- Lead and develop our applied research and thought leadership work, including its strategic direction, research priorities, team capability needs, and quality of outputs, in alignment with KCC's strategy and purpose
- Drive the applied research agenda on sustainable logistics and supply chains, identifying relevant industry challenges, emerging trends, and opportunities for climate action, and translating these into research priorities and thought leadership
- Serve as KCC's senior logistics industry expert, providing strategic advice, industry insights, and commercial perspectives across our program lines, research, and impact delivery activities
- Provide organization-wide expert guidance and validation of research, modelling, and proposed solutions, ensuring that supply chain assumptions reflect industry realities and that outcomes are relevant, commercially viable, and implementable
- Collaborate closely with the Impact Delivery Director and Scaling Team to connect research with implementation, capacity building, and scaling activities; providing feasibility assessments, contributing industry expertise and guidance while operational responsibility for pilot and implementation projects remains with Impact Delivery
- Work with the Senior Strategy Director and the CEO on KCC’s strategic project portfolio management, ensuring the mission-aligned selection of projects for climate action in logistics and logistics for climate action
- Support the development of innovative, sustainable logistics and supply chain solutions, including providing expert assessments and advice to partner organizations on their logistics and supply chain operations
- Build and maintain strategic relationships and partnerships with relevant logistics industry actors to support collaborative research, implementation, and knowledge exchange
Senior Logistics Industry Expert
Hamburg
Full-time
Permanent employee
What you will do
As Senior Logistics Industry Expert at the Kuehne Climate Center (KCC), you will bring your deep understanding of the global logistics industry, its strategic and operational challenges, and emerging trends to shape KCC's research agenda and to provide deep industry expertise across its research and implementation activities. You will lead KCC’s “THINK” work help ensure that it is relevant and linked to the realities and needs of global logistics and supply chains.
You‘re good at
- Understanding the role of logistics in addressing climate change, both by reducing the environmental impact of logistics operations itself and by enabling sustainability transformations in other industries
- Analyzing logistics and supply chain systems, including operational practices, business drivers, customer requirements, market conditions, and cross-industry interdependencies
- Thinking strategically, systemically, and creatively, identifying innovative approaches and translating complex challenges into actionable opportunities
- Building and leading organizational functions and expert teams, including setting strategic direction, establishing priorities, and driving results with an entrepreneurial mindset
- Designing and guiding applied research, bridging academic insights, industry expertise, and practical implementation needs
- Building partnerships and engaging stakeholders, developing mutually beneficial relationships across industry, research, and other relevant sectors
- Communicating complex ideas clearly and convincingly, influencing strategic decisions and providing expert guidance to diverse audiences, including colleagues and partners outside your direct line management responsibility
- Leading and collaborating in international, interdisciplinary, and matrix-based organizations, working effectively across functions and with remote teams while demonstrating initiative and independence
You bring
- At least 12 years of professional experience in the logistics industry, with a strong understanding of its strategic, commercial, and operational realities
- A Master's degree in logistics, business administration, supply chain management, or a related field; a PhD is an advantage
- In-depth knowledge of sustainable logistics, supply chain management, and transport, including sustainability initiatives across different sectors (e.g., food, energy, FMCG)
- Strong awareness of current and emerging logistics industry developments, as well as relevant academic research and innovations
- Demonstrated leadership experience, including guiding expert teams, setting strategic priorities, and working effectively across organizational functions
- A proven track record of leading applied research and/or implementing innovative logistics and supply chain solutions
- A demonstrated commitment to climate action and sustainability, combined with the motivation to develop innovative solutions in and through logistics
- Fluency in English and at least one additional language
- Willingness to travel internationally on occasion
- Eligibility to work in Germany
You will work with
- The Executive Team of the KCC, including the Senior Strategy Director and CEO
- KCC program leaders to provide logistics and supply chain management expertise to KCC’s thematic and sectoral projects
- KCC Knowledge & Analytics and Scaling Teams
- KCC industry partners, universities, NGOs and government agencies
What you can expect
- Work in an enthusiastic and highly motivated international team committed to making a difference
- The opportunity to have impact on tackling the climate crisis
- A high degree of creative freedom for developing new areas of work
- High agility and speed of implementation
- A stimulating and diverse range of work, as well as the provision of considerable resources for effective projects
- Personal and professional growth driven by your own initiative and engagement, including the option to become leader of program areas and teams
Additional information
The KCC is a subsidiary of the Kuehne Foundation in Schindellegi, Switzerland. Established in 1976 by the Kühne family and is one of the largest foundations in the German-speaking world. As an operational foundation it is involved in the areas of logistics, medicine, culture and, since the beginning of 2023, climate action. The Foundation is independent, operational and international.
Contact
If you are interested in applying, please submit your application via the “Apply” button or by email to kuehne-foundation-jobs@m.personio.de. In case you have any questions about the role, please reach out to us via kuehne-foundation-jobs@m.personio.de. Find out more about our current projects and activities by accessing our LinkedIn page.
Über uns
Die gemeinnützige Kühne-Stiftung wurde im Jahr 1976 von der Familie Kühne in der Schweiz gegründet und ist eine der grössten Stiftungen im deutschsprachigen Raum. Schwerpunkt der Stiftung ist die Aus- und Weiterbildung sowie Forschung und Wissenschaft in Logistik und Verkehrswirtschaft, zudem unterhält sie einen Medizincampus mit zwei großen Forschungsprogrammen in Allergologie und Kardiologie und unterstützt im Bereich Kultur Festivals, Opernhäuser und Konzerthäuser in Europa. Im Bereich Klima entwickelt und implementiert die Stiftung u.a. innovative Ideen, wie der Transport- und Logistiksektor eine klimafreundlichere und nachhaltigere Entwicklung unterstützen kann. Weitere Informationen über unsere Klimaprojekte und -aktivitäten finden Sie auf unserem LinkedIn-Profil.