Head of Branches North

Air Liquide; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Air Liquide UK is seeking a proactive Head of Branches to lead operations across northern England. You will hold accountability for safety, customer experience, branch efficiency, and profitability, including PG Distribution, retail showroom, warehouse activities and internal sales.

The role requires strong operational leadership, commercial drive and a proven safety-first mindset, with experience managing multi-site operations in chemical or industrial distribution settings.

Qualifications

• Strong operational leadership and commercial drive.
• Experience in multi-site operation within chemical/industrial manufacturing or high-pressure gas distribution environments.
• Proven track record in safety leadership and risk management.
• Significant P&L analysis and branch sales growth experience.

Responsibilities

• Establish and uphold an absolute safety-first culture across all branch activities and ensure compliance with laws and ADR regulations.
• Own the branch P&L, budget, CapEx and cost-control initiatives.
• Manage inventory, storage of cylinders, and local route planning to optimize delivery and customer experience.
• Streamline store and warehouse workflows to raise productivity and reduce cost-to-serve.
• Drive revenue by collaborating with field sales and key accounts teams for industrial gases and hardgoods.
• Foster customer relationships with Customer Experience and Customer Service teams.
• Lead, coach and mentor a multidisciplinary branch team including branch operations managers, delivery drivers, branch operatives and internal sales specialists.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and drive training and succession planning.
• Oversee branch counter training to provide fast, expert technical support for walk-in customers.

Skills

Leadership

P&L management

Operations management

Safety leadership

Commercial drive

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor degree optional

Job description

Air Liquide is a global leader in the gas industry not by chance, but through our constant advances in the technological field. So when it comes to recruiting great people to join our business we take it seriously. We believe our talented people and their passion for our Business is what brings success to our group.

Working at Air Liquide UK means having opportunities to evolve in an environment that actively promotes and encourages its people, recognises expertise, and offers genuine opportunities that provide colleagues with autonomy and accountability.

We believe our people are the cornerstone of our Company as such we care about the development and growth of our people and teams as much as the development and growth of our business.

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How will you CONTRIBUTE and GROW?

Air Liquide is currently searching for a proactive Head of Branches to join the team and be responsible for branch operations in northern England.

In this role, you will hold ultimate accountability for branch operations including safety, customer experience, employee experience, branch efficiencies and profitability, PG Distribution (including HG’s), retail showroom and trade counter, warehouse activities, internal sales and sales growth.

The accountabilities :

Safety, Compliance & Risk Management

Culture of Safety: Establish and enforce an absolute safety-first culture across all branch activities, ensuring compliance to process, laws and local dangerous goods regulations.

Hazard & Audit Management: Ensure routine safety inspections are carried out, audit actions completed, adherence to ADR regulations, near miss reporting and incident investigations.

Road Safety: High focus on road safety, driver training, driver and vehicle compliance and fleet management alongside the Road Safety team

P&L, Operations & Supply Chain

P&L Management: Own the operational budget, sales revenue, capital expenditure (CapEx), and cost-control initiatives for the branch.

Asset & Cylinder Logistics: Ensure management of inventory, PG storage, and local route planning to optimize delivery efficiency and customer experience.

Continuous Improvement: Streamline store/warehouse operational workflows, order fulfillment, and counter sales procedures to raise productivity and lower cost-to-serve.

Commercial Growth & Customer Experience

Revenue Generation: Encourage collaboration with field sales reps and key account teams to drive sales of industrial gases and hardgoods.

Customer Relationship Management: Collaboration with Customer Experience and Customer Service teams to ensure customer retention.

Team Leadership & People Operations

Direct Management: Lead, recruit, coach and mentor a multidisciplinary branch team consisting of Branch Operations Managers, distribution teams including delivery drivers, branch operatives, internal sales specialists and yard operatives.

Performance Development: Conduct regular performance reviews, foster technical training programs and promote career succession planning.

Retail & Customer Service: Oversee the training and mentoring of the branch counter teams to ensure fast, expert technical support for walk-in industrial and trade customers.

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Are you a MATCH?

Bachelor Degree optional but not essential. Equivalent combination of experience and/or training and education will be considered.

The ideal candidate brings strong operational leadership, commercial drive, financial acumen and an uncompromising commitment to safety and environmental standards ideally across a multi site operation within a chemical, industrial manufacturing, or high-pressure gas distribution environment.

Safety Leadership: Proven track record of leading, auditing, establishing, and upholding strict safety protocols in high-risk environments.

Business & Financial Acumen: Strong capability in P&L analysis and branch sales growth.

Our Differences make our Performance

At Air Liquide, we are committed to build a diverse and inclusive workplace that embraces the diversity of our employees, our customers, patients, community stakeholders and cultures across the world.

We welcome and consider applications from all qualified applicants, regardless of their background. We strongly believe a diverse organization opens up opportunities for people to express their talent, both individually and collectively and it helps foster our ability to innovate by living our fundamentals, acting for our success and creating an engaging environment in a changing world.