Director Of Operations, Managed Transportation Europe

Director of Operations, Managed Transportation Europe

The Director of Operations – Managed Transportation Europe is responsible for leading and scaling multi-country operations with a strong focus on strategic account management, profitable growth, and team development.

This role goes beyond execution—owning client relationships, P&L performance, and talent pipelines—ensuring the business operates lean, scalable, and commercially driven while delivering best-in-class service.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Account Management & Growth

• Own senior-level relationships across key European managed transportation accounts
• Drive account expansion, retention, and margin improvement through proactive engagement
• Identify upsell opportunities (capacity solutions, value-added services, outsourcing)
• Partner with commercial teams to support RFPs, renewals, and new business wins
• Act as executive escalation point, ensuring fast resolution and high client satisfaction

Operational Excellence (Lean & Scalable)

• Lead day-to-day operations across multiple sites/markets ensuring consistent service delivery
• Implement lean operating models focused on productivity, cost control, and scalability
• Standardize processes across countries while allowing local market flexibility
• Ensure contract compliance and operational execution at or above client expectations

P&L Impact

• Drive margin expansion through pricing discipline, cost optimization, and efficiency gains
• Monitor revenue, cost, and productivity metrics against budget and forecasts
• Participate in financial planning, budgeting, and monthly performance reviews
• Build a culture of data-driven decision making and accountability

Talent Development & Leadership

• Build, lead, and develop high-performing operations and account management teams
• Establish clear career paths, coaching structures, and performance management frameworks
• Hire and develop top talent across Central and Western Europe
• Foster a culture of ownership, urgency, and continuous improvement
• Develop future leaders to support rapid scaling of the business

Cross-Functional & Regional Leadership

• Collaborate with Sales, Procurement, and Capacity teams to align execution with growth strategy
• Support the build-out of nearshore / Central Europe operations teams
• Act as a bridge between commercial and operational functions
• Lead change management initiatives across markets

Key Metrics of Success

• Account growth (revenue + gross margin expansion)
• New Customer Integrations
• Cost-to-serve reduction / productivity improvement
• EBITDA contribution
• Employee retention and internal promotions
• Operational KPIs

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years in transportation, logistics, or managed transportation environments
• Strong background in account management and customer-facing roles
• Proven experience managing multi-site / multi-country operations in Europe
• Demonstrated P&L understanding and ability to scale profitably
• Track record of building and developing high-performing teams
• Experience in FTL brokerage, 4PL, or managed transport solutions strongly preferred

Core Competencies

• Commercial mindset with operational discipline
• Strong client-facing and relationship-building skills
• Financial acumen and data-driven decision making
• Leadership and talent development
• Ability to operate in fast-scaling, entrepreneurial environments
• Fluent English (additional European languages a plus)

What Success Looks Like in 12 Months

• Key accounts stabilized and growing with clear expansion roadmap
• Lean operating structure implemented across core markets
• Strong team being built in Poland / Central Europe
• Measurable margin improvement across portfolio
• Recognized by clients as a strategic partner—not just an operator

Behaviors

Team Player: Works well as a member of a group

Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

Enthusiastic: Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest

Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Motivations

Self-Starter: Inspired to perform without outside help

Flexibility: Inspired to perform well when granted the ability to set your own schedule and goals

Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization

10 years: transportation, logistics, or managed transportation environments