General Manager Europe, Intralogistics Robotics

We are recruiting a General Manager for Europe for a global manufacturer of pallet warehousing robots. This is the first senior appointment in the region and the person who builds it: the European entity is being set up from nothing, so the role suits somebody who has done that before rather than inherited it.

The company builds the whole stack itself, from the robots and the control algorithms to the warehouse software, sold as high-density pallet-to-person storage and picking systems. It has delivered more than 500 projects for over 300 customers in more than 20 countries, across power utilities, food, pharmaceuticals, cold chain, third-party logistics, e-commerce and retail.

What you would do

• Own the European business, and turn the group's global strategy into a regional plan and an annual business plan.
• Read the competitive landscape in warehouse automation across Europe, and build sales and channel strategies that match how business is actually done here.
• Develop and hold a network of system integrators, agents and strategic partners.
• Lead the commercial negotiations on major accounts, including large multinationals and leading logistics providers.
• Coordinate project delivery end to end, and resolve what goes wrong during it.
• Drive localisation of the products, service standards and marketing, including CE and UL compliance.
• Build the local sales and delivery team and set its targets.

What you would bring

• Eight to ten years or more in business management, including at least three at the same level in the European or American market.
• A background in intralogistics automation, AGVs and AMRs, warehouse robotics, smart hardware or industrial equipment.
• A proven record of building and managing a team, not only running one that already existed.
• Real insight into the market, the industry and where both are going.
• A bachelor's degree or above, fluent English, and the existing right to work in Germany. Mandarin is an advantage rather than a requirement.

The practicalities

• Based in Germany, office based, with travel across Europe.
• Reporting to the Group CEO, working closely with the headquarters teams.
• Permanent.

Applications and enquiries come to Ramon Lochner at Global Technology Recruitment. The hiring company is named on a call.