Continuous Improvement Manager (Logistics)

Oak Furnitureland; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee discount

Life assurance

Holiday entitlement

Birthday leave

Hybrid work

Pension 4%

Counselling services

Rewards programme

Free parking

Job summary

Oak Furnitureland in Swindon is hiring a Continuous Improvement Manager at our National Distribution Centre. You will lead a unified, agile approach to a right-first-time culture, driving continual improvement across all functions of the department with a focus on stock accuracy, process adherence, and stakeholder collaboration.

You will define warehouse system configuration with the WMS partner, manage end-to-end supply chain projects, and provide clear timelines and KPI reporting.

Qualifications

• Strong operational improvement background with a demonstrable track record of improving efficiency whilst maintaining process adherence.
• Experience in inventory, projects, distribution, and operational procedures.
• Ability to lead a team, engage the wider team and motivate individuals.
• Excellent communication skills and stakeholder management.
• Exceptional knowledge of WMS based principles; SNAP system used within logistics.
• Experience conducting tracking and data analysis.
• Has in-depth experience of inventory management over a multi-site network in an FMCG environment, with an expert approach to manage a variety of customer, consumer, business, and colleague issues.
• Proven leadership skills with experience of medium to large scale projects.
• Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to actively seek and find solutions to problems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Good level of IT skills, particularly with MS Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Oversee inventory across the logistics network including DC2, clearance warehouse and depots.
• Manage the inventory, QC and spares teams with 2 direct reports.
• Forecast inventory discrepancies between back-end system and WMS daily.
• Develop and implement inventory control procedures with operational teams and IT.
• Work closely with management, IT and Finance on inventory tracking system to streamline operations.
• Assess new inventory stock to ensure QC compliant and ready for customer delivery.
• Communicate stock status and potential issues to senior management.
• Attend weekly reviews with the operational team and monthly meetings with senior management; present KPI suites.
• Propose strategies to reduce costs and improve procedures across the supply chain and logistics operations.
• Build long-term relationships with stakeholders and update them weekly on inventory activities.

Skills

Continuous improvement

Inventory management

WMS knowledge

Leadership

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Project management

Communication skills

IT skills

Excel

PowerPoint

MS Outlook

SNAP system

Tools

SNAP system

WMS

MS Outlook

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for Continuous Improvement Manager to work at our Oak Furnitureland National Distribution Centre in Swindon. You will need to be onsite most days, but we can consider remote working for one day per week.

TheContinuous Improvement Managerwill have the drive to lead a unified and agile approach to ensure a right-first-time mentality is at the heart of the department and the people within it.

You will champion a proactive approach to drive continual improvement across all functions of the department ensuring you positively impact the performance of both the people and the organisation.

With leadership being a key role in creating and defining the warehouse system configuration and system rules of architecture, you will be defining the systemic operational review process collaboratively with the operational management team and our WMS partner.

You will be a detail and process-orientated individual with the capability of leading a team to ensure the highest levels of stock accuracy are maintained and reports compiled to demonstrate these levels to the wider Oak Furnitureland management team, as well all external audit partners. You will be working with both internal and external partners to ensure that all inventory needs and trends are identified, reported on, and managed through to a positive and productive outcome for all partied involved.

You will be responsible for end-to-end management of Supply Chain projects. You will be required to manage project risks and issues and will be responsible for escalating this, where necessary. Excellent communication to key stakeholders will be vital to project success. You will provide detailed timelines, giving stakeholders the visibility of plans and progress against them.

Key Responsibilities:

• Full responsibility for inventory across the logistics network including DC2, clearance warehouse and all transport depots within the network
• Overall management of the inventory, QC and spares teams with 2 direct reports
• Conduct daily analysis to forecast potential inventory discrepancies between Oak Furnitureland back-end system and WMS system
• Develop and implement inventory control procedures and best practice working closely with operational teams and IT
• Work closely with management, IT and Finance on inventory tracking system to streamline business operations and accountability of stock across the network
• Assess new inventory stock to ensure QC compliant and ready for customer delivery
• Communicate with senior management team about current stock and potential issues across the logistics network
• Attend weekly review meeting with the operational team, monthly meetings with senior management and present a suite of KPI’s
• Propose strategies to reduce costs and improve procedures across the supply chain and logistics operations
• Build long term relationships with stakeholders across the businesses and update them weekly on inventory activities

Essential Skills:

• Strong operational improvement background with a demonstratable track record of improving efficiency whilst maintaining process adherence
• Previous experience in inventory, projects, distribution, and operational procedures
• The ability to lead a team, engage the wider team and motivate individuals
• Excellent communication skills and stakeholder management
• Exceptional knowledge of WMS based principles; SNAP system used within logistics
• Experience conducting tracking and data analysis
• Has in-depth experience of inventory management over a multi-site network in an FMCG environment, with an expert approach to manage a variety of customer, consumer, business, and colleague issues
• Proven leadership skills with experience of medium to large scale projects
• Exceptional attention to detail with the ability to actively seek and find solutions to problems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Good level of IT skills, particularly with MS Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint

Benefits:

• Employee discount: amazing discounts available on all Oak Furnitureland products after successful completion of probation
• Life assurance: free cover of a minimum of two times your annual salary up to the age of 65
• 25 days holiday per year
• An additional day off to celebrate your birthday
• Hybrid working available (one day per week)
• Pension: 4% employee contribution matched by the company
• Employee Assistance Programme: gives all employees access to both telephone and face-to-face counselling services
• My Rewards Programme: offers discounts on everything from restaurants and supermarkets to entertainment and holidays
• Free on-site parking