benintende - scm - logistics interview

Logistics &

Supply Chain Project Management Overview

By Francis Benintende

A Logistics (SCM) Overview by Francis J. Benintende

Page 1 of 9

(The Client)

Logistics and Supply Chain Project Director

Visibility, Track & Trace

Event management gives visibility of incidents within the supply chain. As your Logistics and Supply Chain Project Director, (The Client) consolidates varying logistics information and provides one integrated view to the customer.

Our independent platform exchanges relevant information with all parties involved in the logistics process. This approach is extremely flexible, so making it easy to add new partners.

You can track and trace articles, shipments and orders according to reference numbers used on business documents such as sales, purchase, transport or warehouse orders - and across the different parties involved.

(The Client) Supply Chain Services Overview:

Supply chain management is the combination of art and science that goes into improving the way your company finds the raw components it needs to make a product or service, manufactures that product or service and delivers it to customers. The following are five basic components for supply chain management.

Plan -This is the strategic portion of supply chain management. You need a strategy for managing all the resources that go toward meeting customer demand for your product or service. A big piece of planning is developing a set of metrics to monitor the supply chain so that it is efficient, costs less and delivers high quality and value to customers. Source - Choose the suppliers that will deliver the goods and services you need to create your product or service. Develop a set of pricing, delivery and payment processes with suppliers and create metrics for monitoring and improving the relationships. And put together processes for managing the inventory of goods and services you receive from suppliers, including receiving shipments, verifying them, transferring them to your manufacturing facilities and authorizing supplier payments. Make - This is the manufacturing step. Schedule the activities necessary for production, testing, packaging and preparation for delivery. As the most metric-intensive portion of the supply chain, measure quality levels, production output and worker productivity.


Page 2 of 9

Deliver - This is the part that many insiders refer to as "logistics." Coordinate the receipt of orders from customers, develop a network of warehouses, pick carriers to get products to customers and set up an invoicing system to receive payments. Return -The problem part of the supply chain. Create a network for receiving defective and excess products back from customers and supporting customers who have problems with delivered products.

(The Client) not only provides physical logistics services but also manages other enhanced supply chain services, improving efficiencies and reducing costs.

• Order Management o Receipt, management, execution, sequencing and dispatch of orders in a

timely manner.

• Call Centre Management o A Call Centre manages orders, monitors sales activities, provides customer

services and functions as a Help-desk.

• Global Inventory Management o (The Client) gives the customer a global view of inventory, thus enabling

informed decisions regarding the disposition of stock.

• Consolidated Billing Services o The creation of a consolidated and categorized invoice, based on all services

performed in a specific time-period by more than one service provider, made available in an agreed format.

• Freight & Customs Solutions o (The Client) many years of experience with international trade requirements

and formalities, combined with the European Competence Centre and country expertise, gives customers the leading edge in service, quality and management in cross border transactions

Experience In your own words describe a day in the life of a Logistics and Supply Chain Project Manager

• The daily process of using web-based technologies to support the identification, evaluation, negotiation, and configuration of optimal groupings of trading partners into a supply chain network, that can efficiently respond to changing market demands." What does that mean? Essentially, using


Page 3 of 9

online resources to purchase goods and services will make your job easier, give your company a competitive edge, position you to respond more quickly to your customer's changing needs, and in turn secure market share.

• This will also include defining the bid response strategy, crafting the bid

responses text and graphical representations, analyzing pricing schemas and leading post bid submission activities. Then being able to perform complex win/loss analytics and advanced statistical modeling. This will include but is not limited too: • Merchandising • Pricing Solutions (packaged and custom built) • Revenue and Price Optimization • Dynamic Pricing

Within the Logistics and Supply Chain areas of responsibilities, it would be the Manger’s responsibility to oversee and participate in the below topics so that they are properly defined and adhered too:

O Overview And Proposal Procedures O Summary Of Major Goal, Objectives And Needs O Request For Proposal (Rfp) Timetable O Rfp Availability O Proprietary/Confidential Information O Late Proposals, Late Modifications And Late Withdrawals O Proposal Submission O Pre-Proposal Conference O Contact Person O Additional Information /Addenda O Exceptions To The Rfp O Modified Proposals O Cost Incurred By Proposers O Withdrawal Of Proposals O Oral Presentations O Rfp Postponement/Cancellation O Appeal Of Recommended Award O Contract Award O Compliance With Laws, Ordinances, Codes And Rules/Regulations O Cone Of Silence O Fair Subcontracting Practices O Florida And International Statutes On Public Entity Crimes


Page 4 of 9

O Disability Non-Discrimination Affidavit O Business Entity Affidavits O Employment Disclosure: O Conflict Of Interest O Penalties For Late Filing O Living Wages For County Service Contracts O Minimum Limits Of Insurance O Review Of Proposals For Responsiveness O Term And Renewal O Termination O Remedies In The Event Of Default O Availability Of Funds O Warranty O Indemnification O Force Majeure O Waiver Severability O Venue And Applicable Law O Attorney’s Fees O Rights, Remedies And Obligations O Time Of Essence O Evaluation/Selection Process O Vendor Considerations O Technical Considerations O Pricing Considerations o Affidavits/Attachments

• What clients represented the top 3 highest-value project/bids projects you

personally engaged in? o Northwest Airlines o United Airlines o Boeing Aircraft

• Describe your specific role in each of the 3 project/bids projects.

o Northwest Airlines: Responsible for developing and implementing RFP’s that resulted in the purchasing of Best Practices Logistics Tools that resulted in cost reductions in inventory and labor. Directly responsible for producing the RFP, awarding the contract, then negotiating terms and conditions, payment plans, installation and the all required components. Annualized savings approaching $2 million US. (Project Manager)


Page 5 of 9

o United Airlines: Responsible for streamlining of maintenance operations, purchasing, and engineering practices that resulted in over $8 million in productivity improvements and cost reductions. (Project Manager)

o Boeing Aircraft: Responsible for developing and implementing process improvements through the purchase of equipment, software and services from outside vendors that resulted in savings that exceeded $3 million US. Subsequent material savings annualized at over $5 million. (Project Manager)

• What are the characteristics of a “world-class” supply chain?

o Tenacity o Due Diligence o Synergy

• Within the organization there needs to be:

o A passion for client service, for building and motivating an outstanding team and creating an environment that encourages innovation and personal growth.

o An energetic businessperson who establishes an esprit de corps within their organization.

o Comfortable with a fast-paced culture in which speed is constant and results are critical.

o Desire to constantly learn and share best practices. o A proactive and collaborative approach, both internally with other

senior executives, and externally with customer and vendors. o Both a “thinker” and a “doer” o Self-sufficient and resourceful. o Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, develop, and mentor highly

qualified personnel. o An approachable self-starter and hands-on manager with strong

attention to detail. o Ability to manage, and report on, many different projects

simultaneously. o An entrepreneurial bent with the desire to grow a business and share in

the rewards. o Unquestionable personal and business integrity, with the personal

stature to command respect both within and outside the organization.

• It was once stated that the handling of a supply chain operation that involves providing labor and materials be supplied as needed. In Lt. General William


Page 6 of 9

G. Pagonis book, “Moving Mountains” taught us the leadership and logistics from the Gulf War in providing the necessary tools for our troops to succeed. He states that we need “leadership goals that will;

o 1. Achieve Supply Chain Integration and Visibility. o 2. Manage Cycle Time. o 3. Develop associates to take the lead. o 4. Manage service and unbundled costs. o 4. Improve Asset productivity. o 5. Reduce costs. o 6. Leverage information technology. This evolves around innovation,

integrity, customer, satisfaction, teamwork, diversity, development, relationship building, ownership and business competency.

• What unique skills do you bring that make clients want to purchase your

particular services? o Understanding the customer from the perspective of “What kind of

value can you add? What kind of technology solutions do you have over your competitor?

o Being able to understand that (The Client) growth must come from the conversion of less-than-truck load (LTL) to parcel shipments.

o Recognized as the key “go-to” person by C-Level management and peers with the ability to consistently devise innovative, cost-effective solutions to everyday business problems.

o Proven leadership skills and success in managing projects with focus on the acquisition and administration of human, financial, material and information resources.

o Working with upper management along with frontline management to transform high-level business goals and intangible concepts into process mapping and value stream mapping.

o Primary focus has to be on identifying and documenting existing business processes and re-engineering said processes against new business model.

o Experience in identifying, designing and monitoring business technology opportunities for companies in acquisition mode. The ability to conduct a full financial

o Working with upper management along with frontline management to transform high-level business goals and intangible concepts into process mapping and value stream mapping. This is accomplished through the procurement of assets, developing the monitoring of outgoing supplier performance, the negotiating of all contracts and warranties, presentations of vendor relationships longevity and the implementation


Page 7 of 9

of the system which to maintain the high standard of professionalism set forth by the Board of Governance.

o Development of technological and sales/training strategies for domestic, international e-Commerce partnerships within internal and external infrastructures.

• What major enterprise resource management systems have you used?

o Great Plains o IBM WebSphere Suites (Modeler) o SAP Strategic Enterprise Management o Oracle o Informatica PowerCenter Advanced Edition o HP Java™ Technology HP-UX i

• What Supply Chain optimization tools have you used for warehousing?

o Great Plains o IBM Software - DB2 Universal Database Data Warehouse Editions o IBM Red Brick™ Warehouse o i2 Technologies Inc. o SAP Business One o Oracle Warehouse Builder

• What Supply Chain optimization tools have you used for transportation

o Great Plains o i2 Technologies Inc. o Ariba Software o SAP

• Do you prefer to work in an office environment or remotely?

o Both, remote and office environments are necessary in managing a 24/7/365 operation.

o An on-site visit to meet the suppliers, vendors and manufactures, that would include a tour the facilities is necessary to show presence by (The Client) management.

o During the integration of s specific product or service (beta testing) I would want to be onsite to watch how the implementation, training and problem resolution at that particular cultural environment (location) is handled.

• What are the challenges you would expect from the position?


Page 8 of 9

o Reviewing all current contracts and renewals to see if we are getting the most for our dollar. (ROI)

o Establishing a well-rounded internal organization that is able to handle all aspects of Strategic logistics and Supply Chain management and negotiations.

o Creating a new infrastructure that meets the needs of our current and future customers.

o Implementing a new image from the merger of Airborne and helping raise the on-time delivery rate by implementing aggressive multi-cultural programs.

o Concentrating on creating a “one-stop shop” for international and domestic leveraging (The Client) extensive and well established capabilities

o Getting more value out of volume that (The Client) currently has rather than chasing new volume.

• How have you overcome these challenges?

o The ability to improvise when necessary, use your resources wisely, run meetings in novel and goal-oriented ways, keep stress to a minimum, emphasize training, and make recruits into real team members.

o Ability to respond more quickly to customer needs o Ability to become more proactive o Ability to remain competitive o Ability to conduct multi-national contact agreements o Establish continuous communication with partners that builds trust,

partnership, collaboration, and commitment o Gaining acceptance to an idea through interpersonal skills and

persuasion.

• Provide me (2) examples where you influenced a person’s working priorities to your favor.

o Developed Inbound and Outbound statically analysis for a Call Centers. Coordinated several multiple center engagements. One engagement required management of ten project teams in six locations to ensure consistent project installation, adherence to schedule, a dedicated focus obtaining results and clear communication throughout the organization. By creating a remote / telecommuting work environment (Real-Time Data, Video Links) and meeting guidelines. I brought all the teams together as one functional unit. The results of each engagement exceeded ROI commitments and led to subsequent new engagements for the group.


Page 9 of 9

o The situation was that I had to many associates wanting to lead the project and a consensus could not be reached. By evaluating each member’s current conclusions in a workshop environment. Showing all the members each person’s managerial processes, systems, research and best practices. The group was able to benchmarks, analyzing and quantifying alternative opportunities. Resulting in defining new business requirements within budgetary constraints. Involving everyone on the project team and facilitated the group behavior so that they took control of the resolutions and provided their own action plans. Once a “cost analysis” (pro’s and con’s) was determined by the group. An open vote was taken and they group selected the “best value” to the Company. Then I let them presented their findings to “C-Level” management. This created a new approach to the existing working environment that showed the supervisory levels that they had now created direct line of communication to upper management. Creating a new professional bond.

• Why do you like working in supply chain consulting vs. other positions?

o It is the challenges involved that enables you to develop and execute strategies that efficiently integrate the management of all the players in a supply chain—suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and customers—so that customer needs are met, competitive differentiation is delivered, and production and distribution are accomplished at the lowest possible total cost. In reality, though, companies struggle to achieve success in managing their supply chains.

o Among the many issues that make supply chain effectiveness challenging are product line proliferation, shorter product life cycles, pressure for faster innovation, quicker technology cycles, tougher nonnegotiable service levels, extended global supply chains, multiple channels and markets to support and business cycle variability. With 40 to 70% of costs embedded in the typical supply chain, it is critical that companies manage their supply chains optimally to achieve the highest returns now—and in the future as the business environment changes.

benintende - scm - logistics interview

Documents