4PL Contract Operations Manager

Yusen Logistics; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health cover

25 days’ holiday

Volunteer Leave

Unpaid Leave

Job summary

Yusen Logistics is seeking a 4PL Contract Operations Manager to be based at our Northampton SDC site (NN7 2FR). This hybrid role offers up to three days remote work per week and requires regular travel to visit customers, including frequent European travel.

You will manage pharmaceutical logistics activities across multiple contracts, ensuring successful delivery of operational, service, quality and financial objectives across the customers’ supply chain.

Qualifications

• Extensive logistics management experience, preferably in a 3PL/4PL pharmaceutical environment.
• Operational experience with exposure to transport planning activities.
• Final mile experience is desirable.
• Proven track record delivering SLA/KPI performance within contractual environments.
• Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives and driving operational excellence.
• Strong communication skills and stakeholder/customer relationship management.
• Analytical and reporting capabilities including KPI and performance management.
• Excellent presentation delivery skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage SLAs and KPIs across multiple pharmaceutical customer contracts.
• Monitor service performance, analyse trends and lead investigations into service failures.
• Act as primary escalation point for customer service issues and coordinate stakeholder communication.
• Prepare and present operational performance reviews, KPI dashboards and service reports to customers and senior management.
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships through governance meetings and reviews.
• Support Contract Manager with Profit & Loss delivery for customer accounts.
• Ensure GDP compliance and supplier performance management.
• Maintain current operational procedures within the Quality Management System (QMS).
• Coordinate end-to-end 4PL logistics activities, focusing on final mile operations.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives with the 4PL operational team.

Skills

Logistics management

3PL/4PL pharma

Transport planning

Continuous improvement

Stakeholder management

KPI reporting

Presentation delivery

Microsoft Excel

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Company

Yusen Logistics is working to become the world’s preferred supply chain logistics company. Our complete offer is designed to forge better connections between businesses, customers and communities – through innovative supply chain management, freight forwarding, warehousing and distribution services. As a company we’re dedicated to a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring everyone who works with us is committed, connected and creative in making us the world’s preferred choice.

The Role

We are looking for a 4PL Contract Operations Manager to be based at our Northampton SDC site (NN7 2FR). This is a hybrid role with up to three days remote working per week (subject to business requirements). It also requires regular travel to visit customers, including frequent European travel.

As a 4PL Contract Operations Manager, you will manage key pharmaceutical logistics activities across multiple contracts, ensuring the successful delivery of operational, service, quality and financial objectives across the customers' supply chain.

Working closely with the 4PL Contract Manager, customers, carriers, suppliers and internal support functions, the role will lead the management of contractual performance, service delivery, customer escalation management and continuous improvement initiatives.

This is a full-time, permanent position offering a salary of £40,000 to £45,000 (depending on experience). The core working hours are Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00.

The Benefits

• Individual health cover
• Free Eye Test *
• 25 days’ holiday (excluding bank holidays) and 5 days Volunteer Leave per year
• Opportunity for Unpaid Leave
• Up to 10 days international remote working*
• Critical Illness Cover
• Health cash plan
• MyStrength Wellbeing App
• Free online Fitness Platform i.e. Pilates & Yoga, Mindfulness/Meditation, 24/7 support, advice, diet and Nutrition
• On Site Mental health First Aiders
• Employee benefits i.e. Free eye test*, up to 25% off gym membership, high street vouchers
• Free access to 24/7 online GP, mental health support service, Life Events Counselling, Care Concierge Service, Health Cash Plan, Karo Health.
• Tailored development and career opportunities

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and lead the achievement of contractual SLAs and KPIs across multiple pharmaceutical customer contracts.
• Monitor service performance, analyse trends and lead investigations into service failures through root cause analysis.
• Act as the primary operational escalation point for customer service issues, ensuring timely resolution and effective stakeholder communication.
• Prepare and present operational performance reviews, KPI dashboards and service reports to customers and senior management.
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships through regular engagement, governance meetings and performance reviews.
• Support Contract Manager with Profit & Loss delivery for customer accounts.
• Ensure full compliance with GDP requirements, customer quality standards, and company procedures, including supplier performance management activities.
• Maintain accurate and current operational procedures and documentation within the Quality Management System (QMS).
• Coordinate end-to-end 4PL logistics activities, with a particular focus on final mile operations.
• Work closely with 4PL operational team to ensure identification of continuous improvement initiatives are routinely sought.

Key Requirements

• Extensive overall logistics management experience, preferably in a 3PL/4PL pharmaceutical environment.
• Proven ability in an operational environment, with exposure to transport planning activities.
• Final mile experience is desirable.
• Demonstrable experience delivering SLA and KPI performance within contractual environments.
• Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives and driving operational excellence.
• Good communications skills, with strong proven ability in managing stakeholder and customer relationships.
• Analytical and reporting capabilities, including KPI and performance management.
• Excellent presentation delivery skills.
• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office platforms including Excel.

In Yusen Logistics, we understand the value of utilising AI and other technologies to support the application process but we encourage the candidates to use them to enhance their application and not replace their own effort and authenticity. Therefore, candidates should not rely on AI-generated responses during the interview process.

Yusen Logistics is an equal opportunities employer that encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible applicants regardless of their personal circumstances. We make our recruiting decisions solely based on the skillset and experience. Diversity allows us to create an inclusive environment where our employees can strive and grow their potential.

Please note, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK, as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.