The Operations Director owns end-to-end supply chain performance at GIS International, from procurement and vendor management to logistics, warehousing, and customer delivery. This is a hands-on leadership role that combines operational rigor with genuine team development.
You will be expected to build, not just manage: co-constructing processes with your teams, developing individual capabilities, and creating an operations function that supports GIS's growth ambitions.
This role is 60% internal (team leadership, process structuring, cross-functional alignment) and 40% external (customer interface, supplier relationships, program-level operations).
This is not a coordination role. We are looking for someone who:
- Has managed operations teams directly in environments where resources were constrained and pragmatism mattered as much as methodology
- Brings structure without bureaucracy, able to design frameworks that teams actually use
- Is recognised by their people as someone who made them better, not just someone who got results
- Navigates ambiguity without needing perfect clarity to move forward
- Understands that authority at GIS is earned through relationships, not titles
Main responsibilities
Team Leadership and Development (Priority 1)
- Build and sustain a high-performing operations team, close to the ground, accountable, and growing
- Coach and develop team members individually; actively create conditions for people to take ownership
- Bridge between field teams and management, translating strategic direction into operational clarity
- Manage conflict constructively; address performance issues directly and fairly
Operations and Supply Chain
- Own end-to-end supply chain: procurement, vendor management, logistics, warehousing, order fulfilment
- Drive VMI implementation and optimize inventory levels across programs
- Streamline processes using appropriate technology and digitalization, fit for our scale
- Ensure compliance with Incoterms, ISO processes, safety requirements and legal obligations
Performance and Continuous Improvement
- Define and track KPIs that matter: inventory turnover, cost savings, fulfillment cycle time, customer satisfaction
- Lead cost reduction initiatives (TCO approach) without compromising service quality
- Identify and implement operational improvements with the team, not for the team
- Maintain green-level customer satisfaction across GIS operations
- Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement to enhance performance and competitiveness
External Relationships
- Interface with key customers on operational matters, credible and solution-oriented
- Manage supplier and carrier relationships; lead contract negotiations
- Represent GIS operations in program-level reviews
The profile we are looking for
Experience
- 10 to 15 years in supply chain, logistics, or operations, with direct team management throughout
- Background in mid-size organizations (50 to 300 people) where you had to make things work with limited resources
- Demonstrated experience building or restructuring an operations function, not just inheriting a mature one
- International exposure, ideally including emerging markets or multi-country operations
- Experience with ERP and supply chain systems and reporting tools
Leadership Qualities
- Leads through proximity, visible, accessible, trusted by the people you manage
- Develops others deliberately; you can name people you have grown and explain how
- Co-constructs solutions rather than imposing them; earns buy-in before demanding execution
- Resilient under pressure; maintains composure when things go wrong and finds a path forward
- Challenges upward when needed, with facts, not frustration
Mindset
- Brings answers, not just diagnoses; proactive on solutions, not only on problems
- Comfortable operating in an environment that is still building its processes
- High personal standards without creating a culture of fear around imperfection
- Curious about the business beyond operations, commercially aware and strategically grounded
Language Requirements
- English: Full professional proficiency (working language)
- French and/or Dutch: an asset given our Benelux base of operations
- Additional languages relevant to customer programs: valued
Cultural fit
- Multicultural teamwork and clear communication in an international context
- Curious mindset towards problem solving and efficiency
- Energy and willingness to learn inside the industrial environment
- Ambassador of etiquette towards internal and external stakeholders
What do we offer
We offer a diverse job in an international, multicultural environment with a competitive salary and extralegal benefits
