Archives May 2006

Branch Manager

Job Description:
Company introduction: Our client is a world leading provider of express delivery services, logistics supply chain solutions and mail services.

Responsibilities:
1.People Management and Development
To ensure a consistent high standard of performance from branch staff, which demonstrates good teamwork, effective communication, consistent positive results and continuous improvement.
2.Customer Satisfaction
To ensure that the branch is focused on putting the customer first and that employees aim to achieve 100% customer satisfaction whilst assuring the achievement of profitability goals.
3.Operational Quality
To manage branch operational performance and ensure that service quality meets required standards.
4.Revenue Generation
To generate branch revenue to meet planned goals and acceptable return.
5.Profitability and Cost Management
To ensure that Branch profitability meets plan and is effectively managed.

Qualifications:
1.8+ years sales and operation working experience in foreign invested companies with latest five years on management positions
2.Within logistics or international freight forwarding business will be a plus
3.Financial and operational understanding of an international transportation division
4.Superior network within the international shipping or airfreight industry
5.Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
6.Fluent spoken and written English
7.Analytical, Presentation and Negotiation skills
8.Passion, initiative, creativity and innovation
University graduate

* Please send us your complete resume (both in Chinese or in English) to: ‘topjob_eo038sh@dacare.com’

Regional BD Manage

Job Description:
Company introduction: Our client is a world leading provider of express delivery services, logistics supply chain solutions and mail services.

Responsibilities:
1.Develop and Implement China EMS Business Plan: To develop and implement proper sales plan to explore business opportunities in order to increase sales revenue taking full account of business projection, requirements, resources, execution, on-going evaluation and project improvement.
2.Revenue Generation: To implement proper sales plan and initiatives are well implemented to meet the sales revenue targets.
3.Revenue Quality Improvement: To continuously improve revenue quality of China EMS business through balancing of business development between “Document and Xps” volume growth in the region.
4.People Management and Development: To ensure a consistent high standard of performance from the dedicated BD team to delight customers and carryout proper analysis to further improve “Service Performance”together with various functional department.
5.Market Intelligence and Analysis for Express Business Development in China Market: To acquire market and industry information in China and do market segmental analysis in order to explore more business opportunities, particularly explore “Major Accounts” development as to improve RPC and RPK of business.
6.Manage, Monitor and Responsible for Business KPI : Constantly manage and monitor business KPI to ensure meet company directive and objective at all time.
7.Service Quality Improvement: To co-ordinate with China EMS project team to drive for continuous service quality improvement
8.Customer Satisfaction: To ensure China EMS project team are focused on putting the customer first and have proper communication with the China EMS branches by providing timely, accurate information to achieve customer satisfaction.
9.Effective Communication with External and Internal Customers: To ensure relevant information is timely and accurately communicated with external and internal customers, including preparation of weekly, quarterly and annual sales report to update China EMS and her responsible sales performance.

Job Competencies
Qualification / Experience Required
1.Tertiary education
2.Minimum 5 years working experience and at least 3 years in the similar industry.
3.Working experience in express or transportation industry is prefer

Knowledge:
1.Operations and product knowledge
2.Customer Service knowledge
3.Industry and geographical knowledge
4.Market Intelligent and analytical knowledge.
5.Budgeting process
6.In-depth China business environment knowledge
7.Customer requirement
8.Basic concept of the P & L and data analysis
9.KPI Process

* Please send us your complete resume (both in Chinese or in English) to: ‘topjob_mkt115sh@dacare.com’

Maintenance Manager

Company introduction:
a top European furniture manufacturing company, new open position ( former manager is Italian ), candidate with strong mechanical background, especially in facility manager position is highly preferred.

Responsibilities:
1.Manage maintenance services in support of production operations;
2.Provide guidance to the maintenance team members on policies and procedures regarding the discipline, safety rules and department or plant rules;
3.Manage work order system, preventive maintenance system, predictive maintenance system;
4.Maintain plant equipment file;
5.Organize team members¡¯ training courses;
6.Control and analyze maintenance cost;
7.Manage maintenance team members;
8.Be responsible for all installations of the factory.

Requirements:
Education: Bachelor degree or above with the background of electrical or mechanical equipment/engineering
Skills/Ability: Able to use MS office and ACAD 2D. Good English language, both written and spoken
Qualifications/Certificate: 35 year old or above, at least 10 years professional experience in a manufactory

Please send your complete resume(both in English and in Chinese) to topjob_oth021sh@dacare.com

Chief Account

Company Introduction
Our client is a leading, global, integrated listed trading company which cover thousands of people and branches worldwidely. It main provides agricultrure raw materials for pretty famous leading FMCG companies. With its rapid development in China, it would like to invite more dynamic people to join its company. Currently it urgently need a Chief

Job description
1.Financial accounting (cost & manufacturing accounting) including finalization of accounts and preparation of financial statements (balance sheet and profit and loss account) as per the PRC GAAP and IFRS.
2.Financial statutory audit interface with statutory and internal auditors.
3.MIS, Budgeting and Cost Control.
4.Having a good understanding of PRC GAAP and International Accounting standards and practices (IFRS).
5.Must be fully conversant with PRC Company Laws, Business Tax Laws, Corporate Income Tax, Individual Income Tax, Labor Laws, VAT and Export regulations (including experience in handling VAT refunds).
6.Must also be familiar with basic banking operations including FOREX mgmt.
7.Must also be familiar with statutory compliances with regard to the manufacturing WOFE.

Requirement
Age: 32-34 years
Total work ex: 8-10 years preferably with WOFE/JV/MNC background. 3-4 years should be as head accountant supervising a team of 4-5 people.
Qualification: PA / Degree in accounting.
Computer Literacy
1.Must have excellent working skills window based applications (Exel, MS word and Power Point).
2.Should have worked in ERP environment.
3.Experience in handling ERP implementation would be of an added advantage.
Language Proficiency
Must have excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Mandarin.

Other Qualities
1.Must be hard working, intelligent & honest.
2.Should have good networking skills.
3.Should be a good team player with strong interpersonal skills.
4.Should be a mature person capable of leading a team independently (good leadership qualities).
5.Must have good attitude and should be a quick learner & self motivator.

* Please send us your complete resume (both in Chinese or in English) to: ‘topjob_fi097sh@dacare.com’

Signing Expat Labor Contracts in China

By Adam Ehrlich

Expat Labor Contracts: Be aware before you sign on the line that is dotted.

Living and working in a foreign country can be a daunting endeavor – the native language is not your own and you are thousands of miles/kilometers away from your family/friends. So, I think it’s natural for an expatriate to look to and depend on its Shanghai employer as a source of comfort and assistance. It is reasonable to believe that your Shanghai employer understands your vulnerable situation and will shield you from predators that feed off the naive that venture into Shanghai from foreign lands. But, when the employer is actually one of the predators, your Shanghai adventure may soon be over.

So how could you avoid problems with your employer and what do you do now if you have one? If you are contemplating signing or have signed a contract, here are a few tips….

1. Insist on signing ONLY an English-language copy. If the prospective employer balks at this and explains that it is illegal to only sign an English version, you should try to convince them that that is not true. In China, you can be legally employed with signing an English-only version. But, if they insist, it is OK to sign a Chinese version, but DO NOT sign a Chinese-language contract without simultaneously signing a purported English-language copy. When signing the Chinese version, you should add a note near your signature that you do not understand Chinese and as a result are unaware of the contents of that version. The fact that the company provided the translation should influence a judge to lean in your favor with any discrepancy between the two versions.

2. Make sure the language (the version you understand) in your employment contract is WATER-TIGHT. The employment contracts that I have seen from my expatriate clients are so poorly written it feels like I have to cup the contract with two hands for fear that it may slip through my fingers. Make sure someone who passed high school with a “C” average can read the contract through one time and understand it. It should be written in clear, basic English which can easily be translated into Chinese by an average-skilled translator, yet still have enough sophistication that a lawyer or judge can feel secure when reviewing.

3. Memorialize all subsequent amendments and insist an authorized company representative sign it. Often times, the employer wil lpromise to sign it but use delay tactics. Do not be lulled into putting this off. A signed writing is almost necessary for a China judge to enforce an employer’s promise.

4. If a promise is not delivered, make a written demand with a time-certain a reply must be received (should be 10 days or less). The establishment of the date a written demand made is crucial to enforcing your rights within the China Labor Arbitration system.

If you cannot settle the dispute with your employer, then you can file a petition with the Labor Arbitration Bureau. It sounds like a scary place to be, but it can be surprisingly pleasant, even for a foreigner.

But before you can have your case heard, you must have these things:

1. Signed and notarized Labor Arbitration Petition(notarized by the Shanghai notary office);

2. Alien Employment Permit (it looks like a passport which your employer must give you in order for you to legally work in China)

3. Labor Contract (whichever versions were signed must be submitted).

You will submit these to a clerk of the court. This is not a simple, perfunctory step. The clerk (through the Review Committee) actually has the power to refuse your petition for either procedural or substantive reasons. If the clerk accepts your petition, then it will set a preliminary hearing date about two weeks later. This date is important because the judge must issue a decision within about three months of that date.

Most expats believe that pursuing a case in court requires thousands of dollars in legal fees and expenses (especially in litigious countries like the U.S.).This is not the situation here. First, a lawyer can pursue your case on contingency which means you don’t pay unless you receive money from the employer. You will need to expend some money up-front for translation and notarization fees, but it is relatively cheap ($500 is about average). But, if you receive a favorable judgment, it is possible for the court to award these fees to you in addition to the disputed amount (as long as there is no counter-claim, then it is highly improbable for the court to award expenses to the defendant).

If you don’t want to stay in China to battle in court, don’t worry, you don’t have to. The court will hear your case despite your absence in the country as long as you have a licensed China lawyer representing you. But you have to first sign, in-person, some documents with the Notary office.

The best advice I can give is to make sure the contract cannot be interpreted in more than one way which is the way you understand it to mean. If the employer violates an unambiguous promise, the judicial process should be swift and rewarding.

Tender Manager(2)

Requirements:
Skills/Qualifications:
1.Experienced Tender Manager, 4-5 years+ Tender management experience leading complex bids.
2.Strong business orientation, analysis/problem solving, negotiation, and collaboration skills.
3.Strong Project Management skills.
4.Able to present the bid project plan and key win themes to the sales team.
5.Show concerns for all aspects of the job. Check processes and tasks accurately.
6.Able to be accountable for tasks and objectives assigned.
7.Good understanding of local China business cultures and practices.
Education
8.Bachelor’s Degree (B.S./B.A.) in a scientific discipline (molecular biology, genetics or biochemistry required. Completion of an advanced degree in business (MBA) or related science is strongly desired.
9.Leadership
Acts in accordance with the moral and ethics of the organization
Strives for excellence and sets good examples for others
Steps forward to address difficult issues
Inspires confidence and respect
10.Strategic/Creative approach
Capable of strategic thinking
The ability to translate strategies into actions
Able to provide inventive, but measurable, solutions for marketing challenges
Able to think ¡°outside the box¡±
11.Communiation
Excellent listening, questioning and negotiation skills
Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely orally and in writing
Comfortable in delivering presentations
Ability to understand and adapt quickly to cultural nuances
Ability to share information clearly and consistently with colleagues
12.Self-motivated and engaged
Goal-oriented
Able to work effectively across functional groups or geographies to meet aggressive schedules
Able to work with minimal supervision while maintaining focus and productivity
Consistently maintain a high level of energy and enthusiasm
A positive, motivating force in the workplace
Ability to adapt quickly to change
Excellent time management skills
13.Teamwork
Participative and collaborative management and operational work style
A strong commitment to working within the context of a team. No interest in individual achievers.
14.Customer focus
Ability to think and implement from a customer-centric perspective
Ability to quickly establish trust and credibility with the customer.
Must be dedicated to ensuring customer satisfaction.
Develop and maintain lifelong business relationships and not transactional relationships.
15.Integrity and Judgment
Maintain and promote social, ethical and organizational norms in conducting all affairs
Ability to act responsibly and be trusted
To make well-reasoned and timely decisions, understanding of consequences.
Ability to think and act effectively, acting for the greater good of the organization

Please send your resume to topjob_mkt114sh@dacare.com

Tender Manager (1)

Responsibilities:
1.Supervises:China Marketing Team
2.Managing a specialist product marketing team to identify and achieve marketing objectives and financial targets.
3.Major Contributing Activities:
4.Advising on product pricing and discounts, explores all feasible marketing opportunities and co-ordinates marketing activities with all other functional groups.
5.Formulating marketing policies and strategy from market intelligence and research projections
6.Co-ordinating market research and advertising campaigns
7.Organising promotional campaigns
8.Preparing, submitting and monitoring marketing budgets
9.Reporting on actual performance relative to budget and provide variance analyses and revised projections
10.Determining price and volume discount policies in consultation with the Sales Manager
11.Controlling and motivating the Marketing team to meet quarterly and yearly orders and sales targets
12.Managing a team of marketing specialists from recruitment through to training and benefits
13.Spending 30% of the time on “the road” and 70% of the time in the office.
14.Participating as an active member of the management team
15.Liaising with all other functional groups and all relevant product and marketing groups in China.

Requirements:
Typical Experience
University degree or above majoring in life science, molecular biology or microbiology, with at least 5 years’experience in molecular biology marketing field.

Key Skills
1.Professional Marketing skills
2.Good knowledge of product’s competitive strengths and weaknesses
3.Ability to interpret and maximise use of market research
4.Detailed knowledge of technological developments and trends relative to future marketing needs
5.Communication skills – Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely orally and in writing, listening skills, questioning skills and sharing of information with colleagues.

Please send your resume to topjob_mkt113sh@dacare.com

Administration Supervisor

Responsibilities:
1.Manage and guide Administration Assistant on all delegated tasks associated with the role
2.Manage all building and facilities maintenance including; furniture and fixtures, building security, emergency evacuation procedures, general office safety.
3.Assist with general administrative requirements of all departmental groups.
4.Report monthly on Facilities and HR departmental spending relative to the plan with variance analysis
5.Manage & coordinate departmental & company meetings as required
6.Work with internal and external parties to organize the various components needed to initiate, run and conclude major projects, i.e. FICE application project, office move project and office renovation project.
7.Participate as an active member of China management team.

Requirements:
1.Bachelor degree or above.
2.At least 5 years related experience in a range of office administration activities and at least 2 years related experience in people management in a MNC environment.
3.Fluent in spoken and written English.
4.Solid communication skills are required
5.Good knowledge of Microsoft Office.
6.Quality orientation & attention to details

Key Skills
1.Communication skills – Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely orally and in writing, listening skills, questioning skills and sharing of information with colleagues.
2.Energy and Enthusiasm -Consistently maintaining a high level of energy, enthusiasm and productivity. A positive motivation force in the work place.
3.Accountability -Establish procedures to monitor the results to achieve goals; self starter rather than passive observer; proactive and goal orientated.
4.Initiative -Making active attempts to influence events to achieve goals; self-starter rather than passive observer; proactive and goal orientated.
5.Integrity and Judgement-Maintaining and promoting social, ethical and Organisational norms in conducting all affairs. Ability to act responsibly and be trusted. To make well-reasoned and timely decisions, understanding of consequences, ability to think and act effectively, acting for the greater good of the organisation.
6.Planning and Organising-Establishing a clear course of action to accomplish goals and objectives. Time management skills, effective use of resources and systems, ability to prioritise activities, completion of tasks

Please send your resume to topjob_hr052sh@dacare.com

China firms struggle to find top talent.

Increased FDI, the relatively small pool of locally-experienced talent and a growing trend in salary package inflation are the most common complaints of companies struggling to hire suitable staff in China, research by the recruitment group, Antal International has found.

More than half of the companies in China questioned are being held back by problems recruiting quality staff, according to the latest China Market Survey conducted by global recruitment firm, Antal International. Most of the 500 company managers who were questioned in the bi-annual survey believe their operation is being held back by a combination of increased competition for candidates caused by more new entrants to the market, fast-rising packages as companies offer more to attract staff and a concern at the size of the experienced talent market given the number of middle to senior vacancies on offer.

Academic qualifications are less of a concern; most candidates are highly educated with just ten percent of managers showing this as an area of concern. What mattered more to the overwhelming majority was the shortage of people with local market or regional experience as a reason for being unable to find the right person to fill a vacancy. “The fact that over 50% of companies in China are struggling to recruit using their own methods at the management level is a great concern to new market entrants and those players already here,” said Robert Parkinson, head of Antal’s Asia region. “There are so many other intellectual property, licensing, regulatory, cultural, and other important issues for business managers to deal with today that this adds greatly to their already crowded agenda” said Parkinson.

While over-fishing in the talent pool has exacerbated the shortage of experienced people, the competition for staff has led to increased wage inflation with people moving roles more frequently as increasingly higher packages are offered to tempt them. Added to this, the risks associated with hiring the wrong people; especially in a place like China make it a minefield, particularly at a time when growth and opportunity is at stake. Some companies are looking for Chinese staff in Europe, USA and wider Asia and bringing them back to fill the gaps. Having an international reach into other markets to cover domestic market issues like staffing is now a key aspect to success in China.

The research found that the Media & PR, Technology & Telecommunications and FMCG sectors were most affected by skills shortages, with 59% of companies reporting trouble finding suitable candidates without resorting to external solution providers such as Antal. This was followed by Shipping and Transport with 51% reporting hiring issues as their market expanded.

Functionally, experienced Marketing and Sales skills, across a broad range of industries, far outweighed the rest as the area with the most scarcity but was closely followed by Accountancy and Finance. In freight and transport, Chartering and broking skills were in high demand.

Geographically, businesses in the major cities reported the most difficulties with Shanghai and Guangzhou in third and fourth place. Beijing and nearby cities in the north were the worst hit, with 63% of companies saying they struggled to recruit adequately experienced staff on time without enlisting the help of external recruiters.

Robert Parkinson, who has seen his own business grow four fold in headcount in the last 12 months, sympathised with the findings. “It is difficult to find the right people on your own or using only a single sourcing methodology such as the web as it exposes you to those who may just be after an increase. It also has an effect on the amount of management time spent in sifting and hiring. This is why our clients use us as we can scour the market more thoroughly and use a combination of methods to find the best people for them. Additionally our in-depth screening and matching process identifies traits that might be a warning of candidates who job-hop from package to package.

Your Spouse Headed to China? Do More Than Just Trail Along

By Perri Capell

Question: I’m a 50-plus marketing and training consultant, who will be going to China as a “trailing spouse” for six months this fall. While there, I need to work or acquire skills or knowledge that I can use on return. How I can I take advantage of this experience?

Answer: China is now a top expatriate destination, and 90% of companies surveyed globally expect to send as many or more expats there as they have recently, according to relocation-services company Cendant Mobility, a unit of Cendant Corp. of New York. That means that more professional spouses, such as you, may be seeking work.

This situation can be tough. World-wide, only 21% of trailing spouses and partners worked during a foreign assignment, even though 60% of them were employed before it, according to a survey conducted in 2004 by GMAC Global Relocation Services (GRS) of Woodridge, Ill.

The key to making the most of your stay is to get busy now. Start by taking Chinese language classes and cross-cultural training. Find out if your husband’s employer offers training. Ask friends and networking acquaintances to recommend books about China or international aspects of your field, and research the Internet about your destination city, which you said separately is Nanjing.

“Develop a mini-curriculum similar to an independent-study program,” says Lisa Johnson, director of consulting services for Cendant.

Gill Aldred, director of strategic services in London for GMAC GRS, believes your stay is too short for you to expect to secure full-time work. However, American corporate skills are scarce in China, and many Chinese employees accustomed to central controls lack U.S.-style initiative, says Ms. Aldred. Helping to train local employees in U.S. work styles may be an option for you, she says.

To find clients, tell all your current and past clients about your plans. Find out if any have subsidiaries in Nanjing and if you can provide training to their employees. Also use your network to gain referrals to managers of Nanjing-based companies. They may want to know how to market their products to the U.S.

If neither are possible, offer to research for U.S. companies how products and services are sold in China and how they might tap this market. “Let them know you’re going, and ask what initiatives they have in place,” says Ms. Johnson. “Ask if you can be a resource on the ground, doing research, training, or working with local trainers there.”

You likely will need a special visa or license to work in China, says Stephen Hincks, China manager in Shanghai for Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP, a corporate immigration law firm based in New York. There are visa and work permit issues you need to research.

If you learn from the China Immigration Department and Labor Bureau that an “F” visa isn’t right for you, you can enter China on a different type of visa and then file for a work permit and residence license, Mr. Hincks says.

If you can’t find work, make the six months an information-gathering mission by learning as much as you can personally and professionally, says Beverly L. W. Sunn, president of Asia Pacific Properties, a corporate real-estate and relocation-services company based in Hong Kong. “Probably, the most realistic expectation is to return home ready to articulate new knowledge about the country,” says Ms. Johnson.

Local expatriates have a lot to offer. Local expatriates have a lot to offer. Consider joining groups such as the American Chamber of Commerce and the American Women’s Club. You also can network by joining local professional groups, such as Chinese marketing or training societies. Offer to speak about corporate marketing and training at one of these groups or perhaps to business students at local universities.

Find ways to interview corporate marketers or trainers in Nanjing or observe them at work. “Look for companies that provide training for local Chinese trying to move ahead in an international career, since they will mostly offer training in English,” says Ms. Johnson.

Also consider teaching English or volunteering in hospitals or orphanages or for another cause. Take language, cooking, art or Chinese culture classes. Participate in activities that are part of the general culture, such as morning exercise sessions in a park, Ms. Sunn suggests.

Travel to China without preconceived notions, and be ready to change course if you find doors closed to you. Keep track of what you learn by writing a daily journal or letters to friends. Finally, don’t let professional demands keep you from sightseeing and enjoying this adventure with your spouse.