Functional Expert, Warehouse

John Lewis plc; Darwen; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Herbert Parkinson, part of the John Lewis Partnership, is seeking a Warehouse Operative to support receipt, storage, picking and despatch of raw materials, consumables and finished goods. You will help power manufacturing operations and meet customer demand while driving branch KPIs.

This is a permanent role based at Herbert Parkinson, Harvest Mill, Darwen, Lancashire. Hours are 08:00–16:00, 38.75 per week, with a night premium of £4.25 per hour between 22:00 and 06:00.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in warehouse and stock control.
• Ability to prioritise, multitask and meet deadlines.
• Flexible and able to perform under pressure in a dynamic environment.
• Licence to operate FLT and other warehouse equipment.

Responsibilities

• Promote a positive Health & Safety and Continuous Improvement culture.
• Coordinate recycling tasks across production and warehouse, including collection, sorting and processing.
• Record accidents, near misses & opportunities and address them.
• Book in and safely put away all incoming deliveries in our in-house systems, noting discrepancies.
• Ensure timely picking of materials to feed manufacturing lines and update inventory in the system.
• Conduct regular inventory checks to reflect stock accurately.
• Investigate issues and escalate as needed.
• Operate warehouse vehicles and equipment safely with PPE and SOPs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet customer order requirements and despatch deadlines.
• Support Labour planning with Planning & Logistics Manager to meet customer needs.

Skills

Warehouse experience

Stock control

Prioritisation

FLT licence

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

At Herbert Parkinson, a proud and historic part of the John Lewis Partnership, we are embarking on an exciting transformation journey to secure our long-term success. By investing in state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities, streamlining our operations, and creating broader, more fulfilling roles for our Partners, we are building a more sustainable and agile future. Join us as we continue to deliver exceptional quality and service for our customers while empowering our partners to thrive.

Reporting directly to the Planning & Logistics Manager, you will support & assist warehouse and logistics operations to ensure the safe, efficient receipt, storage, picking, and despatch of raw materials, consumables, and finished goods. In this role, you will power manufacturing operations and meet customer demand while driving key branch KPIs.

In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £4.25 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.

Salary & Contract

Expected salary - £31,700-£47,500 (dependent on experience)

Contract type - This position is a Permanent role.

38.75 Hours per week

Location - This role is based at our Herbert Parkinson Office in Darwen Nr Manchester.

Hours of work - 08:00 - 16:00

Key responsibilities

• Promote a positive Health & Safety and Continuous Improvement culture, ensuring high standards of housekeeping are maintained.
• Ensure recycling tasks across production and warehouse, including coordinating collection, sorting, and processing activities.
• All accidents, near misses & areas for opportunity are communicated and addressed.
• Ensure the timely & accurate booking in & safe put away of all incoming deliveries through our in-house systems, reporting any discrepancies identified.
• Ensure the timely and accurate picking of materials to feed manufacturing lines, confirming all inventory movements promptly in the system.
• Conduct regular inventory checks to ensure physical stocks are accurately reflected on systems.
• Investigate issues identified and resolve / elevate where appropriate.
• Operate all Warehouse vehicles and equipment in a safe manner, with the relevant PPE, adhering to SOP’s.
• Ensuring all daily start up checks are performed prior to use.
• Collaborate with cross-functional internal stakeholders to ensure all customer orders are accurately located, consolidated, and ready for despatch to meet customer requirements.
• Collaborate with transport partners & field team to ensure timely & accurate delivery of all customer orders.
• In addition to fulfilling Warehouse activities, you will liaise with the Planning & Logistics Manager to optimise the Warehouse labour plan to meet customer requirements.
• You will motivate the team; supporting & encouraging all partners to achieve performance targets, sharing performance concerns through your direct reporting line.
• Ensure Partners have all the relevant tools & equipment to perform their role inclusive of available & working equipment.
• Ensure the work environment - internal & external, is kept safe, clean and tidy, reporting any concerns of unsafe, hazardous activity through your reporting line.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Demonstrable experience in a Warehouse, Stock control role.
• Strong capacity to prioritise, multitask, and manage competing deadlines.
• Flexible, adaptable and able work well under pressure in a dynamic environment.
• Licence to operate FLT, Wave trucks & other relevant Warehouse equipment / Ability to obtain licence via training.

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Sound knowledge of Continuous improvement methodologies, problem solving & root cause analysis.
• Recognised health and safety qualification (e.g., NEBOSH, IOSH).
• Experience working with projects and with collation of goods for projects.

Closing Date

November 5, 2026

Pay

£31,700.00 - £47,500.00

Annual Contract Type

Permanent

Hours of Work

38.75

Job Level

Partnership Level 9

Where You'll Be Working

Herbert Parkinson, Harvest Mill, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0HR

About the Partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us. We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food‑lovers in Waitrose. As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it. Important points to note: It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third‑party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles. We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants. We want all of our Partners to have a good work‑life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview. At the John Lewis Partnership we’re not just employees; we’re co‑owners, and that’s why we’re called Partners. Being a Partner means not only do we all collectively share the responsibilities of being the UK’s largest employee‑owned business, but we also share in its rewards and successes. It’s this ownership model that makes the Partnership a very unique place to work.