Head of Transport North America

Reporting operationally to the Mobile Senior Director of Supply Chain Operations, this role holds ultimate operational and strategic authority over all regional transportation activities in North America. The Head of Transport is directly accountable for driving management, governance, and final decision-making for cross-functional transformation projects within the new PIT team, while steering local operations and performance of Airbus affiliates across the region.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the regional transport strategy, aligning with global Airbus Transport Directorate PIT objectives and optimizing transport flows for all general cargo and oversize movements within and from North America.
• Lead and manage transport development projects focused on enhancing efficiency and identifying synergistic opportunities across Airbus's North American footprint.
• Ensure deployment of Airbus Core transport processes and monitor adherence to ensure compliance with POA transport accountability across all sites.
• Supervise day-to-day transport operations, monitor performance of transport service providers, and implement corrective actions to ensure high service levels and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure all transport operations adhere to relevant local, national, and international regulations and safety standards, while proactively identifying and mitigating transport-related risks.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a geographically dispersed team of transport professionals, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented environment.
• Manage the regional transport budget, identifying and implementing cost-optimization initiatives without compromising service quality or operational integrity.
• Design and implement the North America Transport Operating model, including stakeholder management, governance, roles, responsibilities, and budget models.
• Drive synergies and efficiencies within the region, identifying opportunities through analysis of functionalities, pain points, and repetitive tasks.
• Ensure robust definition of transportation processes, templates, on-boarding manuals, KPIs, delegation, and SLAs for regional integration.
• Support the evolution of KPIs according to regional needs and drive automation and accessibility for GP teams.
• Oversee and optimize all inland general cargo and oversize transport operations within North America, including outbound flows to Europe.
• Monitor daily transport activities, troubleshoot issues, and ensure timely and efficient delivery.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with transport service providers, conducting performance reviews and negotiating SLAs.
• Lead cross-functional projects for standardization, efficiency, and cost savings across North American transport operations.
• Conduct regular reviews and prepare POA audits to ensure compliance with transport processes and quality standards.
• Organize regular exchanges with other Airbus divisions to identify and implement synergies at the group level.
• Elaborate comprehensive reports on transport performance, financial forecasts, and risk management plans.
• Act as an escalation point for resolving operational and contractual problems, recommending solutions.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in Logistics, Supply Chain, or Transport Management, with a focus on multimodal transport (road, air, ocean).
• 5+ years of management experience with remote or transnational teams.
• Expertise in General Cargo and Oversize/Out-of-Gauge (OOG) transport operations, particularly within the North American inland network.
• Strong knowledge of international transport regulations, customs procedures, and trade compliance (North America-to-Europe lanes).
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage a geographically dispersed team of at least 8-10 people, fostering professional development and performance.
• Experience in process deployment, standardization, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong project management capabilities to drive efficiency and synergy initiatives across multiple sites.
• Financial acumen to manage significant transport budgets and deliver cost optimization strategies.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills to collaborate effectively in a matrix organization.

Key Pillars of Authority

• Strategic Operations Management: Directs and commands all North American transportation activities, moving beyond coordination to absolute operational ownership.
• Executive Decision-Making & Transformation: Serves as the final authority on all transverse projects, driving strategic evolution, performance metrics, and restructuring of the PIT team.
• Affiliate Governance: Exercises full management oversight over local operations, ensuring Airbus affiliates align with global standards and regional performance targets.

Dimensions

• Sites: Airbus America FAL Mobile, Airbus Kinston, Airbus Canada FAL Mobile & Mirabel, Airbus SAS US outbound flows to EU.
• Subordinate employees (FTE headcount):
  • Operational: 4 in Mobile (5 in 2026).
  • Functional: 2 in Kinston (functional leadership); 8-9 in Mirabel (functional leadership).
• Operating Budget: 40 M€.
• Other dimensions:
  • All Airbus North America sites.
  • >200 pick-up locations connected to the transport network.
  • 20,000 transport requests per year.

Reporting Structure

The jobholder reports:

• Operationally/locally to the Mobile Head of Supply Chain Operations (Ho AAPO): HR process, local sites relationship, local regulations.
• Functionally to the VP Head of Transport PIT based in Toulouse: POA compliance, adherence to process, transport strategy, transformation projects, budget, and overall performance.