Operations Controller

Heidelberg Materials UK; Shepton Mallet; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading building materials company is seeking an Operations Controller to support operational activities at its Shepton Mallet location. The ideal candidate will play a key role in logistics, customer service, and decision making within a fast-paced environment. Responsibilities include managing customer interactions, coordinating train operations, and maintaining the wagon fleet. Successful candidates should have strong organisational skills and a background in logistics or supply chain management, focusing on delivering excellent service while navigating operational challenges.

Qualifications

• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to make confident operational decisions in time-pressured environments.
• Experience in logistics, rail operations, or supply chain management is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Be the primary point of contact for MRL customers, ensuring service level expectations are met.
• Make time-critical decisions for daily operational issues and train plans.
• Maintain control over the MRL wagon fleet to meet customer demand.
• Accurately log and report all daily train movements.

Skills

Organisational skills

Problem-solving skills

Customer service focus

Clear communication

Logistics experience

Rail operations knowledge

Job description

Join to apply for the Operations Controller role at Heidelberg Materials UK

Operations Controller – Mendip Rail Limited

Location: Shepton Mallet

We are looking for an organised, decisive, and customer‑focused Operations Controller to support the smooth, efficient operation of the MRL train plan and wagon fleet. In this pivotal role, you’ll act as the first point of contact for MRL customers while ensuring daily rail logistics run safely, accurately, and on schedule.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast‑paced operational environment and enjoys problem‑solving, communication, and coordination across multiple stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Interface & Service Delivery

• Be the primary point of contact for MRL customers, ensuring service level expectations are consistently achieved.
• Communicate train plans, updates, and issues promptly while arranging alternatives where necessary.

Operational Control & Decision Making

• Make time‑critical decisions to ensure the smooth day‑to‑day running of the train plan—from weekly planning to managing live daily operational issues.
• Prepare daily trip sheets for each quarry to ensure accurate loading and delivery requirements.
• Create and deliver the weekly train plan in collaboration with Supply Chain Partners.
• Advise depots of the agreed plan and coordinate swift solutions when issues arise.

Wagon Fleet Management

• Maintain control of the MRL wagon fleet to ensure availability meets customer demand.
• Organise defective wagon recoveries and offloads as required.

Reporting & Administration

• Accurately log and report all daily train movements, including concerns and deviations from plan.
• Input correct data to support invoice generation and performance reporting.
• Record, prepare, and manage transactional data for use by the Admin and Management teams.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Liaise effectively with parent companies and key supply chain personnel to ensure operational excellence and continual value creation.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong organisational and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to make confident operational decisions in time‑pressured environments.
• Clear communicator with excellent customer‑service focus.
• Experience in logistics, rail operations, or supply chain management is desirable.

Seniority level

• Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

• Full‑time

Job function

• Project Management
• Wholesale Building Materials and Construction