THE ROLE & THE TEAM
Zalando is seeking a highly accomplished Fulfillment/ Site Lead (all genders) to oversee our sophisticated, 3PL-managed fulfillment center in Bleiswijk (near Rotterdam). This is a pivotal leadership mandate focused on steering one of our most technologically advanced sites toward its full operational potential.
As the Site Lead, you serve as the primary ambassador for Zalando on-site. You will provide strategic direction to a dedicated local team—including a Service Provider Manager, P&O Site Lead, and IT infrastructure specialists—while serving as the principal liaison for our Logistics Service Provider (LSP). Your mission is to cultivate a high-performance ecosystem where cutting-edge technology and operational excellence converge.
WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO
In this capacity, you will act as the strategic architect of our local logistics presence, ensuring the site’s seamless integration into the broader Zalando European network.
Strategic 3PL Partnership: Foster a sophisticated, professional relationship with our service provider. You will steer the operation through collaborative governance, ensuring that shared goals, service level agreements (SLAs), and quality standards are met with precision and mutual respect.
Technological Stewardship: Oversee the strategic implementation and stabilization of large-scale automation and mechanization projects. While not a technical role, you will provide the executive oversight necessary to ensure complex tech rollouts translate into tangible operational advantages.
Operational Excellence & Optimization: Deep-dive into site performance metrics to identify opportunities for growth. You will lead the transition toward a "green" performance culture, utilizing data-driven insights to stabilize and scale the operation.
Continuous Improvement (Lean): Champion a mindset of permanent improvement and Lean methodology. You will work closely with the LSP to refine processes, eliminate waste, and enhance the overall efficiency of the fulfillment chain.
Integrative Leadership & Stakeholder Management: Act as the central anchor for the site by leading the local Zalando team (direct and dotted-line) and navigating complex internal landscapes. You will confidently represent site interests during high-profile visits and strategic reviews with central HQ, ensuring all stakeholders are aligned with the site's roadmap.
WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF
The Strategic Partner: You bring extensive experience in Contract Logistics or 3PL management. You understand the dynamics of high-volume fulfillment and possess the professional diplomacy required to drive performance through a partnership model.
The Operations Enthusiast: You possess a genuine passion for the "heartbeat" of warehouse operations. You thrive in the dynamic environment of a fulfillment center and take pride in seeing complex processes run with precision.
The Tech-Forward Leader: You have a proven track record in automated e-commerce or fashion logistics. You are comfortable overseeing large-scale technical environments and understand how automation impacts the wider supply chain.
The Analytical Problem-Solver: You are adept at managing challenging operational scenarios. You bring a structured, methodical approach to troubleshooting and have the resilience to lead a site through its growth and stabilization phases.
The Qualified Professional: You hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree and bring 5+ years of relevant leadership experience in a complex fulfillment or logistics environment.
The Multilingual Communicator: You are professionally fluent in both Dutch and English, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN
If you think you have what it takes, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles!
At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce – one that thrives on diversity and is truly inclusive by design. We believe that diverse teams fuel innovation and creativity, and we actively seek out talent from all backgrounds.
We actively seek to reduce bias in our hiring and employment processes, focusing on your qualifications, skills, and contributions. To support this, we kindly ask that you refrain from including personal details such as your photo, age, or marital status in your CV, ensuring a fair and equitable evaluation based solely on your abilities and potential.
We are committed to providing an exceptional and accessible candidate experience for everyone. If you require any accommodations to support you throughout the hiring process, please let us know – we are here to assist you.
Discover more about our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace: https://jobs.zalando.com/en/our-culture/diversity-and-inclusion
OUR OFFER
Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.
27 days of holiday a year to start for full-time employees
2 paid volunteering days a year
Hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week, actual practice is up to each team to best support their collaboration
Work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year
Employee shares program
40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners
Relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement)
Family services, including counseling and support
Health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass)
Mental health support and coaching available
Drive your development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review
ABOUT ZALANDO LOGISTICS OPERATIONS NETHERLANDS
Our site houses the largest e-commerce operation in the Benelux. It uses highly automated, cutting-edge solutions such as bag sorter and pick shuttles.
By the time we are fully operational we will operate an area of 143.000m2 and will ship almost 5 million items per week! We will process and ship thousands of orders every day - to customers in BeNeLux, France, and the UK.
For this site Zalando has outsourced the day to day operation to a Logistics Service provider, and the development and maintenance of the technical intralogistics systems to a Technical Service provider.
