Depot General Manager

Co-op; Chester-le-Street; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-based retail organization in Chester-le-Street seeks a Depot General Manager to oversee operations at the Birtley depot. The successful candidate will manage a large team, foster relationships with suppliers, and implement logistics strategies. Ideal candidates will have significant experience in large-scale team leadership and logistics. The role offers competitive salary and excellent benefits including private healthcare, company car allowance, and pension contributions.

Benefits

Private healthcare for you and your family

Company car or car allowance

Annual bonus based on performance

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

Discounted gym membership

30% discount on Co-op products

Early access to earned pay

Virtual healthcare services

24/7 colleague support service

Training and support for development

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience delivering positive change within a large, complex, and challenging environment.
• An understanding of logistics/manufacturing, site management, and/or end‑to‑end food retail operations.
• Great leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the depot, creating an effective customer‑focused operational plan.
• Lead, coach, and develop an engaged leadership team.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with partners.
• Deliver operational plan to budget and maintain cost‑effective operation.

Skills

Experience leading large‑scale teams

Passion for developing others

Strong experience of managing a large budget effectively

Job description

Depot General Manager

£85,000 - £95,000 plus excellent benefits (Work Level 4)
Birtley depot, Chester-le-Street, DH2 1AE (with occasional travel nationwide)

We’re looking for a Depot General Manager to join us in Birtley to lead all aspects of our fast‑paced depot. In this role, you’ll turn our wider logistics strategy into an effective operational plan, making sure we have the resources and processes in place to deliver this successfully and driving an inclusive culture where colleagues feel listened to, appreciated and respected.

Why this role matters

Our Birtley depot is responsible for delivering products to more than 230 stores across the North East and, as a Depot General Manager at Co‑op, you’ll have a big part to play in this. You’ll lead and inspire a large team, build strong relationships with third‑party suppliers and trade union partners, and work closely with senior colleagues across the wider business. This is a role where you’ll drive performance, champion continuous improvement, and lead your colleagues through significant change—helping to shape the future of our logistics network.

What you’ll do

• Manage our depot, creating an effective and customer‑focused operational plan
• Lead, coach, and develop an engaged, multi‑disciplinary leadership team, and promote a culture of continuous improvement across the depot
• Build and maintain positive relationships with internal and external partners
• Deliver our operational plan to budget and maintain a cost‑effective operation

What you’ll bring

• Experience leading large‑scale teams
• Experience delivering positive change within a large, complex, and challenging environment
• An understanding of logistics/manufacturing, site management, and/or end‑to‑end food retail operations
• Great leadership skills, and a passion for developing others
• Strong experience of managing a large budget effectively

Why Co‑op?

At Co‑op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• Private healthcare for you and your family
• A company car or car allowance
• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Access to a discounted Nuffield Health gym membership across multiple locations
• 30% discount on Co‑op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme
• A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

Disability Confident

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

Please note that we may close applications for this role early.

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co‑op colleague, this does not need to be completed.