Operations Manager

MorePeople; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

MorePeople is seeking an Operations Manager to lead two high-volume sites with a combined team of around 40, overseeing dispatch, warehousing and distribution. You’ll challenge the status quo, drive improvements and ensure consistent, safe site performance.

You’ll work through other managers, manage seasonal peaks, optimise labour utilisation and cost, and partner with agency providers during peak periods. An ERP migration is on the horizon, so you’ll help adopt new processes and systems across

Qualifications

• Experience leading large, high-volume operations across multiple sites.
• Proven track record improving productivity and costs.
• Ability manage seasonal peaks and fluctuating volumes.

Responsibilities

• Lead dispatch, warehouse and distribution operations across two sites.
• Manage a team of managers and a wider team of around 40.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes, layouts and workflows.
• Plan seasonal workforce and manage agency providers.
• Oversee ERP migration and adoption of new processes.

Skills

Leading warehouse operations

People management

Continuous improvement

Data-driven decisions

Health & safety

ERP implementation

Budget/cost control

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

If \"we've always done it this way\" makes you want to run for the hills, this could be the job you've been looking for!

This isn't a role where you'll be expected to sit in an office and produce endless reports. There are already experienced Dispatch & Warehouse Managers running the day-to-day operations. Your role will be to lead them, challenge them, improve what's there and make sure the sites are performing consistently.

What can I expect?

As Operations Manager you'll have overall responsibility for the operational performance of 2 sites, covering everything from productivity, labour utilisation and cost through to dispatch performance, stock accuracy, health & safety and continuous improvement.

You’ll have a handful of direct reports, with a wider team of 40.

The plant operation in particular brings significant seasonal peaks, changing volumes and the added challenge of getting a living product to customers in the right condition and at the right time.

A big part of the role will be looking at what's happening across both sites and asking some fairly straightforward questions:

• Why are we doing it this way?
• Where are we losing time or money?
• What could work better?
• And how do we actually make the change happen?

You’ll lead continuous improvement across processes, layouts and workflows, as well as overseeing seasonal workforce planning and the relationship with agency providers.

There’s also an ERP migration coming up, so you’ll play an important operational role in helping both sites adopt new processes and systems.

What experience do I need?

You might be an Operations Manager from FMCG, food manufacturing, fresh produce, e-commerce, fulfilment, logistics or another high-volume, labour-intensive environment where getting things right matters.

What’s more important is that you’ve managed a sizeable operational environment and can demonstrate that you’ve actually improved it.

You’ll ideally have experience of:

• Leading warehouse, dispatch, fulfilment or distribution operations
• Managing through other managers rather than only directly managing operational teams
• Working with seasonal or fluctuating volumes and labour requirements
• Improving productivity, labour utilisation, cost and service levels
• Continuous improvement and process optimisation
• Managing KPIs and using data to identify and close performance gaps
• Health & safety and operational compliance
• Working with agency labour and external providers
• Implementing or improving systems and processes

We're less interested in whether you've got a particular Lean qualification and more interested in what you've actually changed.

Who will be a good fit?

We're not looking for someone who arrives with all the answers and feels the need to tell everyone about them.

You will need personality, confidence and enough gravitas to lead and challenge experienced managers, but you'll also need to be approachable. Most importantly, you'll be the kind of person who is happy to get involved.

If you enjoy finding a better way of doing things, working with people to make it happen and seeing a tangible result from your work, we'd like to hear from you.