Bonus + Excellent Benefits + Transportation Allowance + Performance Allowance + Accommodation (if required) & Free Courtesy Bus to Work + Other Benefits

Our client is the division of a NYSE quoted multinational specialising in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector.

As a result of dynamic and continued growth they are seeking a university degree educated, English speaking and experienced Warehouse Operations Manager to join their large logistics and packaging operation in Suzhou, located in the Free Zone area.  Candidates must have experience of pharmaceutical, life sciences or clinical trials logistics operations to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) standards. 

We’re seeking a highly capable and talented Warehouse Operations Manager with real integrity, drive and flexibility who will want to be involved in building something very special.  You will be passionate about playing an active part in continuously improving processes, developing your team and shaping the future of our client’s business 

The Role:

The Warehouse Operations Manager will take day to day responsibility for a team of c20 people involved in order processing, picking, packing, and despatch of pharmaceutical orders to GMP standards.

You will be responsible for ensuring that the warehouse/distribution centre operation meets client and internal requirements. This will include continual improvement and streamlining of the existing operations.  Working closely with the warehouse operations team you must analyse and implement practical solutions to improve productivity, efficiency, capacity, stock accuracy and reduce operating costs.

In addition, you will be responsible for coaching and developing your team, increasing confidence, capability and accountability.  In your career to date you may also be able to provide evidence of your experience of team development as part of a succession plan within a fast-growing operation.  Career prospects for you personally will be fantastic.
 
This will entail close liaising with the Country Supply Chain/General Manager and internal project teams and excellent team motivation and development, resource planning, stock control, quality and people management skills.   In addition, you will be responsible for liaison with major corporate client customers translating their requirements into operational plans and ensuring the highest levels of customer service at all times.  The focus will be the achievement of operational excellence

Key Responsibilities:

• To manage and direct workload, ensuring staff are performing duties in a correct and timely manner in accordance with GMP.
• To uphold all procedures for goods entering and leaving the respective material departments.
• Ensure that all items are issued in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensure all system transactions and inventory transfer processes are carried out for all functions within your department.
• Liaise with Senior Operations Manager, Packaging Manager, Project Managers, Quality
• Assurance, and Customer Services regarding any potential problems.
• Working closely with Finance control all areas of expenditure, including labour costs and transport carrier costs.
• You will be responsible for ensuring efficient and cost-effective import and export operations.
• Train and develop all staff to promote a multi skilled environment with improved flexibility.
• To coach and mentor and develop the team to undertake updates of status of clinical trial supplies in the system according to procedure.
• To conduct monthly/quarterly/mid-year/yearly Performance Management Reviews for your team.
• Work closely with QA department in the preparation and smooth conduct of internal and external audits.
• Support business development and sales by active involvement in new business introduction providing viable operational solutions.
• To monitor the efficiency of material flow.
• Work closely with global counterparts to ensure global requirements are implemented correctly in the local Suzhou operation.

Your Qualifications & Experience

• You must currently live in China.  This role is located in Suzhou and our client may assist with relocation within China to Suzhou.
• You will possess excellent warehouse management experience ideally gained within a pharmaceutical or healthcare logistics environment including receipt direct from production, for order preparation.  The emphasis will have been on work planning and skills set management within a multi skilled operation.   
• Experience of quality standards within the pharmaceutical, life sciences, clinical trials logistics sector and up to date health and safety knowledge will be essential.  Knowledge of GMP standards is essential.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain, Distribution, Sciences, or other related discipline, and the equivalent knowledge and working experience in logistics.
• Substantial and relevant experience from a logistics and warehouse operational role covering inbound inventory management/goods receipt, picking, packing, packaging, outbound dispatch and returns.
• Experience of warehouse operations management within GMP standards.
• At least 4-5 years or above of working experience in logistics, warehouse or distribution centre environment as a Team Leader or Supervisor or Manager. Experience in pharmaceutical or life sciences or clinical trials logistics or third party contract logistics specializing in life sciences, pharmaceutical or clinical trials.
• Good command of English (CET4 or CET6 preferred). 
• Good command of computer skills (MS Office).  
• Good understanding of pharmaceutical, life sciences or clinical trials logistics industry 
• This experience must ideally have been gained within China within a blue multinational logistics or warehousing environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to interact well with all types of people in and outside of the company.
• Self-motivated, flexible, independent, enthusiastic and driven.
• Customer-oriented. Details-oriented. Teamwork spirit. Ability to work under pressure Communication skills.
• Must be fluent in Chinese and English.
   

UK CATEGORY MANAGER – ENGINEERING, SPARE PARTS, MRO, INDUSTRIAL LABOUR, PACKAGING

C£45-50000 + Car, Bonus & Benefits

Location: West Midlands with national remit 

Our client is a global company with leading positions in many of its markets.  The company provides high quality products and services to customers in more than 50 countries around the world.   In the UK it now employs 50,000 employees worldwide.

In the UK it generates £multi million annual sales and has a supply network with over 400 operating locations.  Our client is a dynamic organisation focused on results. 

As a result of a European procurement transformation programme and restructure of the procurement function our client is seeking a degree educated, part/fully qualified CIPS Category Manager to take the lead with its Engineering Goods and Services category which includes Engineering MRO, low cost country sourced machined spare parts, packaging, IT, industrial labour including electrical and mechanical craft personnel, fabricators and welders.

As Sourcing and Procurement Category Manager you will develop and implement assigned sourcing and category strategies in the UK business unit and potentially some pan European business units.  Experience of Engineering, MRO, industrial labour categories and low-cost country sourcing of machined/engineered spare parts will be critical to success.  You will also be responsible for supplier performance, relationship and contract management.  Your focus will be to deliver the best available commercial option, from a quality, financial, sustainable and risk perspective.  Your key stakeholders will be engineering, manufacturing business units and pan European procurement at all levels.

The Role:

• Identify current and new vendors for given categories/ sourcing projects and monitor market trends.
• Closely collaborate with local and global procurement teams and all relevant internal European stakeholders in order to deliver the most suitable and sustainable product/ service in each requirement instance.
• Source given requirements in compliance with our client’s procurement methodology, prepare fully evaluated business cases for all negotiations, share and agree with the business and review with your line manager, the European Category Manager.
• Regular engagement with key engineering and operational stakeholders to ensure that procurement and operational strategies are aligned.
• Provide commercial support to internal engineering and operational stakeholders to ensure that the best commercial position is achieved within global and local procurement governance frameworks.
• Ensure operational engagement and early procurement involvement in the value chain ensuring compliance and adherence to commercial targets.
• Manage sustainable supply of engineering parts/MRO whilst minimising inventory and commercial risk. 
• Creatively explore different approaches in negotiation agreements to achieve greatest cost benefit for our client.
• Ensure as part of the sourcing strategy, that low cost alternative operations are presented and considered as part of the evaluation.
• Continuously evaluate, identify and present new tangible cost saving opportunities.
• Monitor economic and market trends in analyse, evaluate the impact of commodity prices and their effects over current and future sourcing strategies.
• Continuously seek the best options, challenging the status quo where needed/ applicable.
• Support the European Category Manager as and when needed with reporting data relevant to the European strategy decision making process.
• Deliver measurable improvements in terms of cost savings in line with agreed savings targets to improve business profitability. 
• Prepare and execute, in coordination with the Legal team, the legal documentation to support the negotiations.
• Monitor expiry dates of contracts to assure correct renewal or open new source process if needed.
• Responsible for the development, implementation and operation of vendor management strategy for all suppliers under management in your defined portfolio. 
• Responsible for the management of a high value supplier portfolio of goods and services, including supplier management, negotiations and contract compliance in line with corporate strategy.
• Management of SAP agreements and tools to ensure Operations can purchase the agreed Goods and Services.
• Monitor vendor performance, provide the team and stakeholders with the appropriate feedback to anticipate any risks, difficulties or opportunities.
• Attends relevant Operational meetings to ensure Procurement and Operations are aligned and Procurement maintains high services levels to Operations.

The Ideal Candidate:

• University Degree educated
• Part or Fully Qualified CIPS/European Procurement Diploma or willing to study.
• Experience of the following categories:  Engineering, MRO, Low Cost Country sourced machined/engineered parts, Industrial and Temporary Engineering labour including Mechanical, Electrical Craft personnel, Fabricators, Welders or similar, Packaging, IT.
• At least five years’ experience in a Buyer, Sourcing, Procurement or Category Management role within a multinational manufacturer within the FMCG, industrial, automotive, chemicals, construction materials or engineering sector.
• Experience of developing and deploying national category/procurement strategies cross functionally at regional and business unit level.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and persuasion skills familiar with operating within a UK and pan European matrix corporate structure.  Able to constructively challenge.  Diplomatic, professional, credible and mature approach. 
• An excellent negotiator, problem solver and collaborative team player. Commercial experience of advanced negotiations with senior stakeholders to deliver value objectives. 
• Strong track record of category/procurement efficiency improvement opportunities across processes, compliance, transactions, KPI’s.
• Commercially astute, with experience of assessing external supply markets and skilled in translating opportunities into long term strategies. 
• Ability to analyse and interpret data, with strong financial /commercial focus whilst maintaining the “big picture” view.
• Ability to lead, persuade and influence internal and external partners through a period of change, managing transformation tactically, operationally and strategically.
• Experience of SAP.  Intermediate to advanced Excel skills and strong capability in Powerpoint.
• Ambitious with potential and desire to progress further within the European procurement function.
• A second European language would be highly advantageous.

PROJECT PURCHASING MANAGER – LARGE CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROJECT

C£45000 + Car Allowance, Pension & Benefits

Location:  East Midlands

Commutable from Leicester, Loughborough, Melton Mowbray, Coalville, Kegworth, Long Eaton, Swadlincote, Ashby de la Zouch, Hinckley, Wigston, Market Harborough, Burton on Trent, Derby, Beeston, West Bridgford, Ilkeston, Nottingham, Lutterworth, Bedworth, Oakham, Uppingham, Stamford

Our client is a national market leader, part of a global multinational.  They are currently undertaking a major capital investment programme to upgrade one of its flagship sites.  They are now seeking an experienced Project Purchasing Manager to work with the capital project team to support the delivery of this major investment programme. Following completion of the project there may be opportunities on other large multi-year contracts or other procurement-based career development opportunities with our client

As Project Purchasing Manager you will create, implement and deliver sourcing strategies and supplier management across all aspects of this very high-profile project.  You will be responsible for managing and supporting capital procurement for the project whilst ensuring compliance and adherence with central strategic procurement guidelines.

The Role:

• Deliver cost reductions to targets
• Management of multi million-pound procurement budget
• End to end control of the procurement process
• Project management and project ownership with involvement in stage gate reviews
• Monitoring and improving supplier performance
• Collaborating with other internal functions
• Interfacing between central procurement and the Project Team
• Attendance of project procurement meetings
• Administering contract terms and conditions
• Involvement in the change management process
• Supporting internal functions with supplier related issues (as the first point of contact)
• Negotiating with suppliers and key stakeholders
• Sourcing and procurement planning

The Successful Applicant

• Graduate calibre with MCIPS qualification advantageous
• Significant capital projects procurement experience gained within an engineering or manufacturing environment 
• Mature and professional approach, able to operate autonomously as a procurement specialist with key project and plant stakeholders
• Strong project management experience
• Excellent budgetary management and commercial acumen
• Excellent contracting, legal and compliance knowledge
• Supplier management experience
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
   

SAP P2P PROCUREMENT PROCESS IMPROVEMENT MANAGER 

£40-45000 + Blue Chip Benefits Package 

Location: North West

Commutable from Ellesmere Port, Mold, Wrexham, Birkenhead, Wallasey, Chester, Warrington, Runcorn, Widnes, Liverpool, Crewe, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Greater Manchester, Wigan, Newton le Willows, Leigh, Heywood, Skelmersdale.

Our client is a global multinational undergoing a period of transformation and change.

As part of a strategic transformation of the procurement function moving to a shared service and category management model across its global operating units, our client seeks to strengthen its team with the appointment of an ambitious, university degree educated SAP P2P Procurement Process Improvement Manager.   

Our client is focused on delivering efficiency to its global operations and rising to the challenge of ensuring that its data and systems are secure and robust. As a consequence, they have embarked on a major transformation programme to deliver a significant change to the way IT/Information Technology, especially SAP and SAP P2P works within the organisation. 

Specifically, our client would like to significantly enhance its procurement capabilities and visibility, control and management of procurement spend through greater utilisation of its SAP and SAP P2P procurement technology.  The focus will be on delivering efficiencies, centralised billing, market analysis, price checking, spend analytics and reporting, transparency and control, strategic cost management ultimately delivering maximised value and improved financial performance for the organisation.  

The Role:

• Working closely with the Procurement, Category Management and Finance/Accounts Payable teams, you will analyse, identify, develop and implement strategies to improve SAP P2P procurement process standardisation, efficiency and effectiveness, across multiple sites, including first time invoice matching.
• Work with the Procurement, Category Management, Finance/Accounts Payable and business teams to coordinate the design and documentation of P2P policies, processes and procedures.
• Work with cross functional teams to design and implement a new and enhanced purchasing and procurement operating model to improve end to end SAP P2P (Procure 2 Pay) processes.
• Coordinate the communication, promotion and compliance of SAP P2P policies, procedures and guidance to stakeholders.
• Support and provide SAP P2P training and guidance to business and functional teams.  Thereby helping to increase process knowledge and aid in the adoption of procurement best practice.
• Lead SAP P2P data and reporting improvement activities.  
• Develop and manage SAP P2P procurement process improvement project plans and reporting to track and monitor progress as required.

The Ideal Person will possess the following qualifications, experience, skills and competencies:

• A university degree and ideally CIPS (or equivalent) qualification
• Experience of working across global operations or multi-site environments and a keen sense of cultural awareness
• Excellent knowledge of SAP P2P gained from a procurement perspective.
• Extensive knowledge of procurement in a Buyer or Category or Purchasing role.
• A proven track record in value delivery, improvement activity and best practice development in IT/Information Technology procurement such as SAP P2P.
• Building relationships internally and externally to enable you to be successful in your role and to contribute to the development of our client as a world-class procurement organisation
• A thirst for knowledge, an inquisitive mind-set and drive for results. 

In return our client offers a very competitive salary and blue-chip benefits package and the opportunity to work with a market leader at a pivotal stage in its transformation.
 

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.