At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and optimise operations across Europe, focusing on food retail logistics.
- Company: Americold, a leader in temperature-controlled logistics.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a dynamic work environment.
- Other info: Ideal candidates located in Spain or the Netherlands, with opportunities for growth.
- Why this job: Drive operational excellence and make a real impact in the food retail sector.
- Qualifications: 12+ years in operations leadership, with a strong background in food retail logistics.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 £ per year.
The Vice President Operations, Europe leads and optimizes Americold’s operational performance across Europe, with a strong emphasis on supporting food retail customers. This role requires deep experience in multi-temperature logistics, grocery/food retail distribution, and high-velocity operational environments. The VP drives operational excellence, strengthens customer partnerships, and ensures Americold’s European network delivers consistent, efficient, and high-quality service. Preferred candidate locations include Spain and the Netherlands.
Key responsibilities
- Operational excellence and efficiency: Lead optimization of warehousing and transportation operations, focusing on food retail service requirements. Implement operational standards and best practices for high-throughput, multi-temperature environments. Use data, automation, and continuous improvement to enhance productivity, reduce waste, improve site contribution, reduce shrinkage, and strengthen operational discipline.
- Leadership and team development: Lead Directors of Operations across Europe, ensuring alignment with global operating models. Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, safety, and continuous improvement. Strengthen leadership capability through coaching and succession planning.
- Customer focus and growth: Partner with commercial teams to align operations with food retail customer needs. Build strong relationships with grocery retailers and food producers. Support business development by shaping operational solutions for new and existing customers.
- Financial and operational performance: Own the P&L.
Preferred fields: Supply Chain Management, Logistics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, or Business Administration with a supply chain focus. Minimum 12 years in operations or supply chain leadership, including 5 years in senior multi-site roles. Strong background in food retail logistics, grocery distribution, cold-chain operations, or FMCG supply chains. Experience leading operations across multiple European countries, ideally Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, UK and others.
VP, Operations Europe in Hampshire employer: Americold
Americold is an exceptional employer that prioritises operational excellence and employee development within a dynamic and supportive work culture. With a focus on the food retail sector, employees benefit from opportunities to lead innovative logistics solutions across Europe, particularly in vibrant locations like Spain and the Netherlands, fostering both personal and professional growth in a high-performance environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land VP, Operations Europe in Hampshire
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts on LinkedIn or at events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that VP role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its operations in Europe. We want you to showcase your knowledge about their logistics and how you can drive operational excellence.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! Be ready to discuss how you've built high-performance teams and improved operational efficiency. We love hearing about real-life examples that demonstrate your skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. We’re excited to see how you can contribute to our mission in the food retail sector.
We think you need these skills to ace VP, Operations Europe in Hampshire
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the VP, Operations Europe role. Highlight your experience in multi-temperature logistics and grocery distribution, as these are key for us. Use specific examples that showcase your operational excellence and leadership skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share your passion for food retail and how your background aligns with our mission at Americold. Don’t forget to mention any relevant achievements that demonstrate your ability to drive operational performance.
Showcase Your Leadership Experience:We want to see your leadership style! Include details about how you've developed teams and built high-performance cultures in previous roles. Mention any coaching or succession planning initiatives you've led, as this is crucial for the position.
Apply Through Our Website:To make sure your application gets the attention it deserves, apply directly through our website. This way, we can easily track your application and ensure it reaches the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Americold
✨Know Your Operations Inside Out
Make sure you have a solid understanding of multi-temperature logistics and grocery distribution. Brush up on the latest trends in food retail operations, as well as Americold’s specific challenges and successes in Europe. This will show that you're not just familiar with the industry but are genuinely interested in how you can contribute.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led teams to success in high-velocity environments. Think about times when you’ve implemented operational standards or improved team performance. Be ready to discuss your coaching style and how you develop future leaders, as this role is all about building a high-performance culture.
✨Demonstrate Customer-Centric Thinking
Since this role involves partnering with commercial teams and strengthening customer relationships, come prepared with examples of how you've aligned operations with customer needs in the past. Highlight any successful partnerships you've built with grocery retailers or food producers, and be ready to discuss how you can bring that experience to Americold.
✨Be Data-Driven
Familiarise yourself with key performance indicators relevant to operations and supply chain management. Be prepared to discuss how you've used data and automation to drive improvements in productivity and efficiency. Showing that you can leverage data for decision-making will resonate well with the interviewers.
