Director Transportation Center of Excellence (m/f/*)

Thank you for your interest in joining Solventum. Solventum is a new healthcare company with a long legacy of solving big challenges that improve lives and help healthcare professionals perform at their best. At Solventum, people are at the heart of every innovation we pursue. Guided by empathy, insight, and clinical intelligence, we collaborate with the best minds in healthcare to address our customers’ toughest challenges. While we continue updating the Solventum Careers Page and applicant materials, some documents may still reflect legacy branding. Please note that all listed roles are Solventum positions, and our Privacy Policy: https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/legal/website-privacy-statement/applicant-privacy/ applies to any personal information you submit. As it was with 3M, at Solventum all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Job Description:

3M Health Care is now Solventum

At Solventum, we enable better, smarter, safer healthcare to improve lives. As a new company with a long legacy of creating breakthrough solutions for our customers’ toughest challenges, we pioneer game-changing innovations at the intersection of health, material and data science that change patients' lives for the better while enabling healthcare professionals to perform at their best. Because people, and their wellbeing, are at the heart of every scientific advancement we pursue.

We partner closely with the brightest minds in healthcare to ensure that every solution we create melds the latest technology with compassion and empathy. Because at Solventum, we never stop solving for you.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role
 

Reporting to the VP of Global Logistics and Distribution, the Director of the Global Transportation Center of Excellence (CoE) leads a high‑impact team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Project Managers that shapes the future of transportation capabilities for a fully outsourced global network. This senior leader defines global standards, drives innovation and continuous improvement, and ensures consistent performance across all modes and regions in close partnership with regional logistics organization — the primary internal customers of all CoE programs and initiatives.

The role requires a strategic leader with deep transportation expertise, strong knowledge of regulated healthcare supply chains, and the ability to influence across a complex, global matrix. The Director ensures that the CoE delivers best‑in‑class solutions that enhance service, optimize cost, improve sustainability, and enable scalable growth.

The key responsibilities include:

• Strategic Leadership
  • Define and execute the vision and roadmap for the Transportation CoE, aligned with the global logistics and supply chain strategy.
  • Establish governance frameworks and performance standards for transportation processes across all regions and modes.
  • Design and conduct feasibility studies, distribution analysis and research projects to deliver cost reduction, cycle time compression, enhanced supply chain resilience and improved customer experience.
• Capability Development
  • Lead the design and implementation of future-state transportation capabilities, including technology, processes, and people skills.
  • Partner with Digital Supply Chain / IT to evaluate and deploy transportation technologies (e.g., TMS, visibility platforms, control tower solutions, analytics) that enable end‑to‑end shipment visibility and proactive event management.
  • Drive innovation in areas such as cost‑to‑serve optimization, sustainability, service differentiation, and risk management.
  • Drive standardization of processes and solutions such as freight billing/invoicing, shipment damage reduction, freight mode optimization.
• Network Strategy & Design:
  • Periodically evaluate the global warehouse and transportation footprint to determine optimal flows, modes, and node locations, balancing lead times with logistics and inventory carrying costs, and CO2 emissions.
• Stakeholder Engagement
  • Partner with regional logistics teams to understand business needs and ensure CoE initiatives deliver measurable value.
  • Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on transportation strategy and emerging industry trends (e.g., decarbonization, capacity constraints, regulatory changes).
• Team Leadership
  • Build, develop, and inspire a high-performing team of SMEs and Project Managers, fostering a culture of process excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement.
  • Set clear roles, responsibilities, performance goals and career development paths within and beyond the CoE.
• Performance Management
  • Define KPIs and monitor performance of transportation programs and outsourced providers.
  • Drive cost optimization and service improvements through data‑driven decision making and cross‑functional collaboration with Logistics Procurement and regional teams.
  • Participate in carrier strategic business reviews with key logistics partners, continuously raising the bar on service, process excellence, and sustainability.

Your Skills and Expertise 
 

To set you up for success in this role from day one, Solventum requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or related field; MBA or equivalent preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in transportation management, logistics, or end‑to‑end supply chain operations, with significant exposure to outsourced/carrier networks.
• Proven track record in change management, leading global transportation programs and managing outsourced providers.
• Strong understanding of OSHA regulations, GDP and knowledge of managing Dangerous Goods and Medical devices.
• Experience with Business Transformation in similar strategic functions, including ERP deployments and/or integrations.
• Strong leadership and team development capabilities, with experience building and leading diverse, global teams.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to make data‑driven decisions and articulate trade‑offs clearly.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills across global, matrixed organizations.
• Deep knowledge of transportation technologies, visibility tools, analytics, and best practices across modes and regions.
• Strategic thinker with ability to translate vision into actionable plans and to drive change and adoption.
• Results‑oriented, with a focus on delivering measurable impact in service, cost, quality, resilience, and sustainability.
• Innovative mindset and ability to challenge the status quo.
• Strong communication and presentation skills at executive level.

Work location:

• Düsseldorf (Hybrid eligible)

Travel: May include up to 25%

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status.

Supporting Your Well-being 

Solventum offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, Solventum regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope. 

Diversity & Inclusion

(*) We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, civil status, disability, family status, or membership of the travelling community.

   

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Please note that all email communications from Solventum regarding job opportunities with the company will be from an email with a domain of @solventum.com. Be wary of unsolicited emails or messages regarding Solventum job opportunities from emails with other email domains.

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