Join our dynamic leadership team at DHL Global Forwarding, Freight (DGFF) GSC - Global Service Centre!
Job Title: Head - Digital Service Lab, GSC
Job Location: Chennai
Are you dynamic and results-oriented with a passion for logistics Join our high-performing Global Shared Services Team (GSC) at DHL Global Forwarding, Freight (DGFF) a Great Place to Work certified organization and one of the Top 20 most admired Shared Services Organizations in 2025 by the independent global Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON).
We are the captive Shared Service Provider for DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Freight (DGFF). We are an organization of more than 5,700 colleagues complemented by approximately 400+ virtual FTE (i.e., bots applied in process automation). Our colleagues are based across six service delivery centers in Mumbai, Chennai, Chengdu, Manila, Bogota & Budapest. You will interact with people from all over the world and get the chance to a truly international organization.
Role Purpose
The Head of the Digital Service Lab leads the innovation, experimentation, and earlystage solution development engine for the Global Service Centers (GSC). This role drives accelerated digitalization across service operations by identifying business opportunities, rapidly testing solution hypotheses, and maturing validated concepts for handover into scale.
The Digital Service Lab focuses on AIfirst transformation-covering GenAI, Agentic AI, intelligent automation, document processing, analytics, and datadriven workflows. The role blends strategy, handson innovation, technical leadership, and organizational enablement in equal measure.
The role reports to the Global Head of Operational Excellence and Innovation of the Global Service Center, for DHL Global Forwarding Freight.
Transformational Impact
This role directly enables GSC's accelerated digitalization program through AIfirst operations, Agentic AI workflows, and playbooks for enterprise scaling-working closely with business stakeholders, IT, vendors, and the Process Automation team for transition to production.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategy, Vision & Operating Model
- Define and lead the Digital Service Lab vision and operating model aligned with GSC's accelerated digitalization roadmap.
- Develop a multi-year innovation roadmap across:
- GenAI & Agentic AI
- Intelligent automation
- LLM-driven process enhancements
- Intelligent document processing
- Conversational AI
- Analytics, insights & decision intelligence
- Establish standards for discovery, rapid prototyping, controlled experimentation, and readiness for scale.
- Ensure alignment with organizational transformation priorities and enterprise architecture.
Innovation, Experimentation & Solutioning
- Operate the Lab as a rapid innovation sandbox for evaluating business problems, exploring solution patterns, and validating concepts.
- Lead structured discovery to identify customer pain points, feasibility, and value opportunities.
- Drive PoCs, MVPs, and early pilots with clear hypotheses, measurable outcomes, and rapid iteration cycles.
- Evaluate build vs. buy options leveraging internal capabilities, external platforms, startups, and partners.
- Ensure solutions meet user needs and align with long-term scalability.
Build + Buy/Partner Approach
- Identify and evaluate external platforms, SaaS providers, AI partners, and niche startups that accelerate innovation outcomes.
- Conduct vendor assessments, proof-of-value analyses, and due diligence covering security, compliance, and performance.
- Lead vendor collaboration and negotiation activities in partnership with procurement and security teams.
- Build coinnovation opportunities where external solutions complement internal strengths.
Engineering, Integration & Technical Governance
- Guide design, architecture, integration, and testing approaches in partnership with IT and enterprise architecture.
- Define standards for:
- AI & GenAI guardrails
- AI governance and risk assessment
- Automation architecture
- Integration patterns
- LLMOps, AIOps & model lifecycle disciplines
- Ensure solutions are secure, scalable, compliant, and ready for transition into formal delivery teams.
Value Realization & Scaling Transition
- Plan and oversee the transition from Lab-to-Scale to the Process Automation team once solutions are validated.
- Establish clear performance KPIs, ROI measures, adoption metrics, and value realization frameworks.
- Create solution playbooks for IDP, Conversational AI, and Agentic AI.
- Track outcomes, report benefits, and maintain visibility with leadership.
Leadership, Capability & Culture Building
- Lead a multidisciplinary team of technical and innovation specialists across AI/ML, data science, product experimentation, and analytics.
- Build emerging skillsets including prompt engineering, Agentic AI design, LLMOps, AIOps, and AI governance.
- Foster a culture of curiosity, rapid iteration, experimentation, and evidence-based decision-making.
- Strengthen capability uplift through coaching, training, certifications, and communities of practice.
Stakeholder Management
- Engage senior business leaders within GSC to shape problem statements, explore opportunities, and co-create solutions.
- Coordinate with external partners, technology providers, consulting teams, and ecosystem players.
- Communicate outcomes, opportunities, risks, and value to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Influence cross-functional leadership to adopt innovative approaches.
Required Skills & Experience:
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or related field.
- 12-18+ years of experience in AI, automation, digital innovation, or technology-driven transformation roles.
- Minimum 5-8 years leading innovation labs, digital transformation teams, AI/automation portfolios, or similar functions.
- Experience collaborating with internal teams, IT, vendors, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Technical Skills & Innovation
- Strong expertise in AI/ML, GenAI, NLP, LLMs, RAG, IDP, intelligent automation, and emerging Agentic AI patterns.
- Deep understanding of RPA/IPA, process mining, workflow orchestration, intelligent document processing, and conversational AI.
- Strong understanding of cloud-native AI/ML services (Azure, AWS, GCP), integration patterns, and secure design.
- Ability to architect experiments, validate hypotheses, run PoCs, and define pathways to scale.
- Proven experience in Responsible AI practices, including model governance, security & compliance
Preferred / Strongly Desirable Capabilities
- Prompt engineering
- Agentic AI design & evaluation
- Data engineering
- LLMOps
- AIOps
- AI governance & risk
Leadership & Behavioural
- Strategic thinker with the ability to convert complex business needs into innovative digital solutions.
- Blend of strategic leadership and handson technical direction.
- Strong stakeholder influence, communication, and relationship-building skills.
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity, driving clarity, and leading high-velocity experimentation cycles.
DHL Global Forwarding, Freight (DGFF) GSC is a Great Place to Work certified organization and a proud recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including Top Employer in India, Top Employer Asia Pacific, and Top Employer Global.
Why Join Our Leadership Team at DHL
DHL is a purpose driven organization, with presence in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, and with business units like freight forwarding, courier, contract logistics, and ecommerce. Our scale and our people make DHL the world's leading logistics company. The leadership at DHL is at the forefront solving problems for our business, our people and our planet, the impact is immense.
DGFF shared service is a captive service center for our freight forwarding division, and is a key partner is delivering value to our countries and our customers. Spread across the regions with 6 centers in Bogota, Budapest, Chengdu, Chennai, Manila, and Mumbai, the shared services unit is the backbone for our freight forwarding business. Leadership is the key enabler along with our people.
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