Head of Operations/Country Lead: Germany

Pod Talent; Deutschland; Hybrid; EUR 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Pod Talent is recruiting a Head of Operations/Country Lead for Germany, a director-level role with P&L responsibility across multiple locations. You will align operations, drive integration, and establish scalable processes to support growth and network cohesion.

The role requires senior leadership experience in 3PL/4PL logistics, multi-site oversight, and fluency in German and English. You will report to European leadership and shape the operating model for Germany while travelling nationally

Qualifications

• Senior operations leadership experience within logistics/3PL/4PL environments.
• Experience managing multi-location or geographically dispersed operations.
• Track record leading change and integrating teams across functions.
• Strong people leadership with ability to develop managers and teams.
• Fluency in German and English is essential.

Responsibilities

• Take overall accountability and P&L responsibility for operations across Germany, working across multiple locations and business units.
• Bring teams and operations together, creating greater consistency and collaboration across the network.
• Develop the operational structure, leadership capability and ways of working as the business continues to grow.
• Lead change, integration and continuous improvement initiatives across the operation.
• Work closely with the wider European leadership team to develop the future operating model.

Skills

P&L ownership

Senior leadership

Multi-location ops

Change management

People leadership

German fluency

English fluency

Job description

Location: Germany, preference for Southern Germany with hybrid/on site set up and regular national travel

Pod Talent are exclusively retained by a global logistics business to appoint a Head of Operations/Country Lead (Director Level) for Germany. The business has recently seen significant investment and fantastic growth through a combination of organic and acquisitions and is now focused on developing its German operations. This is a key appointment as the business looks to bring its operations together, develop its leadership structure and create a more connected, country-wide network.

This is a senior leadership role with significant scope to influence how the German operation evolves. It’s an opportunity to bring different operations together, challenge how things are currently done and have real ownership of the structure, processes and leadership needed to support the next stage of growth.

What will the role entail?

• Take overall accountability and P&L responsibility for operations across Germany, working across multiple locations and business units.
• Bring teams and operations together, creating greater consistency and collaboration across the network
• Develop the operational structure, leadership capability and ways of working as the business continues to grow.
• Lead change, integration and continuous improvement initiatives across the operation.
• Work closely with the wider European leadership team to develop the future operating model.

Key skills and experience required

• Senior operations leadership experience within 3PL, 4PL, logistics, transport, distribution within life sciences, healthcare, and pharmaceutical environments
• Experience managing multi-location or geographically dispersed operations.
• A strong track record of leading change, integrating teams or bringing different operations together.
• Strong people leadership skills, with experience developing managers and building high-performing teams.
• German and English fluency is essential.

Why should you apply?

This is a genuine opportunity to take ownership of a country-wide operation at an important point in its development.

Rather than stepping into an established structure, you will shape how the operation is organised, how teams work together, and how the business scales across Germany, laying the foundations for future success.

The successful candidate also has significant scope to grow with the wider organisation as the European operation continues to develop.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. Pod Talent is dedicated to building diverse and inclusive teams with our clients. So if you are excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply as we are always on the lookout for great talent!