Sr Manager Operational Excellence

Posted 6 Hours Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Brentwood, TN, USA
Hybrid
Senior level
Logistics
The Role
Leads continuous improvement across transportation management and final-mile operations. Executes high-priority projects, conducts site diagnostics and kaizen events, deploys standard work and performance routines, manages cost-saving pipelines, validates benefits with Finance, and improves service, productivity, and profitability. Partners with technology teams to standardize workflows, coaches site leaders, and harmonizes processes across operations. The role requires substantial field travel, advanced analytics, Lean Six Sigma expertise, transportation knowledge, and senior stakeholder communication.
Summary Generated by Built In

Who We Are:

GEODIS specializes in unlocking business value in a complex world, ensuring seamless movement of goods worldwide. As a global third-party logistics provider (3PL), we power A Better Way to Deliver for the world's top brands and manufacturers. Fuel your career with GEODIS and discover endless growth opportunities. Our hybrid work schedule requires team members to be in the office four days per week, with the flexibility to work remotely one day each week.

Position Summary:

The Senior Manager, Operational Excellence leads continuous improvement execution across Transportation Management and Final Mile operations. Working directly with the Central Management team and site leadership, this role runs the division's highest-priority improvement projects, deploys standard work and performance management routines at transportation and final mile sites, and builds a validated pipeline of cost-out and productivity initiatives tied to divisional EBIT improvement. The role is field-heavy by design: diagnosing underperforming sites in person, running kaizen events on the dock, and coaching site leaders until improvements stick.

Your role on the team:

Improvement Project Execution

  • Lead the division's priority improvement projects end-to-end: chartering, baseline, root-cause analysis, solution design, implementation, and Finance-validated benefits capture
  • Run margin diagnostics at underperforming sites and accounts, on-site deep dives producing 90-day corrective action plans with named owners and weekly follow-up cadence
  • Facilitate kaizen events and structured problem-solving (A3/DMAIC) with site teams across cross-docks, final mile stations, and TM operations centers
  • Target the division's largest cost drivers: purchased transportation and carrier procurement discipline, final mile route density and stops-per-hour, dock and cross-dock labor productivity, claims and OS&D reduction, and billing/POD accuracy leakage

Pipeline & Benefits Management

  • Build and maintain the divisional improvement pipeline: identify, size, and prioritize opportunities by EBIT impact; present the pipeline monthly to divisional leadership
  • Own benefits tracking with Finance; every completed initiative validated against the P&L, with a clear line between activity and realized savings
  • Support Commercial and Solutions teams by supplying standardized cost models and operational assumptions for pricing new business

Standard Work & Performance Management

  • Deploy standard work, tiered daily management, and visual management at priority sites; adapt the deployment to the realities of each operation (24/7 cross-dock vs. TM planning office vs. contractor-based final mile station)
  • Build and maintain site scorecards covering safety, service, cost, and cash; support the division's monthly operating review with data, trend analysis, and corrective-action tracking
  • Drive service metrics that protect revenue; on-time delivery, first-attempt completion, claims ratio; at sites serving strategic and at-risk accounts

Technology & Standardization

  • Partner with IT and Engineering to embed process improvements into the division's systems, TMS workflows, last-mile execution platforms, labor management, and telematics, so gains are hard-wired rather than dependent on individual effort
  • Document standardized processes (order-to-delivery, carrier onboarding and compliance, exception management, POD-to-invoice) and drive site-by-site conformance

Capability Building

  • Train and coach site leaders and supervisors in structured problem-solving and daily management; build frontline improvement capability so sites sustain gains independently
  • Champion a culture consistent with GEODIS' Golden Rules and Leadership Principles, safety first, results with integrity, and respect for the frontline teams who move the freight

 What you need:

  • Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Business, or related field
  • 7+ years of transportation/logistics operations or continuous improvement experience, including 3+ years leading improvement projects in a 3PL, carrier, or large shipper environment
  • Working knowledge of non-asset transportation models: managed transportation, brokerage, LTL/TL procurement, and/or last-mile delivery operations
  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt required; Black Belt strongly preferred, with a documented record of delivered, Finance-validated savings (candidates should expect to walk through specific projects, baselines, and realized impact)
  • Solid financial acumen: cost-to-serve fundamentals, business case construction, and comfort presenting results to senior leadership
  • Strong analytics capability, advanced Excel required; Power BI strongly preferred; SQL a plus
  • Willingness to travel up to 40%, concentrated at transformation-priority sites
  • Experience in final mile / big-and-bulky home delivery operations, including agent/contractor delivery models
  • Familiarity with TMS platforms (Blue Yonder, Oracle TM, MercuryGate, or equivalent) and last-mile execution systems
  • Experience harmonizing processes across acquired or legacy operations
  • APICS CSCP, CLTD, or TIA CTB certification
  • Bilingual English/Spanish

    What you gain from joining our team:

    • Access wages early with the Rain financial wellness app.
    • Free telemedical access to doctors and therapists through FirstStop Health available first day of employment!
    • Health, dental, and vision insurance after 30 days of employment
    • 401k match
    • Paid maternity and paternity leave
    • Access to career development, employee resource groups, and mentorship programs
    • Employee discounts
    • Access to employee perks like fitness class discounts and free access to a relaxation and meditation app
    • Free financial wellness programs
    • Daycare discount program
    • Opportunities to volunteer and give back to your community
    • + more!

    Join our Team!

    • Visit our website at workatGEODIS.com and chat with our virtual recruiter, Sophie, to fast-track your way to an interview.

    OR

    • Text DELIVER to 88300 to apply!    

    Equal Opportunity Employer
    This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

    Skills Required

    • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field
    • 7+ years of transportation, logistics operations, or continuous improvement experience
    • 3+ years leading improvement projects in a 3PL, carrier, or large shipper environment
    • Working knowledge of managed transportation, brokerage, LTL/TL procurement, and/or last-mile delivery operations
    • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification
    • Documented record of Finance-validated savings from improvement projects
    • Financial acumen covering cost-to-serve fundamentals, business cases, and senior leadership presentations
    • Advanced Excel skills
    • Experience in final-mile or big-and-bulky home delivery operations, including agent or contractor delivery models
    • Familiarity with TMS platforms and last-mile execution systems
    • Experience harmonizing processes across acquired or legacy operations
    • Willingness to travel up to 40%
    • APICS CSCP, CLTD, or TIA CTB certification
    • Bilingual English and Spanish
    • Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification
    • Power BI experience
    • SQL experience

    GEODIS Compensation & Benefits Highlights

    The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about GEODIS and has not been reviewed or approved by GEODIS.

    • Flexible Benefits Flexible plan design appears available, with multiple medical plan types including HSA-eligible options that can fit different budgets and needs.
    • Inclusive Benefits Coverage A broad set of core benefits is described as available, including health, dental, vision, EAP, 401(k), and PTO, aligning with what many expect from a large employer.
    • Pay Growth & Progression Pay progression is sometimes supported through periodic raise cycles and occasional bonus opportunities, which can provide a path to improving total earnings over time.

    GEODIS Insights

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    The Company
    HQ: Levallois-Perret
    53,000 Employees
    Year Founded: 1904

    What We Do

    GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and more than 49,400 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 5 in its sector across the world. In 2022, GEODIS generated €13.7 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group. 

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