The Company
DB Schenker, a division under German rail operator Deutsche Bahn AG, is the world’s leading integrated logistics service provider with a dense global network of about 2,000 locations and over 76,000 employees worldwide. With over 50 years of experience in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, Schenker Asia Pacific connects all the important economic regions in over 14 Asian countries to support industry and trade in the exchange of goods through land transport, worldwide air and ocean freight, contract logistics and supply chain management (CL/SCM).
About The Solution Design Function and Team
This role sits in a designated team within Solution Design (SD) Function for APAC Contract Logistics business. The SD function is predominantly focused on developing solutions to achieve our growth through new business awards and supporting the successful renewals via competitive RFQs of our existing operations.
The Function has been established to work as One Solution Team collaborating across our APAC geographies to deliver best in class customer centric solutions in alignment to our Core Products portfolio which consist of the right blend and application of conventional warehousing solutions combined with the latest technologies and innovation (such as automation/robotics).
About The Job
This is an advanced role reporting to Head of Solution Design – Team 6. The role requires a matured and advanced approach to Solution Design supported with a sophisticated understanding of operating knowledge and/or physical aspects of the Operating Solution, ensuring realistic design of operational solution and alignment of all solution components to ensure it is realistic and implementable within a reasonable timeframe.
The role owner is required to demonstrate the ability to support SD Leader to provide team coaching, including on-job training/mentoring to peer development of the solution design resources within the team, adopting strong collaborative approach with other various functional/country teams to deliver high standard of Solution Design outputs derived through robust and logical design methodologies, standardized procedures and toolsets, identification and application of technologies and innovations that converts into customer centric solutions which are commercially viable, orientated to our Core Products offering and associated growth targets.
The role requires alignment with all key Schenker’s stakeholders to drive requirements analysis, detailed design inclusive of processes and productivity development, costing and pricing coupled with detailed solution content within customer proposals to support customer opportunity management and negotiations, while ensures a harmonized way of working with high level of compliance to the Business Unit SOP - Contract Logistics Delivery Method (CLDM), maintaining the right level of Product competencies to achieve top expert to top opportunity allocations and achieve the right resource availability to meet the demand of our internal and external customers.
Solution Development
Fundamentally driving the execution of the Solution Design workstream with steps and deliverables as defined in detail within Business Unit SOP - Contract Logistics Delivery Method (CLDM) and as summarised here.
1. Adopt, deploy and promote Solution Standards, Processes, Tools and Templates aligned to Global/Regional SD Initiatives to enable and support efficiencies in Solution Design across APAC to
A. Establish and ensure optimal Solution Concept in alignment with the customers’ needs and operating characteristics and to our established Core Products standards and Best Practices.
B. Clearly articulate the key components of the Supply Chain in scope and present material flow to enable logical design decisions.
C. Improve the efficiency of data analysis and interpretation of customer’s data to recommend suitable storage system(s), material handling equipment (MHE), processes and resources.
D. Collaborate with GREM team to identify the most suitable & efficient warehouses, and design layout based on customer business requirements utilising the software provided.
E. Ensure necessary reviews including peer reviews, operations reviews as well as supporting deal reviews for validations/challenges of key cost/risk drivers within the response and solution modelling against the projects’ requirements in order to drive optimum offerings in accordance to customers’ expectations.
F. Work out with SD Leader to conduct analysis, propose and implement improvements on unsuccessful tenders and projects with negative Solution Design Quality (SDQ) results as necessary
G. Involve in lessons learnt sessions from operations and implementations to leverage the knowledge sharing and drive continuous improvement in Solution Design workstream at the front end of the process to avoid/reduce loss-making operations in APAC
H. Leverage high end solutions from improved awareness and understanding of innovative concepts utilising the latest available and accepted technology (including automation, robotics).
2. Work within a Standard Work Framework for Solution Design APAC, to ensure efficient solution design process with alignment to the key steps and milestones represented in CLDM.
3. Maintain high standards for all required Solution Design collaterals, including but not limited to proposal documents and templates, operational benchmarking cases for target verticals and customers as well as additional supporting information relevant to support the articulation of the Solution Design content to ensure company is effectively represented in proposals and engagements.
4. Involve and work out with internal teams including but not limited to those responsible for Commercial Management (Business Development & Customer Management), Innovation & Automation, Operations Excellence to deliver engagement programs for the SD community, ensuring they are kept up to date with the latest and relevant technology trends, innovation, and automation as well as dissemination of vital lessons learnt from implementations to ensure Continuous Improvement.
5. Act as an advanced role for the designated SD team to ensure all initiatives derived from Head office, Global Solution Design to the designated SD team are represented correctly and share voices/insights to SD leadership to integrate all improvement plans, standards, procedures, and tools where is necessary
Commercial & Pricing
Work in partnership with internal teams during Tender Management phase to develop cost competitive and viable solutions to ensure profitability and/or the recovery of all project and operation costs.
- Better determine and compare costings required for the proposed solution via key personnel/team within country organization, existing vendor contacts and/or direct sourcing.
- Drive collaboration through Solution Peer Reviews including validation/challenge of the key cost drivers within the response and solution modelling against the project requirements in order to drive optimum selling rates in accordance to customer pricing template.
- Ensure projected revenue in the cost models meet the targeted MIRR (Modified Internal Rate of Return) and EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Tax).
- Validate and review cost models with key stakeholders based on design assumptions and proposed terms and conditions and advise them on the potential business risk.
- Support the financial justifications and investment Applications process (IA) for new business awards to obtain the relevant level of approval.
- Support the Sales and BD team in the development of negotiation strategy, Win Plan and value proposition with supporting assessments and calculations.
Coaching & Training
Work with the SD Leader and support to improve the competency of the internal teams within the region through various means of knowledge transfer and capability uplifting. This includes
- Being an ambassador of the Solution Design Community including the identification of SD subject matter network and Solution Design steps within CLDM, inclusive of all associated tools, templates, standards, and processes and to guide the SD team-members as necessary to ensure awareness and compliance.
- Supporting to adopt and conduct training programs in the areas of solution design to designated SD Team as required with necessary materials and tools based on training needs.
- Participating a systematic process approach to drive advancement for SD resources, including but not limited to the development of Individual Development Plan (IDP) for self.
- Experience in modern warehouse and distribution, supply chain design (automation and other modern warehousing innovation (robotics, digitalisation) is preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in Logistics and Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Business Management or relevant technical field.
- More than 5 years of relevant working experience in the logistics and supply chain industry; knowledge of 3PL, 4PL and LLP variations is a plus.
- Preferred Industry experience in Electronics/Semicon, Healthcare, Consumer/Retail including eCommerce, similar experiences in 3PL environment is a plus
- Strong and in-depth knowledge in warehouse solution design; able to develop operationally feasible solution(s) to meet customer requirements.
- Good command in spoken and written English; other Asian/European language(s) is beneficial.
- Self-starter with positive attitude to overcome problems effectively and able to work under own initiative with minimal supervision.
- Possess solid persuasive skills when presenting the proposed solution(s) to the customer.
- Require hands-on approach, able to multi-task and work under time pressure.
- Strong analytical skills with good commercial and technical understanding of Contract Logistics.
- Practical working experience with AutoCAD. Experience in CLASS, Sketchup and/or other supply chain design software/tools is a plus.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel functions – VBA/VLOOKUP/PivotTable, and PowerPoint, etc), and knowledge about other Microsoft 365 Apps including but not limited VISIO/Stream/Power BI is a plus.
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