Senior Director, Operations Launch – Contract Logistics Europe

DP World; Rotterdam; On-site; EUR 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

DP World is seeking a Senior Director, Launch Management to lead the regional governance and delivery of customer implementations, expansions, and operational transformations across Europe. You will partner with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to ensure launches are safe, on time, within budget, and measurable in value.

The role emphasizes building high-performing teams, improving launch methodologies, and driving operational excellence to deliver exceptional customer experiences and

Qualifications

• Experience leading large-scale launches or complex programs in logistics/operations.
• Proven ability to partner with executive stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Strong track record delivering on-time, on-budget, and within quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Regional Launch Management function across Europe, ensuring governance and delivery of customer implementations and expansions.
• Establish and continuously improve launch governance, methodologies, and readiness processes.
• Provide strategic oversight through project lifecycles from initiation to transition.
• Build partnerships with customers and act as senior operational escalation point during implementation and stabilization.
• Ensure programs meet milestones, readiness, quality, and financial objectives.
• Coach and develop Launch Managers and Launch Support Specialists; promote continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Operational readiness

Change management

Risk management

Strategic initiatives

Job description

About the role

As Senior Director, Launch Management, reporting into the Regional VP Operations Excellence, you will provide leadership, governance and direction to both the regional & cluster Launch Management function. However, the cluster Launch Management function, reporting to the Cluster VP of Contract Logistics is responsible for the execution of launch, turning commercial opportunities into successful, operationally ready solutions. Occasionally, your Regional Team may assist or lead the successful delivery of some of the most strategic and complex customer implementations, business expansions, and operational transformations across Europe.

Job Description

About the role

As Senior Director, Launch Management, reporting into the Regional VP Operations Excellence, you will provide leadership, governance and direction to both the regional & cluster Launch Management function. However, the cluster Launch Management function, reporting to the Cluster VP of Contract Logistics is responsible for the execution of launch, turning commercial opportunities into successful, operationally ready solutions. Occasionally, your Regional Team may assist or lead the successful delivery of some of the most strategic and complex customer implementations, business expansions, and operational transformations across Europe.

This role sits at the heart of our growth strategy. You will partner with senior leaders, customers, and cross-functional teams to ensure new operations are launched safely, efficiently, on time, and within budget. From greenfield start-ups and automated facilities to large-scale supply chain transformations, your leadership will help create sustainable operational success, exceptional customer experiences, and long-term business value.

How You Will Contribute

• Lead the Regional Launch Management function, ensuring successful governance & delivery of customer implementations, business expansions, and transformation programs across Europe.
• Establish and continuously enhance launch governance, methodologies, standards, and operational readiness processes to support consistent project execution.
• Provide strategic oversight throughout the project lifecycle, from project initiation and design through deployment, stabilization, and transition to business-as-usual operations.
• Build strong partnerships with customers and act as the senior operational escalation point during implementation and stabilization phases.
• Ensure launch programs meet agreed milestones, operational readiness requirements, quality standards, and financial objectives.
• Lead cross-functional teams and stakeholders ensuring strong collaboration/alignment across Operations, Engineering, IT, Automation, Finance, HR, Commercial, Quality, and Security functions to achieve successful project outcomes.
• Oversee operational readiness, systems implementation, testing activities, training programs, and go-live governance processes.
• Monitor project risks, budgets, resources, and performance metrics, taking proactive action to address challenges and protect business objectives.
• Develop and coach Launch Managers and Launch Support Specialists while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and learning.
• Drive adoption of Operational Excellence, Lean, and data-driven improvement practices to enhance launch quality, speed, customer satisfaction, and operational performance.
• Continuously contribute enhancing launch governance, methodologies, standards, and operational readiness processes in close collaboration with Global Launch Management to support consistent project execution.

What You Will Bring

• Experience leading large-scale operational launches, customer implementations, business transformations, or complex supply chain projects within Contract Logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, technology, or related industries.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with executive stakeholders, customers, and cross-functional teams in complex, international environments.
• Strong expertise in leadership, program management, operational readiness, change management, risk management, and delivering strategic initiatives with measurable business impact.
• Experience developing high-performing teams through coaching, capability building, succession planning, and collaborative leadership.
• A customer-focused, results-oriented, and continuous improvement mindset, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, influence decisions, and drive sustainable outcomes.

Compensation

DP World offers exciting and challenging roles within a growing international organization. We strive to hire and develop the right people, locally and globally, stimulating personal growth and self-development within an informal atmosphere. We offer a market competitive compensation package.

About DP World

Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, creating opportunities and improving the quality of life for people around the world. DP World exists to make the world’s trade flow better, changing what’s possible for the customers and communities we serve globally. With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 120,000 employees spanning 75 countries on six continents, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that’s fit for the future. We’re rapidly transforming and integrating our businesses -- Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting our global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades. What's more, we're reshaping the future by investing in innovation. From intelligent delivery systems to automated warehouse stacking, we’re at the cutting edge of disruptive technology, pushing the sector towards better ways to trade, minimizing disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.

WE MAKE TRADE FLOW