Role Description
The role of the Director, Supply Chain & Asset Management is to maximize return on container assets globally by directing procurement, inventory positioning, repositioning strategy and oversee the day-to-day operations on behalf of a privately held container trading company. This role functions as a key part of a commercial team who jointly collaborate to allocate assets to drive profitability. The role reports to the CEO based in San Francisco.
I. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
a) Procurement & Supplier Strategy
Manage sourcing from container manufacturers (primarily Asia)
Manage the procurement decisions with responsibility for modeling detailed monthly demand, relative to input from sales, market cycles and macro demand outlook
Manage supplier relationships to maintain SES’s competitive position
Create and manage global quality programs for both factory and depot stocks
b) Global Inventory Strategy
Determine optimal geographic allocation of container inventory through modeling
With Sales and Finance rebalance supply across regions based on demand signals
Minimize idle inventory and maximize asset turns through various operational phases
c) Repair & Asset Readiness Strategy
Define repair standards and cost thresholds by market
Balance repair spend vs resale/lease value
Ensure containers are sale- and lease-ready at the right time and place
d) Operations Oversight
Oversee global depot and repair operations through global Operations team
Ensure the Spinnaker operational standards are met, including inventory accuracy (gate-in/gate-out integrity), turnaround time optimization and vendor performance (depots, repair partners).
e) Cross-Functional Leadership
Support Sales and Finance through joint efforts on: inventory availability, pricing execution, purchasing terms and conditions from all vendors and capital allocation discipline.
f) Performance Management
Own and improve: inventory turns, utilization rates and repair cost efficiency
II. Skills and Qualifications:
· This position encompasses skills and capabilities that would suit someone with a strong background in logistics, preferably containers and intermodal operations, and a drive for excellence.
· They will have strong basic operational skills including well-developed interpersonal skills, communication skills, and strong Excel and modelling skills.
· Have 5–10 years at an increasingly senior level managing global third-party vendor networks, including quality assurance and standards compliance.
· This role requires a self-driven individual who is capable and willing to jump in to support and assist his/her colleagues with confident and strategic solutions.
· Attention to detail and an ability to multitask and process high volume of data.
· Experience managing a geographically dispersed team and an ability to travel globally to attend vendor meetings, trade shows and conferences.
· Must be proficient in Microsoft Office and high level of comfort with Excel and have prior experience with other ERP and business software.
· Desire to grow in responsibility and accountability as the business develops over time.
· Must be self-motivated and enthusiastic senior team member with an outgoing personality.
III. Education
· Minimum requirement: a university degree in a business related discipline
· Fluent in English, conversational proficiency in Mandarin, German, French or Spanish a positive
· Ideally a minimum of 10 years’ experience in global container transportation and logistics
- · Be currently legally resident and employed in the USA.
