What You Can Expect:
Strategy & Network Development
- Develop and execute the regional intermodal strategy aligned with the company’s ocean freight growth objectives.
- Design efficient inland transportation networks connecting seaports, rail terminals, inland depots, and customer facilities.
- Expand rail and multimodal product offerings across key trade corridors.
- Identify opportunities to shift cargo from road to rail or barge to improve cost efficiency and sustainability.
Carrier & Vendor Management
- Negotiate and manage contracts with:
- Rail operators
- Trucking providers
- Barge operators
- Inland terminal operators
- Equipment providers
- Establish strategic partnerships to secure capacity and competitive rates.
- Monitor carrier performance, service reliability, and compliance with SLAs.
Operational Leadership
- Oversee daily intermodal operations including container drayage, rail bookings, and inland transportation planning.
- Ensure seamless integration between port operations, ocean carriers, and inland transport providers.
- Implement operational KPIs for service performance, cost control, and transit time reliability.
- Drive continuous improvement in operational efficiency and service quality.
Commercial Support
- Support the sales organization with intermodal product development and pricing strategies.
- Provide inland rate structures and solutions for RFQs, tenders, and key account contracts.
- Collaborate with key accounts to design customized multimodal logistics solutions.
Cost & Performance Management
- Manage intermodal cost structures, budgets, and profitability.
- Monitor market trends, capacity constraints, and pricing fluctuations in inland transportation.
- Implement cost optimization initiatives across the intermodal network.
Technology & Digitalization
- Lead the implementation of digital tools for:
- Intermodal planning
- Carrier connectivity
- Visibility and tracking
- Data analytics
- Improve integration between TMS, ocean freight systems, and inland transport platforms.
Sustainability & Compliance
- Support the company’s sustainability initiatives by increasing rail and low-emission transport usage.
- Ensure compliance with transport regulations, safety standards, and environmental requirements.
- Monitor emissions reporting and sustainability metrics for intermodal operations.
Leadership & Team Management
- Provide leadership to operations, procurement, and planning functions.
- Foster collaboration with regional ocean freight teams and cross-functional departments.
What You Bring:
- Minimum 5 years of experience in an Intermodal procurement role in a freight forwarding company or ocean carrier.
- Service-minded, customer-focused and with a high degree of ownership.
- Proactive and capable of handling responsibility without needing to be micromanaged.
- Strong operational understanding and capability to manage changes and unexpected events.
- Outgoing personality; strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to coordinate procurement initiatives throughout the region and lead the procurement community on operational, tactical, and strategic level.
- Ability to communicate well in German and English, both spoken and in writing.
- Effective change agent with the ability to adjust change approach based on circumstances.
- Strong analytical and negotiation skills with a hands-on attitude.
- Ability to multitask in a deadline-driven work environment, without losing attention to the details. Manage multiple priorities in an intense, fast-paced, high-energy environment.
- Be results-driven and persistent in meeting day-to-day challenges/goals. Passionate about identifying continuous improvement potential.
- Demonstrate confidence as a performer and lead by example.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in people management and leadership, including recruitment, training & development, coaching, conflict and performance management.
- Willingness to travel.