Returns Shift Manager

The Cotswold Company; Lichfield; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + bank holidays or TOI

Extra Day off for your birthday

Staff discount

Pension

Health and dental plans

Job summary

The Cotswold Company is seeking a Returns Shift Manager to lead our Returns operation from Fradley Park, overseeing receipt, inspection, refurbishment and disposal of returns. You will drive performance, manage budgets and coordinate with Product, Quality and Buying teams to recover value and cut waste.

You will manage a multi-site team, ensure safe handling of furniture, and plan staffing against demand while keeping stock accuracy high in our warehouse system.

Qualifications

• Experience leading multi-site returns or warehouse teams.
• Proven people-management, performance and absence handling.
• Budget control and cost awareness in a returns setting.
• Familiarity with warehouse or returns management systems and Excel.
• Strong health and safety awareness and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a multi-site returns team.
• Ensure safety when handling large or damaged furniture.
• Manage returns budget for labour, refurbishment, recycling and write-offs.
• Track return rates, processing times and recovery value.
• Identify root causes of trends and coordinate fixes with Product/QA/Buying/delivery teams.
• Improve stock recovery and reduce waste; keep warehouse records accurate.

Skills

Leadership experience

People management

Budget management

Warehouse systems

Excel

Health and safety

Attention to detail

Tools

WMS systems

Excel

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Job reference TCC000963 Date posted 09/10/2026 Application closing date Blank Location Lichfield UK Salary Salary DOE + Benefits Package Competitive Contractual hours 40 Basis Full time Job category/type Blank Attachments Blank

Returns Shift Manager

Fradley Park, Lichfield | Full time |

Every return tells us something

At The Cotswold Company, we make furniture to last. Our pieces come with a 15-year guarantee, and we’re a certified B-Corp. When something comes back to us, we want the customer to feel looked after, not let down. We also want to give that piece a second life where we can.

That’s where you come in.

The role

You’ll lead our Returns operation across all sites, from our warehouse at Fradley Park. You’ll own the whole journey of a returned product: receipt, inspection, grading, refurbishment, repackaging, recycling and disposal.

You’ll have real autonomy. You’ll work with our Head of Returns on a long-term plan to raise performance, recover more value and cut waste.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading, coaching and growing a multi-site team, including a Senior Returns Supervisor
• Keeping everyone safe, with large or damaged furniture handled with care
• Managing the returns budget, covering labour, refurbishment, recycling and write-offs
• Tracking return rates, processing times and recovery value, and reporting on them
• Finding the root cause of returns trends and turning it into fixes with Product, Quality, Buying and our delivery teams
• Getting more stock back into saleable condition and less into the skip
• Keeping stock accurate in our warehouse system and planning staffing against demand

What you’ll bring

• Leadership experience in returns, reverse logistics or warehouse operations
• Solid people management, including employee relations, performance and absence
• Experience managing budgets and financial performance
• Strong knowledge of warehouse or returns management systems, and good Excel
• Strong health and safety awareness
• A keen eye for detail and a drive to reduce errors, damage and waste

It would be lovely if you also have experience with furniture, homeware or bulky goods, e-commerce, or Lean or 5S methods.

• - 25 days holiday + bank holidays or TOIL
• - Extra Day off for your birthday
• - 25% staff discount, increasing to 50% upon completion of probation
• - Company pension scheme
• - Access to health and dental cash plans

You’ll join a business that cares how things are made and what happens to them afterwards. Your work will feed directly into our sustainability and circular economy goals.

Our values

We work to four values: Lead with Care, Inspire Possibility, Focus on Impact and Endure with Purpose. We welcome applicants from every background and want everyone here to feel they belong.