Vice President and Head of Business Unit Baltic & Channel

Do you want to be a valued part of the critical infrastructure that serves communities across Europe and beyond? Are you looking for a position in which you will set the direction for our Ferry Baltic & Channel business unit and help shape our company?

We are now looking for a successor as Vice President and Head of Business Unit (BU) Baltic & Channel.
In line with our strategy “Moving Together Towards 2030”, you will lead the business unit and set the direction to ensure continued growth as well as protecting and growing profits. As Head of BU Baltic & Channel, you will hold ultimate responsibility for the full BU with a combined revenue of DKK 7.3 billion - DKK 1.4bn (Baltics) and DKK 5.9bn (Channel). This includes responsibility for the routes in Baltic and Channel as well as the commercial and operational business.
You will lead a management team of Route Directors who have the local understanding and empowerment to drive their business. You will report to Mathieu Girardin, Executive Vice President & Head of Ferry Division and be an integral member of the Ferry Management Team.

In addition, DFDS has an industry leading ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) agenda including six zero-emission vessels planned for 2030, creating a safer and more inclusive workplace and a strong focus on decarbonisation initiatives in our land-based operations where you will have a big role to play.

About the role

Be part of the movement – and play your part.  

As responsible for the business unit, and in strong collaboration with our functional areas, you will continue developing and expanding the business as well as delivering solutions in line with our green transformation and focus on standardisation. Together with your team and our global sales organisation in the Ferry Commercial organisation, you will ensure continued long term growth strategies on the routes. The role also requires resilience, presence and responsiveness, particularly during peak periods, incidents or periods of political sensitivity.

Working with the strategic senior HR and Finance business partners and your teams, you will be leading, inspiring and engaging colleagues, creating development opportunities, driving and developing operational solutions across DFDS, successfully managing change and communication to create a great place to work facilitated via a positive, collaborative, safe and developmental culture.

Strategic objectives for the role, in line with DFDS Strategy to be carried in close collaboration with the relevant functional areas:

• Set the strategic direction for the business unit

• Lead and oversee senior‑level engagement with customers and national, regional and local government stakeholders across the UK, Jersey, France and the Baltic states, including ministries, regulators, port authorities and publicly accountable bodies

• Operate as a senior representative of DFDS in public forums, political settings and periods of heightened scrutiny, protecting external reputation across multiple jurisdictions

• Protect and grow the profits

• Standardise and digitise the operations to transform

• Ensure BU Baltic & Channel reaches the climate goal on emissions

• Ensure a Great place to work for our employees, creating a safe and inclusive work environment with development opportunities and growing the talent pipeline

About you

We think the strongest teams are built on diversity and inclusivity. Contrasting opinions, varied skills and strong characters bring out the best in us all.

With this in mind and in line with our DFDS leadership behaviours, we expect you to be an energetic, compassionate and inspiring leader with a proven track record, develop strong working relationships with executive team members and key function business partners.

With a strong commercial acumen, you will drive the strategic agenda and guarantee close collaboration across the entire organisation as well as great customer relationships. Proven experience operating in politically sensitive, regulated or publicly scrutinised environments, with the ability to engage credibly and calmly with government officials, regulators and external stakeholders under pressure will also be important.

Join the movement and grow with us
While you’re with us, we want you to develop and move yourself on. We will encourage you to challenge yourself and others to acquire new skills and perspectives. 

Are we a match? Then what are you waiting for? Apply Now
If you think your personality, skills, experience and ambition match this role, we’d love to hear from you. Please apply as soon as possible and no later than May 19th, as we’re keen to meet potential candidates on an ongoing basis and fill the position as soon as possible,

If there is something you need to know about the role or recruitment process that we haven’t covered here, please do not hesitate to reach out to Kristina Andersen, Talent Acquisition Partner at krand@dfds.com.

We look forward to hearing from you