Senior Manager Solution Design - Semicon & Data Centre Logistics

Senior Manager Product Solution Design (Global Airfreight) - Semicon & Data Centre Logistics

Function: Global Airfreight Product Management / Sector Solutions

Location: Global / Regional hub (with frequent travel as required)

Reporting Line

• Reports to: Head of Global Airfreight Solutions Design / Global Sector Product Lead
• Matrix: Global Airfreight Operations, Trade Lane Management, Procurement/Carrier, Commercial & Key Account Management, Finance/Controlling

Role Purpose

Design, industrialize, cost and price airfreight-led sector solutions for Semiconductors and Data Centre Logistics, translating customer requirements into standardized, sellable, risk-controlled and margin-accretive products.

The role owns solution architecture and pricing logic end-to-end, ensuring solutions are operationally executable across trade lanes and origin/destination nodes while delivering competitive value propositions, protected margins, and scalable commercial growth with strategic global accounts.

Key Accountabilities

1. Sector Solution Architecture & Productization

• Lead end-to-end solution architecture and commercial design for Semicon & DCL airfreight offerings.
• Convert bespoke customer requirements into modular solution components (service tiers, add-ons, SOPs, handling specs, contingencies, pricing levers).
• Build repeatable solution playbooks covering lane design, cut-off strategies, capacity models, exception handling and cost drivers.

2. Pricing, Costing & Commercial Ownership (Expanded)

• Own solution costing models including operational costs, capacity premiums, security measures, investments, overheads, and risk buffers.
• Define and maintain pricing structures (rate cards, lane-based pricing, priority tiers, surcharges, minimums, indexation mechanisms).
• Ensure pricing meets gross profit, yield, and risk-return targets while remaining market-competitive.
• Partner with Finance/Controlling to validate cost assumptions, profitability, ROI and long-term margin sustainability.
• Clearly articulate pricing logic, assumptions, and value drivers in RFQs, customer discussions, and governance forums.

3. Operational Feasibility & Industrialization

• Validate operational feasibility with gateways, stations, carriers, and partners; ensure cost assumptions reflect real execution complexity.
• Define standard work, SOPs, training, and readiness checklists to enable repeatable execution at the priced cost level.
• Ensure solutions achieve required service, safety, and regulatory standards for high-value and sensitive cargo.

4. Customer Value Proposition & Commercial Enablement

• Partner with Sales and Global Account teams to build value-based solution narratives linked directly to pricing differentiation.
• Support RFQs with executive-ready solution and pricing proposals, including assumptions, constraints, and commercial T&Cs.
• Develop sector go-to-market kits: solution one-pagers, pricing logic explanations, lane economics, and operational proof points.

5. Quality, Performance & Margin Protection

• Own solution KPIs across service quality and commercial performance.
• Monitor solution profitability vs. design assumptions; trigger corrective actions where cost-to-serve deviates.
• Lead root-cause analysis on service or margin erosion and implement design, routing, pricing, or partner changes.

6. Risk, Resilience & Security-by-Design

• Embed resilience through alternate routings, capacity buffers, and emergency playbooks with explicit cost and pricing implications defined.
• Define security standards and ensure cost recovery through pricing for high-value movements.
• Ensure compliance with trade regulations, export controls, and customer-specific requirements.

7. Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Align with Procurement and Carrier Management on capacity strategy, premium costs, and performance vs. pricing commitments.
• Act as sector solution & pricing SME in global governance, RFQ boards, and customer reviews.
• Collaborate with IT/Visibility teams to ensure solutions support exception management at the assumed cost-to-serve.

Skills & Competencies (Knowledge and skills required)

• Strong expertise in Global Airfreight product and solution design, including lane engineering, capacity concepts, and end-to-end service architecture
• Proven sector knowledge in Semiconductors and Data Centre Logistics, including high-value, fragile, ESD-sensitive, temperature-controlled, time-critical, and mission-critical cargo
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex customer requirements into standardized, scalable, and industrialized solutions aligned to Global Forwarding operating models
• Advanced capability in solution costing, pricing logic, yield management, and gross profit protection across global trade lanes
• Deep understanding of airfreight cost drivers, carrier agreements, premium capacity, accessorials, and cost-to-serve dynamics
• Strong experience validating operational feasibility with stations, gateways, carriers, and partners, ensuring pricing reflects true execution complexity
• Ability to design solutions with risk, security, resilience, and compliance embedded by design, including contingency and recovery models
• Solid working knowledge of trade compliance, export control, security programs, and customer-specific regulatory requirements for high-tech cargo
• Proven track record supporting complex RFQs, tenders, and strategic global accounts with executive-ready solution and pricing proposals
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to build and interpret lane economics, business cases, profitability models, and KPI dashboards
• Ability to balance customer value propositions with internal margin, risk thresholds, and governance requirements
• Strong matrix leadership and influencing skills across Sales, Operations, Procurement, Finance, IT, and Trade Lane Management
• High level of commercial judgment and decision-making in a fast-paced, global, and high-ambiguity environment
• Executive-level communication skills with credibility toward senior customers and DHL leadership
• Change-oriented mindset, driving standardization, productization, and scalable growth across regions
• Willingness to travel globally and operate effectively across regions and cultures
• University degree in Logistics, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, or relevant experience