Logistics and Operations manager

Nature's Laboratory; Whitby; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Nature's Laboratory is seeking a practical Logistics & Operations Manager to take day‑to‑day responsibility for dispatch, stock control, and operational efficiency. You will manage a small team, coordinate across departments, and ensure accurate fulfilment and delivery to customers while maintaining high safety and quality standards.

Initially you’ll work with the Production & Purchasing Director to learn products, systems and processes, then progressively own areas within remit as knowledge

Qualifications

• Experience in logistics, dispatch, fulfilment, warehousing or similar operations.
• Ability to lead a small team and coordinate cross‑dept work.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills with problem solving.
• Experience with stock control, cycle counts and stock takes.
• Knowledge of Health & Safety in a manufacturing environment (NEBOSH/IOSH advantageous).

Responsibilities

• Take day‑to‑day responsibility for dispatch and timely fulfilment of orders.
• Lead and coordinate a small operations/fulfilment team.
• Maintain accurate stock information; coordinate cycle counts and stock takes.
• Oversee factory maintenance, housekeeping and health & safety compliance.
• Develop procedures and reporting to improve efficiency and reliability.
• Provide data‑driven updates to leadership on performance and issues.
• Learn the business during probation and progressively own remit.

Skills

Dispatch

Stock control

Team leadership

Operations management

Health & safety

Data reporting

Customer service

ERP systems

Forklift licence

Tools

ERP systems

Forklift licence

Job description

6 months - salary review following successful completion

Nature's Laboratory

Nature's Laboratory is a values-led, mission-driven organisation working at the intersection of natural health, research and sustainable manufacturing.

We are developing a living, integrated organisation that recognises the relationship between all its parts, where people contribute not just through their job titles, but through who they are.

We believe

• People thrive when their intrinsic talents are understood and valued
• Differences are strengths when aligned to the right roles
• Healthy flow, social cohesion and clarity support successful economic outcomes
• Engagement and consciousness in work create meaning, connection and quality
• We share responsibility for the growth and wellbeing of the whole organisation

The Logistics & Operations Manager plays a key role in building strong operational foundations that support quality, reliability, customer service and sustainable growth.

Purpose of the Role

The Logistics & Operations Manager will take day-to-day responsibility for several key operational areas within Nature's Laboratory, with particular focus on:

• Dispatch and customer fulfilment
• Stock control
• Operational organisation
• Factory maintenance
• Health and safety
• Performance reporting

This is a practical, hands-on management role requiring initiative, organisation, problem-solving and leadership. The postholder will manage and coordinate a small team involved in dispatch and operations.

Initially, the postholder will work closely with the Production & Purchasing Director to learn our products, systems, people and ways of working. As their knowledge develops, they will be expected to take increasing ownership of the areas within their remit.

A central aim of the role is to help put strong, scalable operational foundations in place so the company is ready for future growth.

Expectations of the role

The responsibilities below describe the main areas of the role. They may adapt over time in response to business growth, regulatory requirements and organisational development.

1. Dispatch and Customer Fulfilment

• 1.Take day-to-day responsibility for the efficient running of Dispatch and timely fulfilment of customer orders.
• 2.Manage and organise the small team involved in picking, packing, checking and preparing orders.
• 3.Review new, outstanding, urgent and overdue orders and establish clear daily priorities.
• 4.Ensure orders are processed and dispatched accurately and within agreed or reasonable turnaround times.
• 5.Monitor orders awaiting dispatch and take practical action to prevent unnecessary delays.
• 6.Liaise with Royal Mail, couriers and other approved delivery providers and ensure shipping documentation is completed accurately.
• 7.Track delayed, damaged or failed deliveries and ensure issues are followed through to resolution.
• 8.Identify recurring fulfilment problems and introduce practical improvements to reliability, accuracy and customer service.
• 9. Step into Production Operative role (making and packaging products) to cover staff absences or increased workload.

2. Customer Service and Fulfilment Queries

• 1.Act as the principal operational point of contact for customer queries relating to orders, dispatch and delivery.
• 2.Work closely with Customer Services and Sales to provide clear, timely information about order progress and delays.
• 3.Take ownership of queries such as where an order is, when it will arrive and why it has been delayed.
• 4.Investigate problems fully and coordinate appropriate solutions rather than allowing issues to remain unresolved between departments.
• 5.Contact customers directly where appropriate to resolve fulfilment or delivery issues.
• 6.Build positive working relationships with customers, colleagues, couriers, suppliers and other external partners.

3. Stock Control

• 1.Take operational responsibility for maintaining accurate stock information relevant to customer fulfilment.
• 2.Introduce and coordinate a system of cycle counting and, where necessary, full stocktakes to ensure stock records remain accurate and up to date.
• 3.Monitor finished goods, packaging and other operational stock and identify shortages that may affect customer orders.
• 4.Investigate stock discrepancies and identify recurring causes.
• 5.Provide timely stock information to the Production & Purchasing Director to support purchasing and production decisions.
• 6.Ensure stock and storage areas remain organised, clean, clearly identified and appropriately maintained.

4. Operations and Team Leadership

• 1.Support the smooth day-to-day running of operational areas across the business.
• 2.Manage, organise and support a small operational and fulfilment team, allocating work according to priorities and available resources.
• 3.Communicate daily priorities clearly and monitor progress throughout the working day.
• 4.Take initiative to resolve day-to-day and longer term persistent operational problems within the authority of the role and escalate significant issues promptly.
• 5.Work across Production, Dispatch, Customer Services & Sales and other departments to improve the flow of information and work.
• 6.Develop practical procedures, checklists and working methods that improve consistency, accountability and efficiency.
• 7.Lead by example through a practical, positive and solutions-focused approach.

5. Factory Maintenance, Housekeeping and Health & Safety

• 1.Ensure production, dispatch, storage and general operational areas remain clean, tidy, organised and fit for purpose.
• 2.Coordinate routine factory maintenance and ensure maintenance issues are logged, prioritised and followed through.
• 3.Liaise with external contractors where specialist maintenance or repairs are required.
• 4.Ensure good housekeeping and safe working practices throughout operational areas.
• 5.Be responsible for Health & Safety in the factory and develop stronger systems, procedures and records.
• 6.Undertake risk assessments, inspections, incident reporting and corrective actions where appropriate.
• 7.A NEBOSH, IOSH or equivalent Health & Safety qualification or relevant practical experience would be advantageous.

6. Data, Analytics and Reporting

• 1.Maintain oversight of outstanding customer orders and current fulfilment status.
• 2.Monitor and report useful operational measures including turnaround times, dispatch volumes, customer queries, courier issues, stock accuracy, shortages and recurring delays.
• 3.Use data to identify trends, bottlenecks and areas requiring improvement.
• 4.Produce clear weekly and monthly operational updates for the Production & Purchasing Director and relevant management meetings.
• 5.Recommend practical improvements based on evidence and operational experience.
• 6.Ensure agreed actions are followed through to completion or escalation.

7. Meetings, Planning and Development

• 1.Attend relevant operational and management meetings and provide clear updates on priorities, performance, risks and actions.
• 2.Work with the Production & Purchasing Director and other managers to plan for anticipated workloads, larger orders and changing customer demand.
• 3.Support the business in preparing for increased order volumes and future growth.
• 4.During the six-month probationary period, learn the company's products, customers, systems and processes and progressively take ownership of the role.
• 5.Identify priority areas for improvement and begin establishing robust, scalable systems and ways of working.

Who are we looking for

Skills, Experience and Behavioural Expectations

We are looking for an experienced, capable and practical individual who enjoys taking responsibility and making things work. Ideally, the successful candidate will have:

• Previous experience in logistics, dispatch, fulfilment, warehousing, operations or a similar environment.
• Experience managing or coordinating a small team of approximately seven people at present, although this may change.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the confidence to take ownership of problems through to resolution.
• Experience of stock control, cycle counting and stock taking.
• Strong customer service and problem-resolution skills.
• Experience using computerised systems e.g. For placing orders, managing stock, using ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) or other business systems.
• Confidence working with data, spreadsheets, Key Performance Indicators and operational reports.
• A practical understanding and experience of Health & Safety; NEBOSH, IOSH or equivalent would be advantageous.
• Experience in manufacturing, food, natural products, pharmaceuticals or another regulated environment would be advantageous.
• A hands‑on, calm and solutions‑focused approach with strong attention to detail.
• Hold a valid Forklift Truck (FLT) licence, or be willing to undertake appropriate training to obtain one.

Physical and Environmental Requirements

This role may involve:

• 1.Standing for extended periods
• 2.Manual handling of materials, stock and finished goods
• 3.Working within dispatch, storage and production areas
• 4.Working with powders, liquids and raw herbal ingredients where required
• 5.Operating relevant production and dispatch equipment where trained and authorised

Reasonable adjustments will be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 where applicable.

Flexibility

The responsibilities outlined above describe the general nature of the role. As part of a growing business, duties may evolve in response to regulatory requirements, customer demand and organisational development. The primary focus remains logistics and operations, with a practical willingness to support wider operational areas when reasonably required.