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Jens (Marius) Hütwohl

Head of Supply Chain Management

Jens Hütwohl
Unkel, Germany

Experience

Jan 2018 - Present
8 years 2 months

Head of Supply Chain Management

Skylotec GmbH

  • Responsible for the functions of purchasing, logistics, order processing, and SCM (approx. 50 FTE)

Purchasing:

  • Purchasing volume approx. EUR 70 million
  • Set up lead purchasing for Asian products for a sister company in Hungary through central purchasing (volume bundling) and opened supplier bases for group companies
  • Insourcing of various product ranges to utilize free manufacturing capacity of acquired companies in Italy, Slovenia, Romania, and Sweden, achieving an average 5% cost reduction
  • Streamlined assortment in close alignment with product management and sales (improved material usage rate by 2%)
  • Established an integrated annual project planning process with quality and R&D to ensure necessary resources
  • Stabilized supplier-transport-supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic/Ukraine conflict
  • Strengthened inventory controlling to reduce COVID-related overstock (–8%)
  • Renegotiated COVID/Ukraine price increases (–4% of purchasing volume)
  • Consecutive professional development of two strategic buyers to assume purchasing team leadership (2018–2020 and 2020–2023)
  • Created transparency of purchasing projects using JIRA project management and integrated them with corporate initiatives (program management)

Logistics:

  • Planning, setup, and transfer of logistics systems/processes/personnel for new production sites (business areas: engineered systems, respiratory masks, sports)
  • Implemented a robot-controlled small parts warehouse system (–4 FTE)
  • Developed a drawer concept for an automatic pallet storage system, including new building and cost calculation (increased space utilization efficiency)
  • Introduced 5S (order & cleanliness within lean management) including KPIs
  • Introduced market-based wages to improve employee quality including a bonus system based on a new performance review system to reduce FTE by approx. 30% with near elimination of temporary workers

Order Processing/Export:

  • Took over the customer service team and implemented a KPI system to prevent errors and ensure timely order entry

SCM:

  • Closer integration of planning in purchasing, production, sales, logistics, and sister companies through implementation of advanced planning software (DISKOVER)
  • Improved the S&OP process to ensure mid-term capacity planning
  • Increased on-time delivery performance from 70% to over 90%

Business Development Respiratory Masks (2021):

  • Selected a suitable factory location, activated all SCM functions, and managed new product developments
  • Project organization with approx. 20 staff and approx. 30 FTE after site activation
  • Handed over the business unit to the newly appointed business unit manager
May 2013 - Dec 2017
4 years 8 months

Head of Purchasing

Skylotec GmbH

  • Responsible for all spending positions (OPEX/CAPEX approx. EUR 40 million)
  • Introduced product group structure, purchasing controlling, and organizational segmentation into operational and strategic purchasing

Strategic Purchasing:

  • Early integration of strategic buyers at project start of innovation projects
  • Introduced total cost concept (product/transport/quality)
  • Supported make-or-buy decisions and insourcing of manufacturing technologies
  • Eliminated agency sourcing by building direct procurement sources in Asia
  • Re-sourced various A-items to best-cost regions (China/Eastern and Southern Europe)
  • Optimized the entire logistics service provider network for inbound and outbound logistics (30% ratio)

Operational Purchasing:

  • Established integrated inventory controlling (key account consignment/finished goods/incoming goods) and reduced inventory cover by 10%

  • Achieved annual purchasing cost reduction of approx. 2%

  • Improved OTIF by 12%

  • Supported the managing partner in interdisciplinary optimizations of planning processes, committee structures, product roadmaps, organizational interfaces, KPIs, etc.

Jan 2007 - Jun 2012
5 years 6 months

Sole Executive Board Member

MIK International AG

  • Overall management of the company after prior board membership
  • Functional responsibility for purchasing, product development, and new business areas
  • Implementation of restructuring and growth measures after identifying legacy issues
  • Strategic realignment and internationalization of purchasing
  • Expansion of business in Eastern Europe and Latin America
Apr 2006 - Dec 2006
9 months

Executive Board Member

MIK International AG

  • Functional responsibility for purchasing, product development, and new business areas
  • Legal proof of product piracy by former board member, former owner, and collaborating key suppliers in 2007/2008
  • Managed massive, existentially threatening legacy issues (product complaints and development halt for non-marketable products)
  • Reconstituted the supervisory board
  • Modernized/expanded the product range to stabilize sales, reduce revenue volatility, and allow entry into price-sensitive markets
  • Successfully expanded sales into Eastern European and Latin American markets
  • Internationalized purchasing to Asia
  • Introduced modern software for product development and plant planning
  • Created data transparency/integrity and meaningful KPIs for key business areas
  • Introduced a performance-based employee bonus system
  • Reorganized the banking system and introduced complementary financing forms (factoring/leasing)
  • Advised the supervisory board in 2011 on attracting investors for a stake/acquisition
  • Market-based sale of the company in 2012
Jan 2001 - Mar 2006
5 years 3 months

Head of Trade Sales and Shipping

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung GmbH

  • Responsible for trade, voucher subscriptions, special sales, sales marketing, shipping, IT support, and administration (revenue responsibility approx. EUR 25 million; personnel responsibility 35 FTE)
  • Negotiated lower trade margins with the wholesale association (–5%)
  • Restructured the national field sales organization, reducing FTE by 20% while optimizing customer service
  • Redesigned the entire range of promotional materials for trade
  • Streamlined organizational structure by relocating various departments into centralized units
  • Established an innovation forum in sales for systematic development and execution of innovation projects
  • Introduced SAP Data Warehouse technology to create data transparency and set up sales controlling tools
  • Implemented a professional complaints management system to assess logistics service providers' performance
  • Co-designed a database to cross-link sales, marketing, and editorial activities across departments
Jan 2001 - Mar 2006
5 years 3 months

Project Manager

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung GmbH

  • Commercial launch of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS)
  • Setting up a national distribution system for Sunday publication day
  • Generated initial revenue of approx. €12 million and significant circulation growth (most successful newspaper launch since the 1990s)
  • Acted as FAZ shareholder representative at seven wholesale companies and held various representative roles in the VDZ and BDZV associations
Oct 1999 - Aug 2000
11 months

Head of Executive Board Project

Hilti AG

  • Business development of 'Adhesive Technologies' with a global project team of 12
  • Business plan approved by the executive board and international management committee
Nov 1998 - Sep 1999
11 months

Program Manager Central Purchasing

Hilti AG

  • Part of the management team for developing and implementing Hilti's purchasing strategy
  • Reporting to purchasing management and the overarching supply chain committee
Apr 1997 - Jun 1998
1 year 3 months

Strategic Buyer

Hilti AG

  • Responsible for the motors and components commodity group with an annual purchasing volume of approx. €35 million
  • Achieved cost reduction of approx. €1.8 million as early as 1997
  • Eliminated a key supplier with €12 million purchasing volume through re-/insourcing
  • Piloted and implemented the Design for Manufacturing & Assembly tool for system-based cost optimization of existing designs
  • Made make-or-buy decisions for existing assembly lines
  • Conducted product benchmarking for an assembly plant
Jan 1993 - Dec 1994
2 years

Assistant at the Institute of Business Administration

ETH Zürich

Aug 1992 - Oct 1992
3 months

Intern

Preussag International Corporation

Mar 1992 - Mar 1992
1 month

Intern

Deutsche Verkehrs-Bank AG

Aug 1991 - Oct 1991
3 months

Intern

Salzgitter Stahl GmbH

Apr 1991 - Apr 1991
1 month

Intern

Stahlhandel Peine Salzgitter GmbH

Jul 1990 - Sep 1990
3 months

Intern

Hamburger Transport Unternehmung GmbH

Industries Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.

Experienced in Manufacturing (21 years), Media and Entertainment (5 years), Construction (2 years), Education (2 years), and Metals and Mining (0.5 years).

Manufacturing
Media and Entertainment
Construction
Education
Metals and Mining

Business Areas Experience

The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.

Experienced in Procurement (21 years), Supply Chain Management (19 years), Logistics (18.5 years), Project Management (14 years), Strategy (7 years), and Product Development (6 years).

Procurement
Supply Chain Management
Logistics
Project Management
Strategy
Product Development

Skills

  • Realignment / Management Of Purchasing/scm Organizations

  • Transformation Management / Project Management / Process Management / System Implementations

  • Business Development / Managing Director Functions / Corporate Transactions

  • Ms Office

  • Sap

  • Microsoft Dynamics

  • Jira

Languages

German
Native
English
Advanced
Spanish
Elementary

Education

Oct 1993 - Jun 1996

University of Zurich

Diploma lic.oec. · Business Administration · Zürich, Switzerland · magna cum laude

Oct 1990 - Jun 1993

University of Bayreuth

Preliminary Diploma in Business Administration · Business Administration · Bayreuth, Germany

Oct 1986 - Jun 1989

Max-Planck High School

German Abitur · Düsseldorf, Germany · 2.0

...and 1 more

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Jens based?

Jens is based in Unkel, Germany.

What languages does Jens speak?

Jens speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Jens have?

Jens has at least 30 years of experience. During this time, Jens has worked in at least 11 different roles and for 10 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years. Note that Jens may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Jens be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Jens would be well-suited for roles such as: Head of Supply Chain Management, Head of Purchasing, Sole Executive Board Member.

What is Jens's latest experience?

Jens's most recent position is Head of Supply Chain Management at Skylotec GmbH.

What companies has Jens worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Jens has worked for Skylotec GmbH.

Which industries is Jens most experienced in?

Jens is most experienced in industries like Manufacturing, Media, Entertainment and Publishing, and Education. Jens also has some experience in Construction, Metals and Mining, and Transportation and Logistics.

Which business areas is Jens most experienced in?

Jens is most experienced in business areas like Procurement and Purchasing, Supply Chain Management, and Logistics. Jens also has some experience in Project Management, Strategy and Planning, and Product Development.

Which industries has Jens worked in recently?

Jens has recently worked in industries like Manufacturing.

Which business areas has Jens worked in recently?

Jens has recently worked in business areas like Logistics, Procurement and Purchasing, and Project Management.

What is Jens's education?

Jens holds a Master in Business Administration from University of Zurich.

What is the availability of Jens?

Jens is immediately available for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Jens?

Jens's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.

How to hire Jens?

To hire Jens, click the Meet button on the profile to request a meeting and discuss your project needs.

Average rates for similar positions

Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.

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Market avg: 970-1130 €
The rates shown represent the typical market range for freelancers in this position based on recent contracts on our platform.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.