Transport manager (2 years contract)

The Transport Manager acts as the operational backbone and system Subject Matter Expert (SME) for outbound transportation execution across the EMENA network at Avery Dennison. Reporting to the Head of Transportation, this role bridges strategic regional transport objectives with daily execution—overseeing both direct customer deliveries and internal site movements. The position combines technical system ownership (TRAX TMS & QAD ERP), master data governance, order/lead-time investigations, carrier integration management, and operational standardization across all regional manufacturing plants and distribution centers. Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities 1. Transport System Governance & Network Master Data • Lead-Time & Schedule Administration: Configure, validate, and maintain transport lead-time matrices per shipping site, destination country, and individual ship-to customer location across EMENA. • Order Cut-Off & Departure Execution: Establish and maintain order entry cut-off times and daily departure schedules to align plant dispatch capabilities with carrier collection slots. • Routing & Execution Logic: Maintain and optimize TRAX routing rules, logic parameters, and ship-via assignment rules per ship-to destination. • Carrier & Partner Onboarding: Manage system setup and integration parameters for new logistics service providers following carrier tender allocation or carrier switches; maintain manual partner addresses as required. • Documentation & Carrier EDI: Setup specific delivery instructions per ship-to to ensure dynamic printing on Weight-Lists and seamless EDI transmission to carriers; configure specialized invoicing setups (e.g., single weight-list per order rule). • Network Availability & Calendars: Update and govern site and customer holiday closures to prevent system tendering errors and inaccurate delivery commitments. 2. ERP Integration & Analytical Investigations • Custom Shipping Setup: Configure specialized shipping requirements in QAD, including the setup of "special pallet packlist" rules per ship-to upon request from Customer Service Representatives (CSRs). • Lead-Time Root Cause Analysis: Conduct structured investigations into lead-time performance and anomalies (segmented by site, country, and ship-to) to resolve bottlenecks. • Order Diagnostics: Lead end-to-end technical and operational investigations on delayed or stuck orders to identify system vs. operational execution root causes. 3. Outbound Network Governance & Service Excellence • Oversee daily outbound freight flows, ensuring compliance with defined SLAs for customer deliveries and inter-site transfers. • Track and report operational performance metrics (OTIF, OTD, weight-list compliance). • Serve as the primary regional escalation contact for complex transport system failures, carrier delivery exceptions, and site logistics disruptions. • Collaborate cross-functionally with Customer Experience (CSR), Manufacturing Operations, Warehouse Logistics, and Carriers. Please note it's a 24 month contract. • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or Systems Engineering. • Experience: 5+ years of operational transportation management or logistics systems experience within a complex, multi-site European/EMENA environment. • Systems Expertise: Hands-on experience with TRAX TMS and QAD ERP transport modules (or equivalent enterprise TMS/ERP combinations); solid understanding of carrier EDI integrations and weight-list/invoicing documentation. • Skills: Strong analytical capabilities (root-cause analysis on orders and lead-times), continuous improvement mindset, cross-functional communication. • Languages: Professional fluency in English; additional European languages (German, Fr