Automation and Facilities Manager

Winsearch; England; On-site; GBP 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Winsearch is seeking an Automation and Facilities Manager in Warrington to lead a 24/7 automated distribution centre. You will manage a multi-disciplinary team across automation and facilities, deliver proactive maintenance, safety compliance and continuous improvement across assets and infrastructure.

The role requires strong leadership, strategic decision making and collaboration with Operations, H&S and external partners.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading large engineering teams in automated environments.
• Strong knowledge of automation systems, building infrastructure and facilities management.
• Experience with CMMS/CAFM/BMS platforms and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead onsite Automation and Facilities team and drive a proactive maintenance culture.
• Coach and develop staff with performance reviews and development plans.
• Manage asset lifecycle, budgets and supplier relationships to ensure uptime.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Stakeholder management

Contractor management

SCADA & PLC systems

Budget management

Safety compliance

Education

NEBOSH

IOSH

Tools

SCADA systems

Siemens

Beckhoff

Allen Bradley

CMMS

CAFM

BMS

Job description

Automation and Facilities Manager

Circa £85,000

Monday to Friday

Warrington, Cheshire

A major Distribution Centre with a high level of automation, complex infrastructure and a fast-paced operational environment. The site requires a strong, hands‑on Engineering leader who can manage both Automation and Facilities activity, ensuring safe, efficient and reliable performance across a 24/7 operation. The culture is collaborative, quality focused and offers exposure to cross functional teams, senior stakeholders and large-scale engineering projects.

The Role

You will lead the Automation and Facilities function onsite, managing a multi disciplined team and supporting a wider workforce of around 70 FTEs. The remit covers proactive maintenance, asset care, facilities management, compliance, contractor control and continuous improvement across all automated systems and site infrastructure.

You will work closely with Operations, H&S, Procurement, Property, Control Room and external partners to maintain high performance, minimise downtime and ensure the site operates safely and efficiently. The role requires strong leadership, structured decision making and the ability to drive a proactive, high-performance culture.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading and developing the onsite Automation and Facilities team
• Delivering structured coaching, performance reviews and development plans
• Driving a culture of accountability, safety and continuous improvement
• Managing automation and facilities activity across a 24/7 operation
• Transitioning the site from reactive to proactive maintenance
• Managing asset lifecycle, obsolescence planning and system upgrades
• Overseeing PPM schedules through CMMS and CAFM systems
• Driving effective resource planning, issue resolution and asset care
• Collaborating cross functionally to resolve operational issues
• Leading root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions
• Managing contractors and third‑party service providers
• Ensuring SLA compliance and strong service delivery
• Overseeing site wide facilities management including cleaning, utilities and infrastructure
• Ensuring environmental compliance and waste management
• Leading emergency response planning and incident management
• Supporting infrastructure, energy and building services projects
• Monitoring budgets, reporting KPIs and driving continuous improvement
• Managing labour, Opex and service support budgets circa £5M
• Overseeing procurement of parts, materials and critical stock
• Delivering automation and facilities projects, upgrades and modifications

The Person:

• Extensive experience managing large engineering teams within automated warehouse or FMCG environments
• Strong knowledge of automation systems, building infrastructure and facilities management
• Working knowledge of SCADA and PLC systems including Siemens, Beckhoff and Allen Bradley
• Proven track record of driving cultural and operational change
• Mechanical and electrical fault diagnosis capability
• Strong understanding of UK building compliance, environmental regulations and safety frameworks
• Experience with CMMS, CAFM and BMS platforms
• Strong contractor and supplier management experience
• NEBOSH, IOSH or equivalent qualification
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Strong decision-making capability with a proactive, organised approach
• Ability to coach, motivate and influence teams
• Self‑motivated, confident and able to prioritise workload effectively

Keywords: Automation, Facilities Management, Engineering Leadership, Automated Warehouse, FMCG, SCADA, PLC, Siemens, Beckhoff, Allen Bradley, CMMS, CAFM, BMS, Asset Care, Continuous Improvement, PPM, Contractor Management, Compliance, Infrastructure, Distribution Centre

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Many Thanks