Job descriptionShort-term operational objectives

• Ensure continuity and stability of daily transportation planning operations.
• Take ownership of the current manual planning process.
• Optimize vehicle routing, delivery schedules, and resource utilization.
• Improve service levels and on-time delivery performance.
• Reduce operational bottlenecks caused by rapid business growth.
• Support operational teams during periods of increased workload.
• Establish planning discipline, processes, and performance monitoring.

Project Management (Transformation) objectives

• Lead the implementation of the selected route planning software solution.
• Define project scope, milestones, deliverables, and success criteria.
• Manage data preparation, cleansing, and validation activities.
• Coordinate testing, pilot phases, and go-live activities.
• Ensure successful integration into daily operations.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders, software providers, and external partners.
• Develop training materials and support end-user adoption.
• Drive change management and user adoption across the organization.
• Establish KPIs, reporting structures, and governance mechanisms for transportation planning.

Profile

• Preferably 5-10 years of experience in transportation planning, logistics operations, or distribution management.
• Proven experience managing transportation planning in food distribution, FMCG, wholesale distribution, or B2B logistics environments.
• Successful track record of implementing route planning or transportation planning software.
• Project management experience in operational transformation projects.
• Ability to combine hands-on operational execution with strategic thinking.
• Experience working in fast-paced, growing organizations is a plus.
• Professional proficiency in Dutch and French.
• Professional proficiency in French.

Personal profile

• We are looking for a pragmatic, hands-on and results-oriented professional who:
• Quickly understands complex operational environments.
• Is comfortable working within an organization transitioning from entrepreneurial processes to more structured ways of working.
• Takes ownership and drives execution.
• Is capable of balancing operational firefighting with longer term transformation.
• Demonstrates resilience, adaptability, strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Has excellent communication capabilities.

Organisation and department description Our Client is a well-established Belgian market leader in the import and distribution of specialized food ingredients to a large network of B2B customers throughout Belgium.  The company was recently acquired by a large international European group.  They have been experiencing significant growth this year, almost doubling sales, creating both exciting opportunities and substantial operational challenges.
To support this next phase of development, they are looking for an experienced Transportation Planning (Project) Manager.
This is both a hands-on operational and transformation role requiring a strong transportation planning professional.  The short-term objective is to quickly take ownership of existing manual planning process, and simultaneously implement as Project Manager the selected route planning and optimization tool.
Offer •    Interim Management Assignment for an estimated period of 6 months
•    Location: Limburg, Belgium
•    Start date: in view of the current challenges, the Interim Manager should start immediately
•    On-site presence expected during key operational and implementation phases