Contractor Experience & Assurance Lead

Smiths News plc; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Cash Plan

Pension match 5%

25 days holiday

Training & Development opportunities

Sharesave Scheme

Cycle to work

Colleague Assistance Programme

Colleague referral scheme

Free onsite parking

Job summary

Smiths News plc in Swindon is hiring a Contractor Experience and Assurance Lead to oversee Self Employed Delivery Contractor Drivers across the network. You will translate contractor feedback into practical improvements, strengthen retention, and ensure compliant working practices.

You will build relationships with depots, lead engagement initiatives, and coach management on compliant relationships with contractors. The role demands early-morning starts and flexibility to travel to depots.

Qualifications

• Frontline credibility and sound judgement to translate contractor insights into action.
• Strong stakeholder relationship-building across operations and contractor groups.
• Ability to turn qualitative feedback into clear actions and measurable improvements.
• Flexible and mobile, willing to work nights and early mornings to visit depots.
• Practical knowledge of employment law and worker-status compliance, including IR35.
• Experience in final-mile delivery, logistics or working directly with delivery drivers.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a regular presence in depots, engaging Self Employed Delivery Contractor Drivers.
• Gather and interpret contractor feedback, identifying recurring themes and proposing solutions.
• Lead initiatives to strengthen contractor engagement culture across the depot network.
• Assist new self employed contractors with a positive introduction and onboarding.
• Test and escalate worker-status compliance issues in day-to-day operations.
• Coach depot management on compliant behaviours when working with contractors.
• Drive activity to reduce contractor churn and track impact of actions.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Contractor engagement

IR35 knowledge

Logistics experience

Communication

Job description

£30,000 to £34,000 per annum with company car

Hybrid role - 60% of your working week will be out in the depots

Early Morning starts

Our reputation as the UK’s largest newspaper and magazine wholesaler speaks for itself & we are now preparing to Go National from July 2027. Going national is not simply about scale; we are securing the future of print media, investing in long-term partnerships, and creating opportunities for our people, customers and stakeholders for years to come. So when we say we’re excited for what the future holds for our customers and colleagues, you can trust we’re as good as our word.

As Contractor experience and assurance lead you will be responsible for our Self Employed Delivery Contractor Drivers across the network, turning direct feedback into practical improvements that strengthen culture, improve retention and support compliant working practices. The role builds trusted relationships with contractors and depot teams, supports new contractors and ensures worker-status expectations are understood and followed in day-to-day operations.

About the Role

• Maintain a regular presence in depots, building relationships with Self Employed Delivery Contractor Drivers and understanding their experience of providing services to Smiths News.
• Gather and interpret contractor feedback, identify recurring themes and propose practical engagement solutions.
• Lead initiatives that strengthen contractor engagement culture across the depot network.
• Engage with new self employed contractors, supporting a positive introduction and early contractor experience.
• Test whether worker-status compliance practices are followed in day-to-day depot operations, escalating gaps and supporting corrective action.
• Coach and educate depot management teams on compliant, appropriate behaviours when working with self employed contractors.
• Drive activity to reduce contractor churn, improve retention and track the impact of engagement actions.

What we can offer you

Not only do we offer free onsite parking and competitive salary but you’ll also have access to:

• Company funded Health Cash Plan – providing cash back for everyday healthcare costs such as dental, optical and physiotherapy
• 5% match pension
• 25 days holiday plus holiday buy scheme
• 24/7 E-Learning modules, Training and Development opportunities
• Sharesave Scheme, Cycle to work schemes, Health cash plan
• Colleague Assistance Programme & Colleague referral scheme

About you

• The role requires frontline credibility, sound judgement and the ability to translate contractor insight into practical action.
• Strong stakeholder relationship-building skills across operational and contractor groups.
• Able to turn qualitative feedback into clear actions and measurable improvements.
• Flexible and mobile, with willingness to work nights and early mornings to visit depots.
• Practical knowledge of employment law and worker-status compliance, including IR35 and self employed principles.
• Experience in final-mile delivery, logistics or working directly withdelivery drivers.

Please note: you must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for this position.

A career with us is a career filled with people, pride, and passion. We rely on each other to get the job done, and we deliver what we say we will. Let’s see if we can rely on you, too.