General Manager - Technical Services

Rhenus Logistics; Ashford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading logistics company in Ashford is seeking an experienced operations leader to manage Client Operations. The role involves leading a team, enhancing customer relationships, and driving process improvements. Ideal candidates will have proven leadership experience in logistics, strong analytical skills, and the ability to utilize data for performance enhancement. This position offers opportunities for professional growth and development in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Proven senior operations leadership experience in logistics or transport field.
• Strong skills in managing and developing teams effectively.
• Experience using data and KPIs to enhance performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Client Operations Coordinators to enhance customer service.
• Manage client relationships and ensure operational excellence.
• Drive process improvements and efficiency enhancements.

Skills

Leadership

Customer-centric

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Tools

Transport management systems (TMS)

CRM platforms

Data analytics tools

Job description

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Client Operations Coordinators to deliver high-quality, consistent customer service
• Be the interface to the customer commercially, operationally and contractually,
• Develop new opportunities, introducing and integrating new services and products.
• Be responsible for the onboarding and implementation of new customers.
• Take ownership of Service and Maintenance activity withing Client Operations.
• Take responsibility for accurate internal financial forecasting and reporting.
• Set clear performance expectations, objectives, and KPIs aligned with company strategy
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, customer focus and accountability.
• Ensure appropriate resourcing, training, coverage and succession planning within the team
• Own the end-to-end onboarding of new customers, ensuring a seamless, efficient, and positive experience
• Ensure all customers are proactively managed throughout their lifecycle
• Act as a senior escalation point for key customer issues, ensuring timely and effective resolution
• Build strong relationships with strategic and high-value customers
• Work closely with sales and implementation teams to ensure all new business and new modalities are fully scoped, documented and signed off pre-go live.
• Use operational and commercial data to monitor performance, service levels, and customer outcomes
• Use data to Identify trends, risks, inefficiencies, and weak spots across client operations
• Use data to proactively drive team performance improvement
• Regularly assess financial account performance to identify sales and profitability deviations.
• Implement new technology and applications into the department to drive improvement.
• Translate insights into clear action plans and measurable improvements
• Adopt and foster a solution-oriented approach to all activity across the team
• Drive continuous optimisation of processes, workflows, and system utilisation.
• Ensure client ops processes are current, efficient, and aligned with business and client requirements.
• Continuously assess and improve workflows, and operational processes to maximise efficiency.
• Work closely with IT, Transport, Warehouse, Sales, and Finance teams to improve end-to-end performance
• Lead and support change initiatives, including system enhancements and process redesign
• Own profitability within your area of responsibility, balancing service excellence with cost control
• Identify and deliver efficiency improvements that reduce operational costs and improve margins
• Monitor customer profitability and act when performance deviates from expectations
• Support pricing, contract reviews, and commercial decision-making with data and insight
• Ensure all investigations are completed in line with SLA's and document/implemented corrective actions
• Plan, prepare and attend customer review meetings, digitally and face to face.
• Review invoicing to ensure revenue is maximised and billing is aligned with agreed rates
• Promote employee development and design/deliver performance management plans.
• Own the recruitment and onboarding process for new employees
• Deputise for Head of Client Operations as required.

Experience & Skills

• Proven senior operations or client operations leadership experience within transport, logistics, supply chain, or a similarly complex operational environment
• Strong people leadership experience managing and developing operational teams
• Demonstrated experience using data and KPIs to drive performance and operational improvement
• Commercially astute, with experience managing costs, margins, or P&L-level responsibility
• Demonstrated understanding of software and technology integration, with experience integrating systems, applications, and platforms to support business objectives
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to take decisive, practical action
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Strong leadership and people development skills
• Experience in a high-growth or technology‑led logistics or transport business
• Familiarity with transport management systems (TMS), CRM platforms, or data analytics tools
• Experience leading process improvement or operational transformation initiatives
• Understanding of project management methodologies e.g. Prince 2
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting, and cost control within a customer service or operations function.

Personal Attributes

• Customer-centric with a solution-based mentality
• Analytical and comfortable working with complex data sets
• Resilient, adaptable, and confident operating in a fast-paced environment
• Collaborative leader who can influence across functions

Qualifications

• Full clean driver's license
• Must hold a valid passport/documentation to travel to EU
• European travel will be required