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Sr. Technical Service Manager (EMEA)

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  • Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Work arrangement: Hybrid — initially 3 days per week in the Amsterdam office
  • Salary package: €90,000 – €120,000 base salary + 10% bonus

    About the Role

    We are looking for an experienced Senior Technical Service Manager to lead and develop our EMEA Technical Service organisation.

    This is a senior leadership role combining people leadership, technical expertise, and operational excellence. You will lead a team of Technical Service Managers across Europe, with overall responsibility for approximately 30 people.

    You will play a key role in strengthening the team's culture, developing leadership capability, and ensuring that our technical service organisation delivers an excellent experience to customers, dealers, and distributors.

    The ideal candidate will be a confident people leader with technical depth and credibility to engage comfortably with engineers, technical teams, and senior stakeholders.

    What You'll Do

    • Lead, coach, and develop a team of 5 Technical Service Managers, supporting a wider organisation of approximately 30 people.
    • Build a high-performing, engaged, and accountable service organisation across EMEA.
    • Develop leadership capability within the Technical Service Management team.
    • Drive the day-to-day performance of the EMEA Technical Service function.
    • Establish and monitor KPIs to measure service quality, operational effectiveness, and team performance.
    • Analyse service performance and operational trends to identify opportunities for improvement.
    • Lead continuous improvement initiatives across service processes, customer communication, case management, and product returns.
    • Manage and resolve complex and highly escalated customer, dealer, and distributor issues.
    • Work closely with Engineering, Product, Quality, Sales, and other internal teams to resolve product-related issues.
    • Oversee technical communications, service bulletins, field actions, and other technical documentation.
    • Support the development and implementation of regional service strategies.
    • Manage departmental budgets and ensure resources are allocated effectively.
    • Represent the EMEA Technical Service organisation in regional and global projects.
    • Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and influence decisions at different levels of the organisation.
    • Travel approximately 10% of the time for customer meetings, technical discussions, industry events, and other business activities.

    What We're Looking For

    We are looking for a leader who combines technical credibility with strong people leadership.

    Essential experience

    • Degree, diploma, or equivalent qualification in a technical, engineering, or scientific discipline.
    • Proven experience leading teams in a customer-facing technical service, after-sales, or service environment.
    • At least 3 years of progressive people leadership experience, ideally including responsibility for managers and/or multi-layered teams.
    • Strong experience developing and coaching people and building high-performing teams.
    • Experience working in a complex, international, or matrix organisation.
    • Strong understanding of technical support and after-sales service operations.
    • Experience managing escalated customer or stakeholder issues.
    • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use KPIs and data to drive decisions.
    • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
    • Ability to build credibility and influence stakeholders across different functions and levels of an organisation.

    We would also value experience in:

    • Warranty management
    • Repair and returns processes / reverse logistics
    • Service process improvement
    • Budget ownership
    • CRM, ERP, or service-management systems
    • Microsoft Dynamics 365 or similar platforms
    • Technical communications and service documentation
    • Marine, automotive, electronics, industrial, or other technically complex products

    The Person We're Looking For

    Attitude matters.

    We're looking for someone who is proactive, entrepreneurial, and comfortable taking ownership. You should be someone who enjoys solving problems, developing people, and improving the way things are done.

    You don't need to tick every single box from day one. What's particularly important is that you have the leadership maturity, technical credibility, resilience, and mindset to succeed in a senior regional role.

    You'll need to be comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment, navigating ambiguity, and making decisions with sometimes incomplete information.

    Most importantly, you'll be a leader who can connect with people at all levels — from engineers and service managers to customers and senior leadership.

    Location & Travel

    The position is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

    Initially, we expect the successful candidate to work from the Amsterdam office approximately 3 days per week. This is particularly important during the initial period, as the role will have a strong focus on strengthening team culture, visibility, and engagement.

    Once established in the role, there may be flexibility around the office requirement depending on business and team needs.

    Approximately 10% travel should be expected, primarily for B2B customer meetings, technical discussions, and industry events.

    What We Offer

    • Senior leadership position with regional responsibility across EMEA
    • Opportunity to lead and develop a multi-layered international team
    • Significant influence over the future direction of the Technical Service organisation
    • Close collaboration with Engineering, Product, Sales, and other global functions
    • €90,000 – €120,000 base salary + 10% bonus, depending on experience
    • An international working environment within a global organisation
    • Opportunity to make a tangible impact on customer experience, service quality, and operational performance

    About the Opportunity

    You will join a global organisation operating in a technically complex, international environment, with responsibility for a key regional Technical Service function.

    This is an opportunity to take a significant leadership role within the EMEA Service organisation, working with teams and stakeholders across Europe and globally.

    If you're an experienced technical service leader who enjoys developing people, solving complex problems, and driving meaningful operational change, we'd love to hear from you.

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