Managing Director, Strategy & Transformation, Wholesale & Distribution

WRAG WaterRise AG; München; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

WRAG WaterRise AG seeks a senior strategist to design and implement value-enhancing strategies for portfolio companies. You will work with established management to develop the equity story and a comprehensive value-add concept, then drive implementation to boost competitiveness and profitability.

You will coordinate with the AURELIUS WaterRise Team and use the operating model tools to steer multi-site, cross-border transformations and complex transactions.

Qualifications

• Deep industry expertise in wholesale and distribution with asset-heavy operations.
• P&L responsibility for a significant business unit or enterprise.
• Experience leading multi-site, cross-border operations and resource allocation.
• Proven turnaround and transformation leadership of complex assets.
• Background in executing complex carve-out or special situations deals.
• Strong operational excellence mindset with hands-on execution.

Responsibilities

• Elaborate and implement the strategy, equity story and value-added concept.
• Support the value creation plan from analysis to final implementation.
• Drive change to increase competitiveness, profitability and company value.
• Collaborate with AURELIUS WaterRise Team and leverage operating model tools.
• Engage with portfolio management and executive leadership across geographies.

Skills

Industry expertise

P&L leadership

Transformation leadership

Turnaround experience

Operations optimization

Cross-border leadership

Carve-out / complex deals

Consulting background

Stakeholder communication

Job description

Your main task is, together with the established management, to elaborate and implement the strategy, the equity story and a comprehensive added-value concept in Aurelius' portfolio companies. Throughout this journey you have the possibility to support the value creation plan from the analysis to the final implementation and be engaged in driving change as well as increasing the overall competitiveness, profitability and sustainable increase of the company value. You will be able to rely on the support of the AURELIUS WaterRise Team and the extensive toolset of the AURELIUS’ operating model.

Key Experience & Qualifications

Deep Industry Expertise: Proven track record in the wholesale and distribution sector. Strong understanding of operational levers specific to capital-intensive, asset-heavy environments. P&L and Operational Leadership: current or prior P&L responsibility (including CEO) for a significant business unit or enterprise. Demonstrated ability to manage and improve multi-site, cross-border operations, ideally in businesses with €250m-€1B in annual revenue. Clear experience in allocating operational resources. Transformation & Turnaround Experience: successful leadership of complex business transformations, including distressed or underperforming assets. Ability to lead change from "bad to good, to great," instilling long-term value and performance resilience. Execution Complex Transactions: skilled in navigating and executing highly complex, carve-out or special situation deals. Strong understanding of integration, stabilization, and strategic repositioning processes. Focus on Operational Excellence: strong orientation toward performance improvement, lean principles, and hands-on execution. Uncompromising focus on delivering measurable impact through operational rigor and leadership. Consulting background: A foundation or meaningful experience in a strategy or management consulting environment is very much preferred.

Cultural & Strategic Fit

Demonstrates cultural adaptability and international exposure across European geographies, experience operating across multiple jurisdictions Comfortable working across multiple levels; incl. deal teams, internal teams, portfolio management, and executive leadership of target companies. Operates effectively in fast-paced environments, thrives in autonomous and ambiguous environments, pragmatic and hands-on mentality Excellent communication skills as well as strong analytical and implementation skills Willingness to travel as required (in general 3-4 days / week on site) Fluent in English, further language skills are welcome.

If you're ready to take responsibility, challenge the status quo, and grow within a supportive yet high-performing culture - AURELIUS is the place for you. At AURELIUS, you'll find more than just a job - you'll become part of a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment where your ideas and impact truly matter. Our culture is built on a hands-on, pragmatic mindset that values initiative, ownership and teamwork. We look for individuals who think like entrepreneurs and thrive as part of a dynamic team.