Global Logistics Lead

Ciena; Belfast; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Logistics Optimization Specialist to enhance their supply chain efficiency. This role involves analyzing logistics data, implementing cost-saving strategies, and collaborating with various teams to ensure customer satisfaction remains high. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical skills, project management experience, and the ability to work independently while driving initiatives to completion. Join a forward-thinking organization that values growth, innovation, and a people-first culture, where your contributions will have a meaningful impact on logistics operations and overall business success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and 8+ years of relevant experience required.
• Strong data analysis and project management skills needed.

Responsibilities

• Analyze logistics data to optimize supply chain and reduce costs.
• Lead logistics cost reduction projects and track savings.

Skills

Self-motivated

Excellent communication skills

Strong people skills

Data analysis skills

Project Management

Detail oriented

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Access

Excel

PowerBi

Fluent in English

Report writing skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

8+ years of relevant work experience

3+ years experience in international logistics

Tools

Oracle

PowerBi

Job description

Ciena is committed to our people-first philosophy. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a personalized and flexible work environment that empowers an individual’s passions, growth, wellbeing and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.

Position Summary

Identifies and drives opportunities globally to optimize Ciena’s supply chain through the implementation of cost reduction strategies with the aim of increasing or having no effect on customer satisfaction. He/she will also look to identify and drive to completion the success of automation efficiency opportunities and participate in Ciena’s freight invoice audit and payment process, report on key metrics with proactive actions to improve performance and improve csat, and conduct complex analysis in support of Ciena’s Logistics team globally with supporting recommendations for change.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Analyze shipment routing, service levels, carrier selection, and other logistics data to find opportunities to optimize the global supply chain and drive change for the best cost solution.
• Work closely with the regional logistics teams, internal teams and external providers to implement changes to the routing guide to secure cost savings while not affecting customer satisfaction.
• Engage and demonstrate clearly both leadership and initiative working directly with logistics suppliers to progress issues to closure in an expedited manner to improve performance.
• Conduct RFI’s, RFQ’s, RFP’s working closely with Procurement from objective definition through document structure to end result clearly showing leadership, drive and completion to milestones.
• Work closely with Supplier Relationship Managers to secure favorable vendor agreements, willing to lead meetings autonomously cross-functionally and taking personal accountability for a favorable end result for Ciena.
• Ensure Ciena’s freight invoice audit and payment company is paying correctly and within terms also developing control mechanisms, new processes and making automation recommendations as required to ensure the best outcome for Ciena.
• Support the finance department’s VAT reclamation process, including identifying opportunities for further VAT recovery and automation of the existing processes.
• Provide logistics performance and cost reporting to both internal and external groups and be capable of short turnaround response to data queries demonstrating a nuanced view of the business needs, supporting data and required outcomes.
• Work with AP to mitigate any freight invoicing issues, ensuring sufficient control mechanisms and processes exist to protect Ciena as well as identifying opportunities for automation of existing processes.
• Shipment track & trace and exception management.
• Take business requirements onboard from multiple stakeholders to design and develop Logistics PowerBi Dashboards – with the move to automation a high degree of cross-functional coordination and strategic awareness and vision is required along with project management skills to drive to completion per business milestones.
• Develop Logistics metrics, work with wider Logistics Team to identify and implement corrective actions to drive improvements. This activity requires attention to detail and project management skillset.
• Lead the Logistics Cost Reduction projects, track projects, validate savings, assess budget impact. Cross-functional synchronization with Finance and operational teams to provide end-to-end cost visibility – this requires change management capability and autonomy to hit the CR targets and maintain budget.
• Work closely with Finance to define and track Logistics budget. This requires a broad understanding of supply chain cost drivers both internal and external.
• Provide Logistics cost estimates to wider Ciena team on request. This element is often ad-hoc in nature and requires adaptability and personal flexibility as the requests are often complex and time-bounded.
• Quarterly Business Reviews and Executive reporting – there is a requirement to coordinate the 3rd party providers at business reviews and also to report out to VP level on an ongoing basis - this requires attention to detail and assurance of correct data and associated messaging.

Skills

• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Excellent communication/presentation skills.
• Strong people/influencing skills.
• Strong data analysis skills.
• Project Management capability.
• Must be detail oriented and hard working.
• Strong Microsoft Word, PowerPoint & Access skills. Experience with Oracle preferred.
• Expert level Excel skills.
• Experience in the use of PowerBi to create dashboards.
• Must be fluent in English.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Must be able to work with multiple departments within Ciena (Sales, Finance, Purchasing, Shipping, AP).

Desired Characteristics

• Attention to detail.
• Willingness to positively contribute to the overall success of the logistics team.

Education / Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• 8+ years of relevant work experience.
• 3+ years experience in international logistics.