Group Application Manager @ The Cookware Company

As a fast-growing, international player, The Cookware Company aims to strengthen its market position by seamlessly combining operational excellence, digital innovation, and agility with a pragmatic, customer-centric approach. The organization strives for sustainable and organic growth, supporting its global entities and processes efficiently with scalable technology—without losing sight of local dynamics and entrepreneurial spirit.

Within this ambitious context, the core purpose of the new Group Business Applications Manager position is to take full ownership and lead the professionalization of the global application landscape, particularly centered on Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O and its associated integrations. The role forms a crucial bridge between organizational strategy and technological execution, ensuring the foundation of all applications remains robust, stable, and future-proof. By ensuring better alignment across global applications, the role safeguards the continuity of business-critical processes, including logistics, sales, finance, and integrations.

At the same time, the position aims to introduce structure, formality, and governance within the IT organization and application management framework, relieving the operational team so they can focus on core tasks. Acting as a strategic yet pragmatic sparring partner for the business, the manager maintains a harmonious balance between the commercial departments' high drive for change and the necessary application stability and risk mitigation. Additionally, the role oversees the optimal deployment and alignment of internal teams, regional stakeholders, and external IT partners to better distribute knowledge and maximize return on investment.

• Application Strategy, Processes & Innovation:

  • Define and roll out the global application strategy, centered around the Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O platform as its primary foundation.

  • Optimize and harmonize core business processes (such as intercompany processes, customer collection, sales, logistics, and manufacturing) across international entities using a pragmatic approach (standardizing where logical, customizing where necessary).

  • Safeguard and strengthen the critical integration landscape (EDI, B2B/B2C, retail) that processes the majority of order flows.

  • Explore innovative applications in AI, BI, and PIM portals to enhance operational efficiency.

  • Closely track market developments and present well-founded architecture and improvement proposals to the IT Director and CFO.

• Project & Program Management:

  • Manage and execute the strategic application roadmap (including the D365 go-live in Italy, further manufacturing rollouts, new B2B portals, and a new PIM system).

  • Act as a hands-on Project Manager for large-scale projects, including monitoring corresponding project budgets and delivery timelines.

• Governance, Documentation & Quality:

  • Introduce and structure formal procedures, change management processes (CAB), and clear guidelines for application management.

  • Drive and facilitate process documentation and Business Process Management (BPM) within both IT and operational departments.

• Stakeholder Management & Change Management:

  • Serve as the central IT partner and sparring partner for department heads across Sales, Logistics, Finance, and Inventory.

  • Strike the right balance between the business's commercial push for change and the essential stability of core systems.

  • Actively guide employees and key users through change processes to foster buy-in and adoption of new ways of working.

• People Management & Team Development:

  • Hierarchically lead an international team of two Business Analysts (at corporate level and across regions).

  • Coach and support team members (from junior to senior level) to foster their professional growth and ensure adherence to best practices.

  • Ensure better knowledge distribution across regions (EMEA, US, APAC), eliminating single-location reliance.

• Vendor & Partner Management:

  • Manage relationships with external IT partners and integrators (such as preferred partner Delaware and local D365 providers).

  • Conduct cost-benefit analyses to determine the optimal balance between internal capacity and external support.

  • Monitor SLAs, enforce delivery quality, and negotiate project scopes and agreements.