Thomas G. - Subproject Manager “Inventory Reduction”

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Sulzbach an der Murr, Germany

Experience

Apr 2025 - Present

9 months

Saalfeld, Germany

Hybrid

Consultant & Subproject Manager

Baxter Medical Systems

Value stream analysis across three sites (USA, Germany, and China)
Master data analysis
Identifying process improvement potentials
Project planning, control, and representation
Developing a key performance indicator system for process monitoring
Cross-site process alignment and data reconciliation

Jul 2024 - Sep 2024

3 months

Subproject Manager “Inventory Reduction”

SMA Solar Technology AG

Developing measures to improve inventory and cash flow
Managing and coordinating these measures
Data preparation and presentation creation (Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint)
Developing new operational metrics for cash flow development
Creating C-level presentations as a decision-making basis

Jul 2023 - Jun 2024

1 year

Subproject Manager “Material Availability”

SMA Solar Technology AG

Master data analysis and order history analysis (SAP S/4HANA MM and Power BI)
Analysis of the procurement process (SAP Signavio)
Identifying improvement potentials & coordinating derived actions
Investigating interface issues between strategic and operational purchasing
Developing and implementing a KPI system for future data-driven process and department control
Project planning, control, and stakeholder management (including C-level)
Project representation in steering committees
Defining and tracking project management guidelines

Feb 2020 - Jun 2023

3 years 5 months

Head of Strategic Capacity Planning

Beiersdorf AG

Responsibility for Beiersdorf’s global production capacities
Expanding capacity monitoring and control up to suppliers
Managing all global supply bottlenecks and coordinating COVID crisis measures
Designing and implementing a supply chain resilience program to ensure robust supply chains and supplier relationships
Creating a KPI dashboard for early detection of capacity bottlenecks (internal and at suppliers)
Conducting analyses and reports for senior management
Staff responsibility: 7 international strategic capacity managers

Sep 2017 - Jan 2020

2 years 5 months

Operation Manager

Beiersdorf AG

Managing Beiersdorf’s only global production site for metal packaging (metal printing and coating, metal stamping, and other forming processes)
Implementing a new production management system for focused control of shift, daily, and weekly performance
Designing, planning, and executing machinery park renewal (>€20m investment; >70% of equipment renewed, 100% brownfield)
Raising standards in autonomous and planned maintenance
Leading the program to digitize and streamline support and control processes within production (shift planning, employee communication, knowledge transfer and documentation)
Promoting talent and mentoring capable team leaders in their early leadership roles towards future department heads
Staff responsibility: 4 employees + ~50 industrial workers

Mar 2016 - Jun 2017

1 year 4 months

Planning Excellence Manager

Unilever Supply Chain Services GmbH

Leading the project to centralize purchasing activities (centralizing procurement from 50 European plants into a Europe-wide planning hub)
Project management (scheduling, resource planning)
Standardizing procurement processes (including SAP R/3 system data)
Improving and partially automating European material requirements planning (SAP R/3)
Change management at the plants handing over responsibilities and in the newly built, responsible planning hub
Stakeholder management (plant managers, regional VPs, purchasing managers, purchasing department heads, IT departments, local production units)
Creating training materials and conducting employee training
Staff responsibility: indirect leadership of a 5-person international project team

Dec 2014 - Jan 2016

1 year 2 months

Manufacturing Manager (interim, acting as Plant Manager)

Unilever Produktions GmbH & Co.OHG

Leading the plant management team (finance, HR, supply chain and logistics, engineering and innovation, production, quality, industrial engineering)
Onboarding and mentoring new department heads (quality, logistics, planning, industrial engineering)
Works council negotiations (focus on employee control rights, communication systems, site security)
Coordinating the cross-departmental WCM program to improve plant performance
Representing the plant in the European SC Leadership Team
Scope of responsibility: ~500 employees, over 110,000 tons of personal care products and over 330 million product units for the global market, over €170 million in company revenue

Jun 2012 - Feb 2016

3 years 9 months

Manufacturing Manager

Unilever Produktions GmbH & Co.OHG

Change management – introduction of a new organizational structure and new leadership
Implementing and professionalizing the WCM production management system (advanced TPM methods, continuous improvement, cost-based activity prioritization, etc.)
Efficiency improvements (equipment OEE, shift performance, setup time optimization)
Works council negotiations (focus on employee control rights, employee terminations)
Staff responsibility: 12 white-collar staff + ~230 blue-collar workers

Feb 2011 - Jan 2013

2 years

Planning & Logistics Manager

Unilever Produktions GmbH & Co.OHG

Change management focusing on staff reduction, process simplification, automation
Managing a supply chain department with 3 teams - procurement, production planning, customer service & transport planning
Production planning in SAP APO
Procurement and transport planning via SAP R/3 and SAP LE-TRA
Establishing supplier partnerships and exchanges
Process optimization in production campaign planning, procurement, and automated customer communication
Developing talented team leaders in their first management roles towards future department heads (leadership development)
Staff responsibility: 25 employees

Oct 2009 - Jan 2011

1 year 4 months

Thayngen, Switzerland

Assistant Supply Chain Manager

Unilever Produktions GmbH & Co. OHG

Local lead of a European supply chain project (“Factory-Responsiveness”)
Analyzing and optimizing production frequencies, production sequences, and product prioritization (total cost optimization)
Operational procurement in SAP R/3 and master data management
Rolling out the “Factory Responsiveness” project to the Swiss sister plant in Thayngen (4 months on site in Switzerland)

Summary

15 years of experience in production, procurement & crisis management (production and supply chain bottlenecks)
Solid expertise in SAP S/4HANA MM environment (including customizing, etc.)
Strong project and program management skills (time, budget, resource, and C-level management)
Leadership and personnel development skills (managed teams of up to 250 employees)
In-depth expertise in Excel VBA and Power BI-based data analytics
Special ability to identify and unlock optimization potentials
Leading and executing improvement projects in procurement (potential analysis, project planning and control, implementation, training and review)
SAP S/4HANA – development, migration, and optimization of material management and procurement
Crisis management in supply chains and factories
Designing and building supply chain resilience programs
Consulting and training in operational and strategic supply chain management areas
Development and implementation of production control systems