Operations Manager

Our client, a leading multimodal logistics operator in Europe, is seeking an ambitious and experienced Head of Operations to lead their Budapest office. This is a pivotal role with clear progression to General Manager/Country Manager within 1-2 years for the right candidate.

The Budapest operation is a strategic hub for Central and Eastern European logistics, and this role offers the opportunity to revitalize and grow a well-established office with significant potential. As Head of Operations, you will lead a dynamic team of 5-7 professionals responsible for seamless transport operations across road freight and intermodal solutions. You'll be instrumental in driving operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and most importantly volume growth.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of operations professionals including supervisors and internal forwarders
• Conduct performance appraisals and manage succession planning
• Foster a high-performance, collaborative team culture

Operational Excellence

• Oversee accurate and timely execution of all customer transport orders
• Optimize routing and utilization to maximize efficiency and profitability
• Ensure operations align with customer expectations and service level agreements

Growth & Commercial Support

• Monitor market trends and identify operational insights to support business development
• Enable scalable logistics and capacity planning for business expansion
• Support the commercial team with qualified leads and strategic input

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Maintain effective relationships with customers, hauliers, and internal stakeholders
• Proactively manage delays, changes, or incidents with clear communication
• Ensure operational agreements with hauliers are confirmed in writing

Performance & Cost Management

• Monitor and report on volumes, revenue, and margin performance
• Submit weekly and monthly operational and financial reports
• Maximize margins through optimal use of Transport Management Systems

Essential Experience & Skills:

• 10+ years in road freight forwarding/3PL logistics
• 5+ years in a managerial/leadership role
• Proven track record in operational management and team leadership
• Excellent knowledge of the European transport and freight forwarding market
• Strong carrier network and industry relationships
• Fluent in Hungarian and English (proficient level required)
• Hands-on mentality with a solutions-oriented approach
• Positive, ambitious mindset with creative problem-solving skills

Desirable (Nice to Have):

• Experience with intermodal solutions (rail, shortsea)
• Commercial or account management background
• Third language (German or Russian preferred)
• Project management education
• Experience working in high-growth environments

What Makes You Stand Out

We're looking for someone who is:

• Experienced with strong networks in the freight forwarding industry
• Hands-on and practical, someone who rolls up their sleeves
• Ambitious with a positive mindset, ready to build and grow
• Empathetic yet decisive as a leader
• Open-minded, creative, and flexible in approach

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary package (HUF 16-24 million, depending on experience)
• Company car and mobile phone for private use
• 28 days paid annual leave
• Retirement and parental leave benefits
• Clear path to General Manager/Country Manager role

Work Environment:

• Hybrid working model (maximum 2 days working from home)
• Friendly, cooperative, and informal company culture
• 10-15% travel (primarily to Netherlands and Belgium during onboarding)
• Part of a rapidly growing global logistics player
• Access to multimodal capabilities across road, rail, and shortsea

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Country-Specific Declarations

While this policy provides a general framework applicable across the EU, it's important to note that specific employment laws can vary significantly between EU member states. To ensure full compliance with local regulations, we make the following provisions:

Local Law Compliance: In addition to EU-wide regulations, we comply with all national laws and regulations of the specific EU member state where the employment takes place.Country-Specific Addenda: For each EU country where we operate, we maintain country-specific addenda to this policy. These addenda outline any additional requirements, protections, or procedures mandated by national law that go beyond or differ from EU-wide standards.Language Requirements: In countries where local law requires that employment policies be provided in the local language, we will make available a properly translated version of this policy and its country-specific addendum.Notification of Applicable Laws: During the recruitment process, candidates will be informed of the specific national laws that apply to their potential employment, in addition to EU-wide regulations.Regular Updates: We commit to regularly reviewing and updating our country-specific addenda to reflect any changes in national employment laws.Precedence of National Law: Where national law provides greater protection or additional rights to employees beyond what is outlined in this general EU policy, the national law will take precedence.Specific Declarations: Where required by national law, we will make specific declarations regarding matters such as:

• Pay transparency and gender pay gap reporting
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Note: This job posting may be for a position with Keller Executive Search or one of our clients. The specific employer will be identified during the application and interview process. Employment laws and requirements may vary depending on the employer and location within the EU.

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