Director Global Logistics

A Global Leader in Molds, Hot Runners and Process Control for Industrial Plastic Injection Molding

About the Company

Our client is a global company specialized in industry solutions for molds, hot runners and process control for industrial plastic injection molding. Operating as an integrated platform of complementary engineering brands, the company brings together precision mold-making, hot runner technology and advanced control and monitoring systems into high-performance solutions for medical technology, packaging, automotive and electronics applications.

Each brand contributes distinctive engineering expertise, from precision tooling and multi-cavity mold systems to hot runner technology and process control, giving customers access to a genuinely end-to-end offering. The company serves customers worldwide, backed by engineering and manufacturing support across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Director Global Logistics

This is a rare opportunity for a Director Global Logistics to lead the strategic transformation of a global logistics network spanning roughly eight manufacturing plants. This is a newly defined mandate, not an inherited one: the successful candidate will assess, redesign and centralize a complex, historically decentralized logistics setup — reducing cost and lead times, building transparency across the network, and creating a genuinely integrated ‘one team' organization spanning Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America.

Reporting directly to Carol Xu, a member of the company's global leadership team based in Suzhou, China, the role carries substantial latitude to shape the future operating model and offers direct, regular interaction with senior operational leadership.

Strategic Mandate

The Director Global Logistics will lead a comprehensive review and transformation of the company's global logistics network. The mandate includes:

• Assessing the current global logistics network and operating model
• Redesigning shipping routes and transportation concepts across air, ocean, rail and road, as appropriate
• Reducing transportation cost and lead times across the network
• Improving intercompany and external customer logistics
• Centralizing and standardizing logistics processes where this creates measurable value
• Creating transparency across shipments, inventory and logistics cost
• Establishing common dashboards and global logistics KPIs
• Building a globally coordinated ‘one team' logistics organization

This is a design mandate: the successful candidate will define the future operating model, not simply administer today's.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and further develop the global logistics organization, setting direction, priorities and standards
• Own the transformation of the company's global logistics network, from route and mode design to cost and lead-time optimization
• Provide strategic direction on international customs and tariff exposure — including country-of-origin implications, evolving US tariff policy (notably for metal and steel components), and product classification — working closely with customs specialists, manufacturing, finance and engineering to shape sourcing, production and transportation responses. Operational customs declarations and administration remain with specialist teams and external partners.
• Build common processes, governance, KPIs and dashboards that create transparency across the global network
• Act as the primary logistics interface to manufacturing, operations, procurement, finance, engineering and external logistics providers
• Partner with plant and functional leadership across decentralized sites to drive alignment and adoption of new standards
• Represent global logistics in senior leadership discussions on network design, cost and risk

The Initial Mandate — First 100 Days

• Understand and assess the current global logistics network and operating model
• Identify the major cost, lead-time, customs and process improvement opportunities
• Evaluate existing transportation routes and modes
• Develop recommendations for a more integrated global logistics setup
• Establish priorities for governance, KPIs, dashboards and organizational alignment
• Build a transformation roadmap together with Carol Xu and the broader Operations leadership team
• Depending on findings, the role may also inform decisions on relocating or redesigning selected production or logistics activities, where this materially improves cost, lead time or tariff exposure.

We are looking for a genuinely senior candidate with substantial international logistics leadership experience, ideally from:

• Engineered products or industrial manufacturing
• Project-driven manufacturing environments
• Machinery and equipment
• Automotive supply
• Tooling or plastics technology
• Other technically complex manufacturing environments

The role is less suited to candidates whose background is predominantly in highly standardized, commodity-driven or pure-volume logistics.

Candidates should bring a demonstrated track record of:

• Managing logistics internationally across multiple regions
• Designing or transforming complex logistics networks
• Driving logistics cost and lead-time optimization at scale
• Establishing common processes and governance across sites
• Leading transformation across decentralized plants or business units
• Operating effectively in a global, matrixed and intercultural environment

Experience spanning Europe, APAC and North America is particularly valued.

Beyond track record, we are looking for:

• Strategic transformation capability, not only operational management
• A strong commercial and analytical mindset, comfortable with data-driven decision-making
• The ability to influence senior stakeholders and decentralized plant leadership without relying solely on hierarchy
• Intercultural leadership capability across a global, matrixed organization
• Sound understanding of international customs and tariff strategy
• The ability to move fluidly between strategic direction and pragmatic implementation
• Excellent written and spoken English; German is an advantage but not a requirement, given the global scope of the role

A base salary in the range of EUR 150.000 to EUR 180.000 plus a bonus is on offer, commensurate with experience, complemented by a performance related bonus and benefits package in line with a senior international leadership role.

Why This Opportunity

This is an opportunity to shape a global logistics function rather than simply maintain one — to design the operating model, not inherit it. The successful candidate will influence how the company moves product, cost and information across Europe, Asia and North America, with tangible commercial and operational impact and direct visibility to senior Operations leadership.

It is a mandate to solve real, complex network and customs challenges, and to build a more integrated global organization across a group of established, technically respected businesses.

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