Automation and Facilities Manager

IWFM; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

IWFM is seeking an Automation and Facilities Manager for a high-automation Distribution Centre in Warrington. The role leads the onsite Automation and Facilities function, overseeing a ~70 FTE team and ensuring safe, reliable performance across a 24/7 operation.

You will drive proactive maintenance, asset care, compliance and continuous improvement, coordinating with Operations, H&S, Procurement and external partners to minimise downtime and deliver strong service levels.

Qualifications

• Experience leading large engineering teams in automated warehouses or FMCG environments.
• Strong knowledge of automation systems, building infrastructure and facilities management.
• Experience with CMMS, CAFM and BMS platforms.
• NEBOSH or IOSH or equivalent qualification.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the onsite Automation and Facilities team.
• Deliver coaching, performance reviews and development plans.
• Drive a culture of accountability, safety and continuous improvement.
• Manage automation and facilities activity across a 24/7 operation.
• Oversee asset lifecycle, obsolescence planning and system upgrades.
• Oversee PMM/PPM schedules through CMMS and CAFM systems.
• Drive effective resource planning, issue resolution and asset care.
• Collaborate cross functionally to resolve operational issues.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Decision making

Communication

Safety awareness

Automation systems

SCADA/PLC knowledge

Education

NEBOSH IOSH or equivalent qualification

Tools

CMMS

CAFM

BMS

CMMS/CAFM systems

SCADA/PLC platforms

Job description

Automation and Facilities Manager

Circa GBP85,000

Monday to Friday

Warrington, Cheshire

The Company

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 GBP5M
• 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

Our clients and their customers come from diverse backgrounds and so do we. We hire our people from various walks of life, each of whom make our company stronger with their talent, uniqueness, and expertise. This is what makes our company special; if you want to help us grow and take this ethos to our clients, then we cannot wait to collaborate with you!
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