Head of Regional Operations - North

Niche Recruitment; Crewe; On-site; GBP 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £85k

Car allowance

Annual bonus

Regional autonomy

Direct access to leadership

Shape UK distribution

Job summary

NWF Fuels is seeking a Head of Regional Operations to own the North region, unifying multiple depots into a high-performing operation. You will lead a small regional team, drive cost discipline and capacity planning, and ensure on-time delivery while upholding safety and compliance.

With full P&L responsibility and a strong commercial mindset, you will partner with sales to balance demand with capacity, manage budgets, and implement improvements.

Qualifications

• Senior experience running a multi-site transport, distribution or depot operation with full budget or P&L responsibility.
• Strong commercial mindset with a track record of reducing costs and improving efficiency.
• Experience leading managers and a driver workforce in a safety-critical environment.
• Proven change leadership: shifting culture, standardising processes and delivering results.
• Resilience and adaptability with the ability to bring calm to complexity.
• Decisive, hands-on leadership style with clear decision execution.

Responsibilities

• Own the region's P&L and operating budget, cost per delivery and cost to serve.
• Drive efficiency by optimizing driver productivity, overtime, and agency spend; plan capacity for peaks.
• Partner with regional sales to ensure capacity to deliver what is sold, on time and in full.
• Embed a safety-first culture across depots and drivers; protect operator licence and compliance.
• Collaborate with Head of Fleet to improve fleet utilisation and performance.
• Lead two Regional Transport Managers and around five operational colleagues with clear standards.
• Be visible and present across depots, including early-morning safety briefings and team meetings.

Skills

Multi-site leadership

Budget / P&L ownership

Commercial mindset

People leadership

Change management

Decisive, hands-on

Job description

Own a region. Shape a business. Lead the people who keep the nation warm, working and moving.

NWF Fuels is one of the UK's largest fuel distributors, and we're entering our most ambitious chapter yet. A new senior leadership team is rebuilding how we operate: investing in technology, raising standards and challenging the way the fuel industry has always worked.

We're now looking for a Head of Regional Operations to take full ownership of our North region. If you're a commercially sharp, visible operations leader who thrives on turning complexity into clarity, this is a rare chance to make your mark from day one.

About NWF Fuels

Our roots go back to 1871, and we've been delivering fuel since 1950. Through more than 17 acquisitions we've grown into the UK's third-largest fuel distributor, with over 30 depots and a family of trusted local brands serving homes, farms and businesses. Our vision is simple: To Keep the Nation Warm, Working and Moving.

Now we're investing in our people, modernising our fleet, technology and facilities, and setting our sights on becoming the UK's second-largest distributor.

The opportunity

This isn't a coordination role. You'll be the single point of ownership for your region: whether it runs safely, delivers what's been sold, and does so at the right cost.

Our growth has brought together many businesses, each with its own ways of working. Your job is to bring them together into one consistent, high-performing operation. You'll have real autonomy with the backing of a senior team that wants you to try new things.

What you'll do

• Own the numbers: take full P&L accountability for your region's operating budget, cost per delivery and cost to serve, and bring real operational discipline.
• Drive efficiency: get the best from our driver workforce, manage overtime and agency spend, and plan capacity ahead of seasonal peaks.
• Deliver for customers: partner with your regional sales lead so we always have the capacity to deliver what we've sold, on time and in full.
• Lead on safety: embed a safety-first culture across depots and drivers, protect our operator licence and ensure full compliance with fuel distribution and transport legislation.
• Improve the fleet: work with our Head of Fleet to drive utilisation and performance.
• Build the team: lead two Regional Transport Managers and around five operational support colleagues, setting clear standards and making the people decisions that matter.
• Be visible: spend time across your region's depots, from early-morning driver safety briefings to team meetings. This role isn't run from behind a desk.

What you'll bring

• Senior experience running a multi-site transport, distribution or depot operation with full budget or P&L responsibility.
• A strong commercial mindset, with a record of reducing costs and improving efficiency.
• Experience leading managers and a driver workforce in a safety‑critical environment.
• Proof that you've led change: shifting culture, standardising processes and delivering measurable results.
• Resilience, adaptability and the ability to bring calm to complexity.
• A decisive, hands‑on leadership style - you make decisions and see them through.

Fuel or hazardous goods (ADR) experience is a plus, but not essential.

We're just as interested in strong operations leaders from wider logistics and distribution who bring fresh thinking.

What's in it for you

• Up to £85,000 base salary, depending on salary
• Car allowance
• Annual performance bonus
• Real autonomy and your own regional budget
• Direct access to a forward-thinking senior leadership team
• The chance to shape how a leading UK fuel distributor operates for years to come

How we work

Our seven behaviours guide everything we do, including: we are honest, open and trust each other; we use facts, not just feelings; we won't always agree, but we are always aligned; and we are goal focused and see things through to the end.

Ready to make the difference?

If you're ready to own a region and lead real change, we'd love to hear from you.