JOB DESCRIPTION
OVERVIEW:
The Director of Domestic Business Solutions & Continuous Improvement is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and performance of the Domestic Solutions Engineering and Continuous Improvement team across the North America and LATAM region, ensuring alignment with APLL's CLS, CFS, DNS, and LTS businesses.
This role provides leadership in developing engineering and innovative solutions, driving financial and operational performance, and formulating pricing strategies in collaboration with senior leadership, including P&L owners and commercial heads.
The Director is a key contributor to the success of multi-million-dollar proposals and renewals, ensuring profitability and operational efficiency, while also fostering innovation through technology and best practices. The scope includes collaboration with APLL international business solutions team and influencing APLL C suite team on critical business decisions in support of company business objectives.
RESPONSIBILITIES
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead the Americas domestic solutions and continuous improvement team, driving strategic initiatives for CLS, CFS, DNS, and LTS divisions, with a focus on delivering cost effective solutions, cost savings strategies and delivering pricing strategies based on cost competitive solutions.
- Collaborate with commercial teams, operations, and innovation departments to develop customer-centric solutions, supporting new business development and renewals of existing accounts, ensuring alignment with financial objectives.
- Oversee and lead the labor management program across CLS operations, ensuring labor productivity and operational efficiency gains of 15%-20%.
- Oversee and lead automation/ innovation roadmap for the region within the warehouse and land transport operations
- Drive the implementation of cutting-edge technology and automation solutions, working closely with IT, innovation teams, and external vendors to evaluate, design, and implement solutions.
- Conduct financial modeling, CAPEX and OPEX analysis, and pricing scenario evaluations to support new business proposals, ensuring competitive and cost-effective solutions.
- Manages annual CAPEX and OPEX budget planning: automation, facility improvement, software
- Manages and monitors Continuous Improvement (CI) program for APLL CLS, CFS, DNS and LTS network. Collaborates with APAC and EMEA CI teams.
- Lead team in the development of customer supply chain network optimization and drive cost savings solutions for Distribution Centers and Transportation Lanes.
- Manage and mentor a team of managers, solutions architects, engineers, and analysts, ensuring the development of operational designs, productivity analyses, and continuous improvement initiatives across the Americas.
- Ensure accuracy in solution design, pricing, and cost models, maintaining consistency across projects, and responding quickly to market conditions to adjust strategies.
- Lead communication and coordination with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment on solution delivery, pricing, and operational performance.
- Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership, including VPs and P&L owners, on pricing, operational designs, and business decisions.
- Foster collaboration with EMEA and APAC teams on projects that require multi-regional solutions, ensuring global alignment in approach and execution.
- Ensure consistent use of engineering models and pricing methodologies across regions, maintaining updated pricing databases and evaluating market trends.
- Serve as a key decision-maker in the review and analysis of complex RFPs, leading pricing strategies and ensuring feasibility with respect to operational costs.
KEY RESULTS AREAS:
- Positive impact to APLL CLS, CFS, DNS and LTS win ratio for new business. Target 30%
- Positive impact on APLL CLS, CFS, DNS and LTS renewals. Target 100%
- Positive impact on APLL CLS, DNS, CFS and LTS existing operations continuous improvement. Target 20%
- Develop, retain, and promote engineering talent.
- Work with APLL existing solution and pricing templates, maintain and enhance
- Develop new and cost-effective solutions through innovation and collaboration with other areas
- Develop engineering models and pricing models for the CLS, CFS, DNS and LTS opportunities (new business and renewals)
- Adhere to APLL POMs and guidelines for the development of financial and operational design models to ensure new and existing operations meet the financial indicators approved by corporate and regional head and local owner LOB.
- Collaborate with other functional areas in the development of flexible, suitable, innovative, and cost-effective engineered solutions
- Challenge stakeholders pricing input to reflect best fit for the proposed solution and to provide cost effective proposals
- Analyze model data, develop, and communicate potential pricing scenarios for consideration directly impacting company win rate
- Provide product and market expertise in the development of executive financial summaries and pricing recommendations
- Update and maintain CLS, LTS, DNS, CFS product offering and price competitiveness in the 3PL Industry
- Maintain and update of engineering databases: pricing, trends, customers, verticals
- Conduct research on market trends: cost/spending, pricing, and solutions
QUALIFICATIONS QUALIFICATIONS:
- Six Sigma Green Belt Certified
- Preferred Bilingual: Spanish and English (a plus)
- Preferred 10+ years of experience in supply chain solutions engineering, including leadership roles in warehousing and transportation.
- Preferred At least 7 years of domestic and international supply chain experience: Warehousing and land transportation
- Preferred At least 5 years of design solution and implementation of warehouse automation (Process flows + Productivity + Throughput + Solution integration WMS / LMS/ WCS/ WES/ TMS)
- Preferred at least 3 years of experience managing multi country teams of solutions engineers and analysts.
- Preferred At least 3 years of experience managing Continuous Improvement programs
- Preferred At least 5 years of engineering project management and implementation
- A proven record of Labor Management Program implementation and maintenance
- A proven record of leading design and deployment of automated solutions.
- A proven history working with large sets of operational/ volumes, sales data for analysis and solutions modelling.
- Expert at using Microsoft Excel and Excel advanced features (Pivot Table, Functions, V-Lookups, etc.)
- Expert on AUTOCAD to support detailed facility design and planning
- Experience using and leveraging Supply Chain Network Optimization Software to develop analysis and solutions, i.e., LLamasoft, AIMMS SC Navigator and Coupa
- Detail-oriented, highly organized, with the ability to handle solution design modelling and pricing for multiple projects, customers/ proposals simultaneously
- Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment handling multiple projects simultaneously.
- Strong communication skills to support and defend engineering recommendations.
- Strong public speaking skills to prepare and deliver oral presentations internally and with customer teams.
- Strong analytical skills to identify and analyze cost factors for engineering designs and proposals
- Strong organization, time management and creative problem-solving skills
- Good leadership skills to guide and mentor the work of less experienced personnel
Candidates must be within 250 miles of an APL Logistics facility or office.The typical starting salary range for this position is: $136,889 - $195,570.
The actual salary offer will take into account multiple factors including skills, experience, and location. Please note that the salary details listed in role postings reflect the base salary only, not total compensation, which includes bonus and benefits.
Candidates are eligible for the following benefits: • PTO
• 6 days sick time
• 9 paid holidays
• 1 paid "Personal Holiday"
• Company Bonus Plan
• 401(K) SAVE Plan
• Annual Fixed Contribution
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life & Disability coverage
• Voluntary Benefits
• Accident/Critical Illness/Hospital Indemnity Benefits
• Tuition reimbursement and student loan assistance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer funding and wellness incentives
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Employee Referral Program
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Work Location Requirement - APL LogisticsEmployees residing within 25 miles of an APL Logistics Hub Office (AZ, FL, MI, NC, OR) are required to follow a designated Hybrid schedule as described below: Fully on-site, or fully remote schedules are determined based on role and business needs.
• Hybrid employees must report to the office 8 days per month, scheduled by their supervisor.
• Warehouse roles are typically fully on-site.
• Candidates outside the 25-mile radius may be considered for fully remote roles, depending on business needs.
Remote work requires full compliance with company policies, including workspace standards, timekeeping, and communication protocols. Commuting costs are not reimbursed. Adherence to this policy is a condition of employment.
ABOUT US MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE APL Logistics provides innovative, global supply-chain solutions across Automotive, Consumer, Industrial and Retail markets. These solutions include Order Management, Distribution & Fulfillment, Customs Brokerage and Transportation products delivered across six regions. We also pioneered the use of visual data analysis and offer a robust Data Management and Analytics product suite to help you understand and solve complex problems that span systems and processes. Our brand was built alongside a culture of deep customer focus and attention, and we are known for providing flexible solutions to complex problems.
AT THE HEART OF OUR OFFERING IS A GLOBAL, CROSS-FUNCTIONAL ABILITY TO MANAGE CUSTOMER ORDERS FROM ORIGIN ALL THE WAY TO FINAL DESTINATION VIA A NETWORK OF GLOBAL PROFESSIONALS. EEO Statement for US- The company is committed to and supports equal employment opportunity and affirmative action to all employees and applicants for employment. Equal employment opportunity means equal treatment of employees and applicants without regard to the following legally-protected characteristics: race, color, religion, creed, sex (gender identity), pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age (40 and over), medical condition, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), veteran status, physical or mental disability status or any other legally-protected status.