Project Implementation Manager – Warehouse & Contract Logistics

JOB PURPOSE

The Implementation Manager will be responsible for the go-live of new warehouses across the region as well as new customer on-boarding within existing or new warehouses.

For capacity expansion across the region the Implementation Manager will lead the opening of new Warehouse locations with an understanding of the internal goals for capacity expansion within the Region following the strategy set by the regional leadership. The Implementation Manager is leading project initiation and scope definition, prioritization of assignments, and adherence to priorities, commitments, and milestones and ensures the warehouse will be fully operational and compliant as per local rules and regulations.

For customer Implementations the Implementation Manager will monitor project progress, deliverables, quality assurance, and customer service via use of company launch governance/approach including supporting Project Management Tools. Report status to customer or internal stakeholders and identify and resolve risks that impact project completion. Manage time and budget for the project, initiate action to identify and resolve problems, and ensure goals are met. Coordinates planning, development, testing, documentation, and installation of project to ensure timely deliverables, project success and quality. Develop good working relationships with the customer project manager or respective counterpart for internal projects (e.g. Implement real estate plans such as new Warehouses); ensures that we establish excellent two-way communication clearly outlining DP Worlds needs to be successful and risks where we need customer input. The objective is that a good customer relationship will ensure that both parties are focused on being successful together.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Willingness to travel across the region
2. Visting potential new warehouse facilities across the region, creating a site visit report and preparing a business case
3. Creating a weekly status report for all activities
4. Understand the market for the respective verticals – availability of warehousing capacity, competitor analysis keeping an overview of available warehouses, market demands and market rates across the region

Implements New Warehouses

• Works closely with internal Business Units to all facility needs & requests from each identified Site locations including (PMO Facilities and Finance/Accounting teams to ensure integration)
• Audit, support & enforce processes with the local site Purchasing Requisitions/Orders.
• Monitor and maintains relevant cost expenditures for individual site locations including project tracking system, ensure timely delivery and completion.
• Manage & maintain accurate Property & Facility related accounting transactions, purchase orders and non-compliance reports
• Initiate all utility accounts pertaining to leased properties and coordinate the vendor set ups internally.
• Review & Resolve landlord financial reconciliations and tenant expense.
• Support All launch sites, set up and maintain purchasing processes/functions until permanent position is filled, trained and functioning.
• Support site identifications & execution of transition with regards to purchasing related issue and/or the processes.
• Analyze regional corporate contract initiatives and large RFQs at site level
• Maintain active communication with landlord and/or property manager relations for regional real estate & Facility needs.
• Source, manage and schedule suitable vendors for all required equipment & services to ensure final solution is delivered within Budget and agreed timlines
• Other Duties as assigned

Customer Launch

Adhere to the launch governance/approach with a focus on:

• Working closely together (in-tandem) with Site Manager elect for Greenfield locations or with the Site Manager of existing operations.
• Ensuring that the Project Expenditure for launch resource costs and new capital expenditure are well documented and presented to the Executive for approval.
• Manage the Operational Launch of the customer including but not limited to Procurement, HR, Launch Leads, Control Tower, Launch Trainer, Launch Quality, Procurement, Ops Support and training of the new operational team, UAT testing, system readiness, capability of handling the planned customer volume and post go-live handover to ops and post go-live review
• Define Phase closely with the local team, so that we can eventually present it to the customer for playback/ approval. Co-ordinate/agree on the detailed Business Scope Document including the full solution and present to the customer/internal for written approval/signoff. This would ensure that both DP World and the customer have a common understanding of the scope of work undertaken.
• Management and supervision of related Launch project disciplines and their assigned resources.
• Advanced Quality Planning – focus on ensuring appropriate Quality Operating System documentation is completed in a timely manner whilst ensuring that the operating processes are robust; which should be bought off internally by Operations and other cross-functional team members

Develop, maintain & follow a detailed Launch Implementation Plan with focus on the following:

• Weekly 1:1 follow-up with internal project team functional leads on the timeliness of task completion and making sure that they have the appropriate tools and support to meet their goals
• Weekly Launch Implementation Plan reviews with the full project team to review critical paths/dependencies/ impact on slip in functional timelines and put a corrective action plan in place to mitigate same with the project team.
• Twice Weekly supervision of internal project team meetings to review existing open issues, new open issues, next steps etc. and ensure that the communication and dynamics within the project team will support the success of the project.
• Supervision/Lead Weekly joint customer project team meetings to discuss new customer information/ open issues/status/next steps etc.

Maintain, Update & distribute weekly Senior Management Team (SMT) Flash updates or bi-weekly Flash updates for Steering Committee review so that it presents an honest reflection of the project’s status when reviewed with the Steering Committee

Review, communicate and escalate critical project issues with the Project Sponsors/ SMT Team in a timely manner.

Schedule &/or facilitate project meetings (Steering Committee, Customer, Project Team [functional specific], Suppliers etc.) as required to ensure that all aspects of the project are dealt with professionally and efficiently internally as well as with customer were applicable.

Manage/track the Project Budget.

Provide leadership, support & training to project team members and new operational staff – the Project Manager should ensure that the whole team works in harmony and should lead by example with a high-level expectation of success.

JOB CONTEXT

• Act as interface between regional function and all other areas of the business as required
• Ensure all project workstreams are aligned with operations team and other support functions during RFQ and launch phase.
• Be able to translate high level operational briefs / objectives in to defined solution proposal and progress and deploy into the live operation
• Contribute to the development and implementation of regional and global initiatives
• Act as a “trouble shooter” when required, identify pinch points or problem areas, ensure root cause analysis is completed where appropriate and corrective measures are implemented into operations
• Able to work independently and under own initiative on any site and ensure the delivery of obligations / requirements as set during the project kick off meeting
• Be a SME (subject mater expert) on Implementation/Project Management processes, tools and techniques
• Any activity or function as deemed within the scope and capability of the role in the support of Implementation Management
• Be able to communicate and present Implementation Plan to customer and steer the project to achieve the desired outcome
• The role will primarily focus on supporting all contract logistics activities in GCC as listed above.
• Perform other related duties as assigned
• Pro-actively stay engaged and updated on industry trends and brief the team accordingly

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• At least 10+ years experience with a 3PL in implementing Warehouse & CL projects with clients across different industries.
• Educated to degree level in a related discipline or have appropriate work experience
• Ability to communicate effectively across all levels
• Ability to empathies and understand client’s viewpoint and requirements and act as their champion during the implementation
• Ability to interpret data and derive solid conclusions from analysis.
• Highly developed computer skills, including Microsoft Excel (Pivot tables and familiarity with common formulas), Word, Visio or equivalent, and Project Management software are required.
• Project management and operational experience.
• Change management skills.
• Project Management skills