Operational Excellence Senior Specialist (m/f/d)

Senior Operational Excellence practitioner responsible for driving the maturity, consistency, and impact of The Maersk Way (TMW) across the Forwarding product segment (Air, LCL/FCL, MPL and CRM) operations in the NEC Area.
The role combines deep operational expertise in Forwarding products with advanced Operational Excellence methodologies to diagnose business challenges, shape pragmatic solutions, and deliver measurable, sustainable business outcomes.
Acts as a trusted partner to Product, Operations, and Area leadership, leading complex cross-functional improvement initiatives while ensuring solutions are scalable, standardized, and embedded into frontline operations

Key Responsibilities

1. TMW Deployment

• Drive the deployment and localization of The Maersk Way (TMW) across the Forwarding product segment
• Implement and sustain regular performance management systems (SQC boards, huddles, KPI routines)
• Ensure standardization of operational processes and performance governance routines
• Provide advanced guidance on structured problem solving (A3, Kaizen, Lean, root cause analysis)

2. Business Optimization & Implementation

• Lead complex problem-solving on key performance gaps aligned with Area priorities
• Facilitate Kaizen workshops, A3 problem solving, and VSM exercises
• Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives and ensure anchoring in operational reality and system capabilities
• Balance cost, service, and feasibility trade-offs to maximize business impact
• Provide senior challenge, structure, and direction on high impact initiatives

3. Capability Building & Coaching

• Coach frontline teams on TMW tools including KPI ownership and performance routines
• Build Operational Excellence capability across Forwarding product segment
• Strengthen continuous improvement culture in day-to-day operations
• Support capability uplift and consistency in TMW application across the Area

4. KPI Governance & Performance Management

• Define and implement Forwarding product segment KPI frameworks aligned to Area priorities
• Establish data-driven governance and performance routines
• Track and deliver measurable improvements tied to business outcomes
• Act as a trusted advisor on performance gaps and corrective actions

5. Business Value Enablement & Digital Enablement

• Translate real operational constraints and problems into data-driven improvement initiatives
• Partner with Digital, Data and Automation teams
• Evaluate trade-offs between service, cost, and operational feasibility to prioritize the highest-impact initiatives.
• Ensure all improvements are anchored in operational reality and system capabilities
• Drive continuous improvement loops based on data insights

Scope & Focus

• Primary focus: Forwarding product segment
• Scope: Cross-functional, product-specific, and gap-based improvement initiatives
• Problem solving: From domain-level coaching to complex cross-functional transformation topics

Key Interfaces

• Area Head of Operational Excellence
• Area Heads of Forwarding products and Country Managers
• Area Product Managers and teams
• Area Operations Managers and Teams
• CX / Customer Service teams
• Finance / FinOps partners
• Sales
• Digitization and Data Teams

Required Qualifications & Experience

Experience

• 7–10+ years in Forwarding product segment (Air, LCL, FCL) management and operations
• Demonstrated experience in Operational Excellence, Lean, or Continuous Improvement (A3, Kaizen, VSM, Daily Management)
• Track record of delivering tangible operational improvements in logistics environments
• Ability to connect data insights with real operational execution
• Proven experience in applying structured project management methodologies (e.g. PMI, PRINCE2)
• Ability to connect data insights with real-life operational behaviour

Leadership & Behavioural Skills

• Proven ability to drive and embed change across multiple organizational levels
• Strong credibility with operations teams (“shopfloor acceptance”)
• Ability to influence without authority in matrix organizations
• Hands-on, pragmatic, and execution-focused mindset
• Strong facilitation, stakeholder management skills, and coaching capability
• Ability to challenge constructively and drive accountability

Success Measures

• Adoption and maturity of TMW and performance routines across Forwarding product segment operations
• Sustainable improvement of business performance via facilitated initiatives
• Strengthened cross-functional collaboration and ownership

Maersk is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we embrace different styles of thinking. Maersk is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants without regard to race, colour, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or parental leave, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements.

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