Operations Director - Southern Europe

Our client, a leading multinational in the plastics-related products industry, is looking to hire a Director of Operations – Southern Europe to lead and optimize the region’s end-to-end operational performance excluding manufacturing .

This is a high-impact leadership role with responsibility across Procurement, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Warehousing/Distribution , and operational execution across Southern Europe.

Location: Southern Europe: Barcelona, Milan, Paris (Any city is possible). Role: Director of Operations – Southern Europe (Non-Manufacturing). Reports to: Regional/European Executive Leadership. Start date: ASAP.

Own and drive operational excellence across Southern Europe, ensuring best-in-class performance in planning, procurement, inbound/outbound logistics, warehousing, distribution, service levels and cost efficiency .

You will lead cross-country teams and partners, improve processes, implement KPIs and governance, and ensure seamless execution across the supply chain—delivering high service while optimizing working capital and operating costs.

Key responsibilities

Lead operations across Southern Europe (multi-country scope), ensuring alignment with European/global standards and business priorities.

Own regional Supply Chain strategy and execution (demand/supply planning, inventory, replenishment, distribution).

Lead Procurement activities in the region: supplier performance, negotiation, contracts, cost optimization, risk mitigation.

Oversee Logistics and Transportation (inbound/outbound), carrier management, freight optimization, OTIF performance.

Manage Warehousing & Distribution footprint (internal and 3PL): capacity, productivity, processes, safety, quality, cost.

Drive S&OP / IBP cadence with strong collaboration across Sales, Customer Service, Finance and central teams.

Define and monitor operational KPIs: OTIF, inventory turns, forecast accuracy, lead time, logistics cost-to-serve, supplier OTIF , etc.

Lead continuous improvement programs (Lean / CI), process standardization and digitalization initiatives.

Ensure compliance with relevant HSE , quality, customs/trade and corporate governance requirements.

Build, develop and coach regional teams; manage stakeholders and influence cross-functionally.

Ideal profile

10+ years in Operations / Supply Chain / Logistics leadership roles within multinational environments.

Strong background in Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Logistics and Warehousing (non-manufacturing scope).

Proven experience leading multi-site / multi-country operations and managing 3PL partners.

Track record in cost optimization , service improvement and inventory/working capital performance.

Hands‑on leadership style, high execution capacity, and comfort in complex matrix organizations.

Strong analytical skills, KPI-driven mindset, structured problem‑solving.

Experience with ERP and planning tools (SAP/Oracle or similar; advanced Excel; BI tools a plus).

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or similar .

MBA / Master’s in Operations/Supply Chain is a plus.

Languages

Fluent English is mandatory.

Spanish and/or other Southern Europe languages are a strong plus.

Compensation

Highly competitive package, aligned with experience and regional scope (fixed + bonus + benefits).

How to apply

Send your CV to View email address on click.appcast.io with the subject: “Director of Operations – Southern Europe (Non-Manufacturing)”

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