Air Freight Sector Manager, Aerospace Solutions, China @ DHL Group

Job Purpose

This role is responsible for driving the product, quality, implementation and continuous improvement of a highly effective Aerospace sector product for DGF AFR at the country level. The position works closely with the Regional Aerospace Sector Product Head, Country Product and Services Head, Country Product Heads, Sales, Operations and relevant branch teams to align national execution with global and regional sector strategy.

The role owns national market and sector knowledge, operational solutions, country KPI performance, and commercial enablement for the Aerospace sector product within DGF. The role also provides input into regional and global product strategy, translates the strategy into country business plans and leads national implementation to support growth objectives in accordance with industry and market needs and Group guidelines and policies.

Key Tasks

Operational Excellence

• Deliver comprehensive training and refreshers on Aerospace products and solutions and operational processes to Air Freight, Sales, Quality, and Pricing teams.
• Drive the implementation and integration of Aerospace processes across the country to ensure consistent execution.
• Serve as the primary Aerospace Air Freight point of contact for the country for critical escalations and operational issue resolution.
• Oversee pricing responsiveness and market competitiveness by supporting timely and effective commercial decision-making.
• Provide dedicated hyper-care support for engine movements and new business implementations to ensure successful operational execution.
• Identify areas for improvement and implement strategies to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness within the Aerospace sector products.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and best practices sharing across the sector and industry management.
• Implement performance metrics and KPIs to monitor and measure operational performance, ensuring alignment with defined goals and objectives for the country.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to streamline processes, optimise resources and enhance overall operational performance.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks within the sector, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards.

Product Quality and Compliance

• Monitor process compliance and performance metrics, identifying gaps and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish and monitor processes and procedures to ensure product quality and consistency across the sector.
• Conduct regular audits, assessments and compliance reviews to identify gaps, non-conformities, risks, and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure that sector operations meet all applicable compliance requirements.
• Provide guidance and support to the sector in maintaining a high level of quality and compliance in all operations.
• Participate in business development opportunities; including QBR and RFQ activities for the Aerospace sector.

Sector Product Strategy

• Contribute to the national Aerospace sector product strategy in alignment with global and regional product strategy, objectives and policies.
• Drive national implementation of the Aerospace sector strategy across the country, branches and commercial teams.
• Develop and maintain country-level sector plans, identify key customer targets and manage opportunity pipelines in collaboration with Sales.
• Provide country market intelligence, customer insights and operational feedback to the Aerospace sector community to support product evolution and competitiveness.

Product Development

• Identify key national trends, customer requirements, regulatory changes and competitor activities in the Aerospace and Aviation industry.
• Collaborate with regional, country, and branch stakeholders to develop and implement innovative AFR product solutions for Aerospace customers.
• Establish and maintain national Aerospace infrastructure, service capabilities, operational workflows and customer implementation.
• Support the development of Aerospace strategies; including priority trade lanes, value propositions and customer solutions.
• Provide subject matter expertise to sales, operations and customer service teams on Aerospace sector requirements and best practices.
• Stay updated with Aerospace sector-specific regulations and standards and communicate any changes or updates to relevant teams.

Management Responsibility

• Collaborate with country management, branch and project teams to implement Aerospace sector initiatives and promptly communicate resource requirements to the Country Product and Services Head and leadership as needed.
• Provide oversight to stakeholders and sector community members that are involved in Aerospace product delivery, customer requirements, solutions design, operational expectations and compliance requirements.
• Lead and ensure alignment between sales, product, operations, pricing, customer service, and support functions.

Skills

• In-depth knowledge of freight forwarding, air freight operations, national market dynamics, customer requirements, local regulatory requirements and the Aerospace and Aviation industry.
• Proven ability to drive sector growth and revenue with a firm understanding of P&L management.
• Strong strategic thinking and commercial acumen, with the ability to translate regional and global strategy into practical national execution plans.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Operational excellence mindset, with the ability to identify improvement, optimize processes, manage escalations and mitigate operational risks.
• Strong understanding of quality controls, compliance measures, security requirements and Aerospace sector regulations.

Qualifications and Key Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in logistics, supply chain, business, aviation, engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in freight forwarding, airfreight, logistics, supply chain, or sector-related companies.
• Strong experience in Aerospace logistics, air freight product management, business development, operations, or customer solution design.
• Proven track record of achieving sector growth in terms of revenue and gross profit.
• Ability to navigate and excel in a matrix organization structure.
• In-depth knowledge and experience in freight forwarding and the Aerospace supply chain with a deep understanding of its dynamics.
• Demonstrated sales, solution design, or commercial success in the Aerospace logistics industry.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to lead national implementation projects, coordinate multiple stakeholders and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Fluent in English, with strong written and verbal communication skills; local language capability may be required depending on country requirements.