Director Of Logistics, USA - Asahi Europe & International : Job Details

In the USA, Asahi imports, markets and sells the Asahi Super Dry beer brand as well as the spirits brand Twisted Shotz. Very excitingly, EMEAA has recently purchased a fantastic new production facility in Wisconsin USA, Octopi Beverages. This marks a key step forward in accelerating our growth journey and realizing our ambitions for our Global Brands, most notably Asahi Super Dry for North America.

Established in 2014 and expanded several times, Octopi's modern production facility was built from the ground up to make a wide range of beverages including beer and RTDs. Its state-of-the-art packaging lines cater to fill multiple styles and sizes of bottles and cans for maximum flexibility in packaging.

The Director of Logistics manages all policies, procedures, and operational aspects of Asahi – US warehousing and transportation network. They ensure timely and cost-efficient storage and delivery of products to customers and the brewery, utilize systems to monitor and track inventory and orders through the distribution chain, and identify and resolve issues. The Director of Logistics will drive continuous improvement of all systems and processes to ensure best practices are in place. They will develop budgets, policies, and procedures to support the functional infrastructure of the logistics network. The role also includes the evaluation of current and future distribution networks (e.g. network optimization), aligning customer expectations of service and lead-times with company cost targets.

The role manages all facets of logistics including, internal warehousing (as well as any 3rd party partners) operations, receiving, order processing, palletizing, shipping, product movement between facilities and transportation to customers, reverse logistic functions, inventory control, scheduling, workflow, and meeting safety, quality, productivity standards and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

Primary Responsibilities:

• Plan, monitor, and execute staffing schedules, adjust the workforce to the workload in a timely manner to ensure proper staffing levels that support operational demands, and ensure business objectives are always in place and on budget.
• Interview, select, train, coach, mentor, and develop staff to achieve business objectives. Conduct annual performance reviews.
• Identify and prioritize logistics needs and communicate recommendations to upper management to achieve efficient, timely, and accurate product distribution and shipments.
• Responsible for maintaining a safe and clean work environment with a focus on quality and a productive culture through awareness, training, and accountability.
• Build a culture of being ‘audit ready'.
• Establish and measure internal and external KPIs to drive performance on the delivery, inventory management, safety, quality, productivity, and workforce planning requirements.
• Develop and implement profit improvement plans and change management plans relating to logistics. Control costs by evaluating shipments, transfers, consolidating loads and selecting the most cost-efficient method of shipment and storage of finished goods.
• Analyze and calibrate how to best support our people, processes, and technology investments to support our ever-evolving business.
• Collaborate and communicate with all internal and external teams and departments (including senior leadership) to ensure the product reaches the right markets at the optimal time.
• Responsible for planning and maintaining payroll, non-payroll, and capital budgets for internal warehousing and transportation.
• Provide superior customer service and maintain professional and courteous relations with strategic partners.
• Physically and systematically maintain the integrity and separation of the finish goods and raw material inventories. Responsible for supporting physical inventories and cycle counts.
• Analyze all distribution processes to continue to enhance the operations.
• Partner with 3rd party warehousing when required to meet customer expectations.
• Responsible for the evaluation of the logistics and transportation methods, contracts, and agreements. Making recommendations to Senior Management on 3rd party storage, freight companies, forwarders, international deliveries, and product movement between Brewery and DC.
• Evaluate Distribution Center needs; processing area size and location within the facility, personnel needs, equipment needs, product flow, etc.
• Manage corporate governance and regulatory compliance procedures related to logistics activities, including export shipments.
• Ensure the latest technology systems (i.e. WMS, TMS), procedures and regulatory changes are in place and functioning to their fullest potential.
• Manage the relationship between Octopi and the leasing companies for the Windsor and Uniek locations, as well as any other network warehouses.
• Manage the Value Pack (VP) production within the Uniek DC.
• Oversee all aspects of Octopi's commercial truck fleet, including determining needs, acquiring new vehicles, managing maintenance, and vendor relationships.
• Oversee all aspects of Octopi's forklift fleet, including determining needs, acquiring new forklifts, managing maintenance, and vendor relationships.
• Responsible for DOT compliance, including but not limited to, vehicle compliance, driver compliance, and necessary DOT reporting.
• Manage Octopi's solid waste and recycling programs.
• Maintain and optimize Octopi's inventory management system (Wave Reusables) by ensuring smooth operations, system testing, managing configurations and development, perform user training, ensure data accuracy, and identifying opportunities to streamline workflows and improve efficiency.
• Oversee the upkeep of outdoor areas at both the Uniek and Windsor warehouses including snow removal, groundskeeping, landscaping and all aspects of vendor management.
• Responsible for other duties, projects, and tasks as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent written, verbal communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Good reasoning, conflict management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Shows initiative and a willingness to take on extra duties
• Develop a logistics strategy, with cost savings programs
• Lead in a KPI environment
• Able to work independently and function in a fast-paced environment
• Must be proficient with Microsoft Office programs.
• Live the values of Octopi/Asahi - US

We are committed to nurturing a workplace where we celebrate and respect difference, and support everyone to be true to who they are!

At Asahi Europe and International we believe you can SHINE AS YOU ARE - no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs.

We want to support you to be courageous in your individuality and to know that whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, you can belong with us without having to conform.