Global Vice President – Operations & Systems

Job Description

• The Vice President, Operations & Systems, is responsible for defining and executing the P&T operational systems vision, architecture, and roadmap for all operational systems across the P&T Pillar.
• This executive role ensures that operational technology platforms, software applications, integrations, and digital solutions align with business objectives, operational excellence goals, and long-term growth strategies.
• The VP leads the development of system strategies, functional and technical specifications, roadmaps, and implementation plans while working closely with business leaders, operations teams, technology teams, vendors, and executive leadership.
• The role is accountable for maximizing business value through technology innovation, standardization, automation, and scalable digital solutions.
• Develop and maintain the P&T strategy for operational systems and software platforms.
• Define the long-term vision, target architecture, and digital transformation roadmap for operational technologies.
• Align technology initiatives with corporate strategy, operational objectives, customer requirements, and industry trends.
• Act as the executive sponsor for major operational technology and software transformation programs.
• Provide thought leadership on emerging technologies, automation, AI, analytics, IoT, and digital operations.
• Establish governance frameworks for operational systems, software selection, architecture standards, and lifecycle management.
• Ensure consistency, scalability, interoperability, and standardization across operational platforms.
• Define system ownership models, decision-making processes, and performance measurement frameworks.
• Provide guidance to Business Units, Regional offices and HO with regards to all in-house P&T Systems (Zodiac, CCS, Rostering, Oracle, Maximo, Smart Solutions, Business Analytics) and other related technology across Ports and Terminals.
• Implement guidelines, processes, procedures for Terminal Operating Systems smart applications, system utilisation and fine tuning, quality and productivity, over the entire portfolio of terminals.
• Promote collaboration and best practice sharing amongst Business units, setting up TOS user groups and form a centralized TOS knowledge base for system implementation, testing and system migration. Assist the Business Units in selecting and implementing the right systems and related periphery technologies.
• Ensure accurate data collection from each P&T business across the DP World Portfolio.
• Oversee successful integration globally of all in-house P&T Systems.
• Ultimately responsible for successful and customer service issue free go-live of P&T systems.Managing and ensuring fluid movement between ideation and project delivery stage, delivering a committed portfolio of Innovation projects and programs that add value.
• Deliver solutions to DP World Group challenges in all disciplines.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and maintain multi-year operational systems roadmaps aligned with strategic business priorities, capability gaps, modernization opportunities, and future technology requirements.
• Prioritize initiatives based on business value, risk reduction, operational efficiency, and return on investment, while monitoring technology trends and recommending strategic investments.
• Define and oversee implementation strategies for new systems, upgrades, integrations, and digital transformation initiatives, ensuring successful program execution and a smooth transition into operational support and continuous improvement.
• Lead organizational change, stakeholder engagement, training, adoption, and user readiness strategies to support successful implementation and sustained value realization.
• Establish enterprise architecture principles and technology standards for operational systems, including cloud, hybrid, and on-premises solutions where appropriate.
• Ensure seamless integration between operational systems, ERP platforms, customer-facing applications, data platforms, and third-party solutions, promoting data consistency, interoperability, scalability, and real-time information sharing.
• Partner with business stakeholders to understand operational needs and translate them into business cases, functional specifications, technical requirements, and solution designs.
• Ensure operational systems and solution designs support current and future business processes while meeting security, compliance, reliability, performance, and design integrity requirements.
• Lead evaluation, selection, and management of software vendors and technology partners for Ports & Terminals, including negotiation of strategic agreements, monitoring of performance and innovation roadmaps, and management of contractual obligations.
• Govern the commercial and contractual relationship between business units and internal/external system providers.
• Ensure operational systems comply with cybersecurity, regulatory, privacy, and industry standards, and identify, assess, and mitigate technology-related operational risks.
• Establish business continuity and disaster recovery strategies for critical operational systems.
• Standardize processes and align key performance indicators to reduce customization across system implementations and improve consistency across disciplines.
• Support comparison, selection, and implementation of operational systems and technologies across the Ports & Terminals portfolio.
• Assess TOS utilization effectiveness across business units and strengthen adoption through training recommendations in collaboration with DP World Hub and relevant learning tools.
• Direct the development roadmap of the internal TOS, Zodiac, in alignment with the global TOS strategy.
• Manage TOS and peripheral technology vendor relationships from a central head office perspective, including regular user groups to build alignment, knowledge sharing, and operational adoption.
• Advise senior management on AFE for P&T Systems.
• Act as liaison and quality control point for collecting business requirements for operational system implementations and system enhancements.
• Maintain relationships with all third-party service providers and vendors supporting operational systems and technology.
• Direct and improve the Group’s Innovation portfolio, strengthening innovation maturity across all pillars, including Ports & Terminals, Logistics, Digital Solutions, and Marine.
• Champion an innovation culture across DP World by encouraging idea generation, experimentation, knowledge sharing, and adoption of new solutions across all pillars.
• Measure the impact of innovation outcomes on DP World’s business, including value creation, cost savings, customer satisfaction, and human safety and wellbeing.
• Direct the groupwide Innovation Platform (INNOGATE) development roadmap and ensure innovative projects and solutions are integrated into commercial, marketing, supply chain, and operational processes.
• Manage geographically dispersed and functionally diverse internal and external teams to maintain a single view of the innovation portfolio and ensure effective delivery.
• Stay abreast of industry and technology trends and market developments, and make recommendations to DP World accordingly.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Logistics, Technology Management, Computer Science or related field.
• Master's degree (MBA, Technology Management, Logistics, Engineering, or equivalent) preferred.
• Experience in managing the terminal business.
• 15+ years of experience in terminal operations, enterprise software, operational systems, digital transformation, or technology leadership roles.
• 8+ years in senior leadership positions managing large-scale technology portfolios and transformation programs.
• Proven experience defining technology strategy, roadmaps, architecture, and implementation plan for complex operational environments.
• Experience leading enterprise-wide software implementations and business transformation initiatives.
• Strong understanding of operational technology platforms, enterprise applications, integration architectures, cloud technologies, and data platforms.
• Experience in global container/non-container terminal industry with a keen interest in TOS planning, implementations, and optimization.
• Experience in terminal automation and the various modes of operation, ASC/RTG/RMG/SC
• Business leader with proven track record of change management.
• Is widely recognised and respected and well known to BU and regional leadership.
• Ability to influence the decision makers in ex
• ec
• utive management.
• Detailed process thinker and strategist.

Project Management

• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills. Ability to work with program / project managers and teams from other areas.
• Previous project management experience within the container / non-container terminal industry.
• Subject knowledge
• Must have in-depth knowledge of terminal processes.
• Detailed knowledge of all terminal concepts and modes of operation ASC/RTG/RMG/SC/RS/AGV
• The desire to learn and take on-board business-related matters regarding business practices and assessments.
• Knowledge of Safety, Environmental and Security related matters and how they relate to terminal operations and company commitments.
• An ability to maintain current knowledge of developments related to business matters of interest to internal assessment particularly legislation changes and developments as they affect DP World operations.

Catalyst

• An ability to be a catalyst to new ideas and technologies
• Embrace new technologies and processes

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