Operations Manager

• Acts as an integrated part of the organization, being a partner in the development of the business and adding value as an ambassador of Operations. Ensure timely supply to the market with top-quality products (finished goods and visibility items) and services that reflect the premium brand of the company at optimized costs.
• Manage the Supply chain with its immediate objectives of transparency, flexibility, sustainability and efficiency with an End-to-End approach. Manage the Full Import Process from vessel arrival to delivery of the container to the distributor at the 3PL warehouse.

Key Responsibilities

• Drives the efficiency and effectiveness mindset in the organization.
• Communication with all the company stakeholders (internal, external & HQ) to understand their needs and support them in the most efficient way for the company. This included industry and trade associations.
• Create and own the Operations Business Plan to ensure synchronization with global, regional and country strategy.
• Responsible for the Sales & Operations Planning Process in the organization to ensure proper forecasting and inventory management including order cycle of finished product and POS materials purchased from the company HQ.
• Deep understanding and monitoring of all costs occurring in the operational area and implementation of cost-saving initiatives, internal and external benchmarks to ensure appropriate cost structures.
• Collaborate with relevant customs brokers and customs authorities to ensure smooth importation of all products.
• Ensure that all relevant import documents are in line with the requirements of Nigeria guidelines and that documents are presented for customs clearance in time to avoid demurrage / detention.
• Build and maintain a close relationship with customs bodies to enable earliest advice of any changes in Customs regulations.
• Manage the required payments to all authorities and partners on time, so as to avoid any delay with importations.
• Own and drive portfolio management (incl. product Lifecycle and post-launch evaluations) within the local organization.
• Challenge status quo and critically review current product portfolio. Act as the gatekeeper when it comes to product launches, phase-outs.
• Effective and efficient management of local service providers, including the responsibility of defining and adjusting related SLA´s to adapt them to the constant changes of business requirements. This includes constructive feedback to HQ for service providers managed centrally with impact in local organizations.

Requirements

• Master’s or University Degree in Industrial Management, Engineering, Business Administration or equivalent.
• Proven records of strategic business integration cross functionally.
• Several years (at least 7) of experience in Operations within an international supply chain in a group context.
• High levels of personal energy and drive.
• An entrepreneurial ‘can-do’ attitude facilitated by continuous learning and application of appropriate best practices.
• Is experienced in project management.
• Hands-on professional who also has the passion for details.
• Proactive, continuous improvement and quality minded.
• Working knowledge of SAP R/3 and APO is a strong plus. Good skills on all MS products such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint are a must.
• Specialized qualifications in Logistics/Supply Chain Management will be valuable.