Transportation & Logistic Manager

Context of Need

The John Cockerill group manufactures and supplies water electrolysis equipment for hydrogen production. John Cockerill develops integrated solutions including power supply, water treatment, compressor and H2 storage, hydrogen refueling station.

One of those equipment’s assembled in Seraing (Belgium) is particularly heavy (around 45 tons) and requires special attention for storage, packaging, handling and transportation activities.

To support the development of the Hydrogen Business Line, John Cockerill is looking for a “Transportation and Logistic Manager”. The role will evolve along the maturity of the business as well as the balance between operational, strategic and managerial tasks.

The Transportation and Logistics Manager reports directly to Supply Chain and S&OP Manager for the Hydrogen Business.

Responsibilities

The Transportation Manager will:

• Define, analyze (feasibility), implement and optimize ways and means for:
  • Handling options for all Electrolyzer equipment’s from H2 plants as well as from partners and suppliers,
  • Transportation to customer facilities based on all possible alternatives: road, rail, river/sea modes starting from H2 Plant,
  • (as back-up) Transportation between our facilities and from suppliers to our facilities (and reverse) including multi way packaging,
• Organize and continuously optimize the distribution of oversize and possibly overweight equipment worldwide. The solutions will consider internal and external constraints as well as economic and environmental aspects (standard product mode),
• Ensure process improvement at all levels of the transportation process by
  • Ensuring (standard) storage, handling & transportation requirements are considered in product design – own the documentation,
  • Mapping As-IS state, define To-BE state, analyze the gap and propose improvement,
  • Putting procedures in place aligned with SAP best practices,
  • Defining process performance measures, target and follow-up process,
  • Acting as a “lead buyer” for all logistic matters: organizing tenders, putting in place frame agreements, managing contracts, etc…,

• Support specific customer order execution (customized product mode) by:
  • Anticipating and organizing OTIF shipments in agreement with project teams - developing and documenting transport planning with partners, tracking transport process,
  • Establish all necessary documents,
  • Establish the necessary contacts with external authorities,
  • Managing all different transport related matters (contract management, customs, insurance, various legislations, dispute etc..),
  • If necessary, to supervise and support administrative employees in support of the function.
  
  

Based on the business forecasts the Transportation Manager will build project related logistics budget (Packaging, storage, handling and transport cost).

To support our growth, The Transportation Manager will support the creation of a logistics community and facilitate the exchange of best practices and cross-functional collaboration.

The Transportation Manager will work closely with all stakeholders for the selection and evaluation of freight forwarders, carriers, customs agents and packers to improve service levels and optimize costs. He/she will also align with the accounting department to coordinate invoicing activities linked to shipments.

The Transportation and Logistics Manager will be the main communication link with external logistics service providers as well as with project execution for all logistic related activities

Profile

The ideal candidate for the Transportation and Logistic Manager (Hydrogen) position has the following profile :

• University level education, preferably in business, engineering; preferably with element of logistics/supply chain management/transportation,
• Minimum 10-15 years’ experience in transportation and outbound logistics including at least 2 years in water, rail and/or exceptional transportation,
• Fluent in English and French,
• Technical background through an experience or an engineering degree is a nice to have,
• Hands-on with strong strategic thinking capabilities (vision) and analytical skills + strong business acumen/logic,
• (Project) leadership skills, with the ability to interact effectively throughout various functions (cross functional) and hierarchical levels,
• Continuous improvement mindset,
• Ambitious, eager to learn and grow, rigorous, accountable, proactive, customer driven (internal & external),
• Resilient and solution-oriented (working on developing projects in an environment and business that is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.)