Solutions Design Manager

Job Title:Solutions Design Manager
Job Location:Hebron, Kentucky

We have an exciting opportunity for a Solutions Design Manager for our AFR Team. This role is responsible for leading the strategic design, governance, and execution of end-to-end logistics solutions for DHL's global and regional Life Sciences & Healthcare customers. This role provides executive leadership for solution design, pricing strategy, operational excellence, and innovation while ensuring compliance with global regulatory standards, including GxP and GDP.

• Develop and execute the regional Life Sciences & Healthcare Solution Design strategy aligned with DHL's overall business objectives and growth plans.
• Establish long-term solution design capabilities that differentiate DHL in the pharmaceutical and healthcare logistics market.
• Serve as the senior subject matter expert for Life Sciences & Healthcare solution design, cold chain logistics, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.
• Lead strategic initiatives that improve profitability, customer experience, scalability, and operational efficiency.
• Drive innovation by identifying emerging technologies, digital capabilities, automation opportunities, and new service offerings within Life Sciences logistics.

• Partner with Commercial Leadership to develop growth strategies for strategic and multinational Life Sciences customers.
• Lead complex customer pursuits by developing innovative and differentiated logistics solutions that maximize customer value and financial performance.
• Provide executive leadership during customer presentations, solution workshops, and strategic business reviews.
• Support contract negotiations by balancing commercial competitiveness with operational feasibility and profitability.
• Drive pricing governance and ensure consistency in financial assumptions, investment decisions, and solution profitability.

• Provide executive oversight of end-to-end solution design activities across Air Freight, Ocean Freight, Customs, Warehousing, and Integrated Logistics services.
• Establish governance, methodologies, standards, and best practices for solution design across the organization.
• Ensure all solution designs incorporate operational excellence, quality requirements, regulatory compliance, systems integration, risk mitigation, and financial performance.
• Lead investment evaluations and business case development for new customer opportunities and strategic initiatives.
• Oversee development of operating models, implementation strategies, validation plans, and transition frameworks for complex customer implementations.

• Own solution profitability by overseeing pricing strategy, cost modeling, financial analysis, and investment recommendations.
• Lead development of business cases, customer P&L models, capital investment requests, and return-on-investment analyses.
• Monitor solution performance against financial and operational KPIs while driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to optimize costs while maintaining service excellence and regulatory compliance.
• Support annual planning, forecasting, and strategic investment decisions for the LSHC portfolio.

• Ensure all solutions meet applicable regulatory requirements including GxP, GDP, IATA, and customer-specific quality standards.
• Partner with Quality and Operations leadership to develop validation strategies, quality frameworks, and compliance governance.
• Sponsor continuous improvement initiatives that enhance operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and quality performance.
• Drive standardization of processes, documentation, implementation methodologies, and operational toolkits across the LSHC business.

• Lead, mentor, and develop Solution Design Managers and Solution Engineers while building a high-performing organization.
• Establish performance objectives, succession planning, and talent development strategies for the Solution Design function.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Lead cross-functional teams supporting strategic customer implementations and business transformation initiatives.

• Build strong relationships with regional and global business leaders, customers, strategic partners, and regulatory stakeholders.
• Represent DHL at executive customer meetings, industry conferences, and Life…