APM Terminals is one of the world’s largest port and terminal operators as well as providing cargo support and container Inland Services. It is the largest port and terminal operating company in terms of overall geographic scope, operating a Global Terminal Network with interests in 63 operating port and terminal facilities in 39 countries on five continents. Additionally, there are seven new port projects in development, as well as over 160 Inland Services operations providing container transportation, management, maintenance and repair in 48 countries.
Based in Tema, Ghana and reporting to the Regional Head Africa & Middle East Inland Services in Dubai, the West & Central Africa Cluster Head Inland Services will be responsible for directing strategic execution of multi-year business plans within the Cluster, as well as performance management of individual entities and proactive engagement with and management of strategically important external stakeholders, such as governmental authorities, joint venture partners, and key customers.
The West & Central Africa Cluster consists of 8 operating entities with presence in Ghana, Cameroon, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Ivory Coast.
The Inland Operation is primarily responsible for Import and Export full and empty container storage and related services, reefer management, bulk and break-bulk stevedoring and warehousing. The operation predominantly provides services to shipping lines and direct customers as well as clearing agents, transporters and cargo owners.
This position is strategic in nature, with specific focus on strategy execution, stakeholder management and performance management, with a fully accountable functional Cluster management team below.
Key Accountabilities
- Ensure a profitable, high-performance organization delivering on financial targets as well as non-financial objectives.
- Drive a commercial culture within the Cluster including a clear organizational understanding of profit drivers, customer focus and a solid approach to sales management.
- Ensure competitive position of Cluster entities and build market presence and reputation of the Company by delivering profitable growth within existing and new products and services.
- Drive changes throughout the organization with focus on an increasingly competitive external market and an increasing part of its growth coming from 3rd party customers.
- Drive innovation initiatives and cost efficiencies within the Cluster.
- Manage the company and entity structure, that best delivers the targets, including serving on boards where relevant, and be responsible for corporate governance.
- Recruit, develop and coach Cluster management team members and direct reports.
- Facilitate development of relevant organizational capabilities to deliver on strategy, and ensure that high performing and high potential employees are developed in light of same.
- Build an organizational culture focused on strategy execution, systematic and structured data-driven decision making processes, as well as cross-Cluster and cross-entity collaboration.
- Ensure Health & Safety performance within the Cluster and wider Company, by achieving conformance with applicable HSSE legislation and policy, as well as building a living a safety culture.
- Build high employee engagement across all levels, locations and job functions.
- Evaluate and negotiate projects in cooperation with the rest of the regional business development function.
- Promote APM Terminals as the Container Terminal Operator/ Inland Service logistics provider of choice in West and Central Africa.
- Develop and deliver world class stakeholder management and establish second-to none relationships with key decision and policy makers.
- The position is multi-dimensional in nature, encompassing all business dimensions.
Your Profile
- A demonstrated professional standard of knowledge to lead teams through cross-functional and general management expertise.
- Minimum college degree in business, economics or related discipline. Master’s degree in Business Administration will be preferable.
- Minimum 10 years of related industry experience, such as shipping, port operations, logistics, freight forwarding, with at least several years of work experience in French West Africa.
- Effective negotiation and relationship building skills at strategic level.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
- Deep understanding of political and economic environment and current events in Africa, particularly French West Africa.
- Outgoing and dynamic nature with the ability to identify strategic opportunities with an overall aligned framework.
- Business level fluency in English and French.
We offer
To the right candidate we offer an exciting and challenging position in a truly international, culturally diverse and busy environment where the candidate through commitment and high performance will have great possibilities of personal development. He/she will have the opportunity to work with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, as well as experienced leaders with a strong international background. Relevant next career steps could be a general management role in a larger or more complex terminal, or a senior functional role at Regional or Global level. The position will be based in Tema, Ghana.