COO / Head of Operations

Company Description

Elektro-Material AG (EM) is the leading wholesale company in the Swiss electrical installation industry, with nine branches, the competence centers EM Licht and EM Industrie, and around 750 employees. EM offers a uniquely broad range of around 250,000 items, locally anchored consulting expertise with over 200 experts, comprehensive services, and efficient logistics with up to three delivery cycles daily.

Since 2006, Elektro-Material AG has been part of the Rexel Group, a globally leading wholesale company for electrical parts and supplies with over 2,100 branches in 35 countries and around 26,000 employees. The Rexel Group achieved sales of EUR 19.3 billion in the 2024 fiscal year.

As part of a succession solution, schillingpartners has been exclusively commissioned to search for an experienced, implementation-strong, and integrative leadership personality.

Job Description

• Overall responsibility for the operational excellence of EM
• Optimization of all operational processes in procurement, logistics, and IT to achieve efficiency, quality, and growth targets while complying with sustainability and group guidelines
• Management of the Operations business unit including Health & Safety / QMS, procurement and inventory management, and IT
• Technical leadership of operational procurement and the logistics organization in a matrix structure
• Responsibility for relevant operational KPIs (e.g., inventory value, stocks, availability, transport costs)
• Strategic further development of the logistics footprint and use of modern technologies (robotics, automation, AI)
• Further development and implementation of the IT and digitization strategy (ERP, WMS, TMS, MES, cybersecurity)
• Ensuring quality, occupational safety, environmental, and sustainability requirements
• Close cooperation with the Rexel Group and the DACHS cluster as well as active participation in group-wide operations initiatives
• Leadership, development, and promotion of employees as well as establishment of a performance-oriented, appreciative leadership culture

Qualifications

• Completed university degree in logistics, supply chain management, or a related field
• Several years of successful leadership experience in a comparable role, ideally in complex, also international organizational structures
• Deep process understanding in supply chain, logistics, and operational end-to-end processes
• Experience in capacity management, LEAN management, automation, and modern logistics and IT systems
• Proven experience in managing KPIs as well as cost and performance optimization
• Experience working with corporate or group structures
• Fluent German and English skills; French and Italian are an advantage
• Strong leadership, communication, and assertiveness skills as well as high social competence
• Structured, analytical, and solution-oriented working style combined with strong implementation skills
• Openness to innovations and enthusiasm for technological and organizational developments

Additional Information

Please send your application dossier to the personnel consultancy commissioned by us, schilling partners ag: info@schillingpartners.ch with the subject: Reference A004158. Mr. Malte Müller is happy to provide further information at Tel. +41 44 366 63 75.

Our Offer

In addition to an independent and varied task, you can expect a collegial environment, a friendly team, and attractive employment conditions, including certified pay equity. The offered benefits include at least 25 vacation days, very good social benefits, individual development opportunities, and much more. Are you interested in this exciting new role and do you meet our requirements? Then we look forward to receiving your complete application documents.

We want to fill this position directly, without the support of personnel consultants.

More about Jobs and Careers at EM.