Director Global Operations, Zwolle

Drive performance, optimize footprint and lead the transformation of a global manufacturing organization

About Brink Group Brink Group is a leading international manufacturer of towing systems and related mobility solutions. With over 120 years of heritage and now part of the global AL-KO / DexKo Group, Brink designs, produces and supplies more than 1 million towing systems annually. Today, over 25 million vehicles worldwide are equipped with a Brink product.

The company operates across 9 countries with approximately 800 employees. Its manufacturing footprint includes five production sites in: The Netherlands (Staphorst and Oosterhout), France, South Africa and Thailand.

Brink operates within the automotive supply chain, with approximately 70% OEM-related business, combined with a strong aftermarket position. This requires consistent high-volume production, strict delivery performance and zero tolerance for quality issues.

Your role As a Global Operations Director, you are fully accountable for the performance, transformation and strategic direction of Brink’s global operations organization. You report directly to the Managing Director of Brink Group and functionally to the COO of AL-KO Vehicle Technology.

You lead all manufacturing operations across five international plants, with full end-to-end responsibility for: Manufacturing, Supply chain, Quality, Logistics, Maintenance&reliability and QEHS. You carry full P&L responsibility for Operations including Cost performance, Productivity, Working capital and Capex allocation.

This role requires both strategic leadership and operational execution. You are expected to improve current performance while building a stronger, more automated, data-driven, scalable and future-proof global operations model.

Your Perfect Fit? Brink is entering a next phase of growth and operational maturity while operating in an increasingly demanding automotive supply chain environment. Delivery performance, responsiveness and cost competitiveness are becoming more important than ever. You are expected to strengthen day-to-day operations while further developing the organization towards a more scalable, efficient and data-driven operating model.

Stabilize and improve operational performance Your initial focus will be on further strengthening operational performance and increasing consistency across the plants. Reliable OEM delivery, productivity improvement and stronger cost control are key priorities. This includes improving execution, planning and output across the international footprint while further professionalizing operational processes and performance management.

Lead the transformation of operations At the same time, you will drive the next phase of operational development. Brink sees substantial opportunities to accelerate automation, strengthen KPI-driven performance management and further modernize its manufacturing organization. You will help build a stronger culture of continuous improvement and increase standardization across sites to improve transparency, control and scalability.

Optimize the global manufacturing footprint An important part of your role is the further optimization of Brink’s international production footprint. You will make data-driven decisions on where and how to produce, balancing high-cost and low-cost regions while supporting the continued growth of Brink.

Strengthen leadership and organizational maturity You will further strengthen the leadership capability and alignment of the international operations organization. This includes coaching Plant Directors, elevating leadership maturity and acting as a strong interface towards AL-KO / DexKo to secure alignment, investment support and execution power across the group.

What you bring Experience: 15+ years in international manufacturing environments Minimum 5 years in a senior leadership role (Director / VP level) Proven experience leading multi-site international operations Strong background in high-volume / mass production environments Experience in supplier-driven industries (automotive or comparable OEM environments is a strong advantage)

Track record: Demonstrated impact in improving productivity and cost performance Experience with automation, digitalization and operational excellence Proven ability to lead transformation across multiple sites Experience managing P&L at scale

Capabilities: Strong understanding of end-to-end supply chains Data-driven decision making, even in imperfect system environments Ability to build business cases and secure investment approval in a corporate structure Strong stakeholder management across international and corporate environmentsFluent English is required for this role. Dutch is considered a strong advantage.

Leadership profile: Visible and decisive leader Comfortable making tough decisions, including organizational changes Strong execution focus with strategic awareness Able to operate in a hands-on manufacturing environment Capable of driving cultural change in established organizations

Location&travel: The preferred base location for this role is in the Netherlands, where both the largest manufacturing site (Staphorst) and Brink’s Management Team are primarily based. Regular on-site presence is therefore important for operational leadership and management alignment.

International candidates are considered, when willing to spend approximately two working weeks per month in Staphorst / Western Europe. The role includes regular international travel: France: approximately once every two months Thailand and South Africa: approximately once per quarter Germany: periodic alignment meetings with AL-KO / DexKo stakeholders

What do we have to offer you? This role offers full ownership of a global operations organization within a business that is both growing and under real performance pressure. You will operate at the center of Brink’s manufacturing strategy, with direct influence on cost structure, footprint decisions and operational performance.You can expect: Full end-to-end responsibility for global operations across five international manufacturing sites Direct impact on strategic decisions, including footprint optimization, automation investments and make-or-buy choices A clear transformation mandate, with the expectation and support to structurally improve productivity, cost position and operational performanceExposure at senior level, working closely with the Brink Managing Director and stakeholders within AL-KO / DexKo An international scope, combining strategic work with hands-on operational leadership across multiple regions

In addition, Brink offers: Base salary in the range of€150,000 - €160,000 gross per year (including holiday allowance), depending on experience Performance-related bonus of approximately 25% on-target 27 vacation days and 13 additional ATV days (based on full-time employment) Pension scheme and employment conditions in line with the Metalektro CAOA company car as part of the compensation package

Interested? If this role aligns with your experience and ambitions, we will welcome a confidential conversation. For more information, please contact: Egbert van der Meijs Talent Acquisition Manager - Executive Search +31 6 20 32 47 66

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