Sr PMO Manager Abroad - IN

About the job
CANVAS is looking for a seasoned Senior PMO in logistics to drive a comprehensive project in two WW regions.
ROLE PURPOSE
The Senior PMO, Logistics owns the end-to-end program to search, evaluate, and select two new fulfillment operations; one in Europe and one in India; supporting Inbound, Warehousing, Outbound, International Commerce, Transportation, and Delivery of beverage products (including alcoholic beverages) across all of Europe and all of India. This is a hands-on program-leadership role requiring an established professional network in both regions, rigorous due-diligence discipline, and the ability to design and run formal RFI and RFP processes that result in a defensible, well-governed provider and site selection. The role carries direct accountability for navigating beverage-alcohol regulatory requirements in both regions and for structuring the resulting engagements around best-practice 3PL/4PL operating models.
1. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1.1 Program Leadership & Governance
• Own the end-to-end PMO for the dual-region site-selection program: charter, workplan, budget, and RAID log (risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies).
• Establish a governance cadence — steering committee updates, working sessions, and milestone gate reviews — with regular status reporting to executive sponsors.
• Manage the program budget and timeline across search, due-diligence, RFI/RFP, negotiation, and mobilization phases.
• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders, including legal, finance/tax, trade compliance, quality/regulatory affairs, and IT/systems integration.
1.2 Site & Provider Search (Europe & India)
• Leverage established logistics networks, market contacts, brokers, and industry associations across Europe and India to build a robust longlist of candidate 3PL/4PL providers and/or facility locations.
• Define and apply site-selection criteria: proximity to ports, rail, and airports; labor availability and cost; bonded/excise warehouse licensing; real estate market conditions; tax and duty incentives (e.g., EU bonded warehousing, Indian SEZs/free trade warehousing zones); utilities and infrastructure; and expansion capacity.
• Screen candidates against beverage-specific requirements: temperature control, breakage-resistant handling, alcohol storage/movement licensing, and security and loss-prevention standards.
• Narrow the longlist to a qualified shortlist per region for formal due diligence.
1.3 Due Diligence & Validation
• Design and execute a structured due-diligence framework covering operational capability, financial stability, licensing/regulatory standing, insurance coverage, technology (WMS/TMS) capability, sustainability practices, and beverage/CPG client references.
• Conduct — or commission — on-site facility audits and visits in Europe and India to validate operational claims, safety standards, capacity, and licensing documentation.
• Validate each candidate’s alcohol-handling licenses and permits (e.g., EU excise-warehouse authorization and EMCS registration; Indian state excise warehouse licenses) and confirm good standing with local regulatory authorities.
• Document findings in a structured due-diligence scorecard to support objective, side-by-side comparison and selection.
1.4 RFI Design & Execution
• Design and issue a comprehensive Request for Information (RFI) to shortlisted providers, covering company profile, operational capability, network coverage, technology stack, compliance/licensing, financial health, and beverage/alcohol handling experience.
• Manage the RFI process end-to-end: distribution, clarification Q&A, response evaluation, and shortlist refinement.
• Synthesize RFI findings into a comparative analysis to determine which providers advance to the RFP stage.
1.5 RFP Design, Bidding & Vendor Selection
• Author a detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) covering the full scope of services: Inbound, Warehousing, Outbound, International Commerce, Transportation, and Delivery (full scope detailed in Section 2).
• Define commercial-structure requirements (cost-plus, per-unit, or activity-based pricing), SLAs/KPIs, contract terms, and service-level governance expectations for bidders.
• Lead the competitive bidding process: bidder briefings and facility walkthroughs, Q&A management, and technical and commercial proposal evaluation against weighted selection criteria.
• Lead commercial negotiations and facilitate legal/contract review through to final site and provider selection and contract execution in both regions.
• Present the final recommendation and business case to executive leadership for sign-off.
1.6 Regulatory & Compliance — Beverage Alcohol
• Maintain current, working knowledge of EU beverage-alcohol regulation — excise duty and EMCS movement rules, bonded-warehousing requirements, intra-EU cross-border shipment rules, and member-state import/labeling requirements — and apply it in site and provider evaluation.
• Maintain current, working knowledge of Indian beverage-alcohol regulation — state-level excise regulations and interstate movement permits, warehouse licensing, FSSAI requirements for beverages, and customs/import duty structures — and apply it in site and provider evaluation.
• Ensure selected sites and providers hold, or can readily obtain, all licenses required to legally store, handle, and transport alcoholic beverages in the target jurisdictions.
• Partner with legal and trade-compliance teams to validate regulatory findings and mitigate compliance risk in the final recommendation.
1.7 3PL/4PL & Vendor Management
• Apply strong acumen in 3PL vs. 4PL operating models to recommend the right partnership structure for each region — direct 3PL operation vs. a 4PL-orchestrated multi-provider network.
• Structure contracts and SLAs reflecting best-practice 3PL/4PL governance: performance KPIs, continuous-improvement clauses, and exit/transition provisions.
• Support transition and mobilization planning post-selection, including onboarding, systems integration (WMS/TMS/EDI), and go-live readiness.
2. SCOPE OF RFI / RFP SERVICES
The RFI and RFP processes must cover the full end-to-end service scope below, for both the European and Indian sites, across the entirety of each region: Service Area Scope InboundReceiving, quality inspection, putaway, cross-docking, and returns intake for beverage products. WarehousingAmbient, bonded, and excise-controlled storage; inventory management and cycle counting; value-added services (labeling, kitting); WMS integration. OutboundPick/pack, order consolidation, palletization, and load planning. International CommerceCustoms brokerage, import/export documentation, duty and excise management, and trade-compliance support. TransportationLine-haul, cross-border freight, intra-country distribution, and carrier management across all of Europe and all of India. DeliveryLast-mile delivery, proof-of-delivery management, and delivery SLA compliance.
3. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
• Logistics & Program Management Experience — 10+ years of progressive logistics/supply chain experience, including direct experience in site selection, network design, or logistics real estate, plus formal PMO/program-management experience (budget, timeline, governance, and stakeholder management).• RFI/RFP Delivery — Demonstrated experience designing and executing formal RFI and RFP processes for logistics, 3PL, or 4PL services, from bidder identification through contract award.
• Due Diligence — Proven track record conducting supplier and site due diligence, including on-site audits, financial/operational assessment, and regulatory validation.
• Regional Network — Broad, active professional network of logistics providers, brokers, and industry contacts across both Europe and India.• Beverage/Regulated CPG Experience — Direct experience in beverage, spirits, or other regulated CPG logistics, with working knowledge of alcohol excise, licensing, and movement regulations in the EU and India.• 3PL/4PL Acumen — Deep understanding of 3PL and 4PL operating and commercial models, including contract structuring, SLA design, and governance.
• Education — Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.• Language — Fluent English required; additional European language(s) and/or Hindi a strong asset.
4. CORE COMPETENCIES & SKILLS
• Strategic site selection and logistics network design
• RFI/RFP program management and competitive bid administration
• Cross-border trade, customs, and international commerce compliance
• Beverage-alcohol regulatory acumen across the EU and India
• 3PL/4PL contract structuring, SLA design, and negotiation
• Vendor due dil

Work arrangement
No