Senior Manager (Depot Operations) - Area 4

DPD UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vitality At Work

Holiday trading

Enhanced maternity and paternity

Free life assurance 4 x salary

Free onsite parking

Discounted shopping

Milestone Days off

Free eye tests

Job summary

DPD UK is seeking a Senior Operations Manager to oversee day‑to‑day network flow across depots and hub operations, ensuring performance, quality, and cost targets are met to deliver the business plan.

You will lead site managers, drive continuous improvement, and partner with senior management to optimise network design and efficiency while maintaining safety and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Strong background in hands-on parcel management or transport operations.
• Proficiency using live routing systems (e.g. Quantum).
• Experience managing live operational teams across multiple sites.
• Good understanding of UK transport regulations and safety compliance.

Responsibilities

• Deliver day-to-day execution of the plans across all depots, ensuring daily performance targets for service are achieved.
• Ensure all depots within each area maintain the highest Quality and Health & Safety Standards at all times.
• Ensure cost control is managed to budget.
• Develop all direct reports to ensure they deliver the highest standards of performance as required by KPIs.

Skills

Transport ops

Routing systems

People leadership

UK transport regs

Tools

Quantum routing

Job description

DPD UK is a member of Geopost who are a market leader in parcel delivery and e-commerce solutions, providing a broad range of delivery and innovative services for customers worldwide. DPD UK has a turnover of over £2 billion and our aim is to be the most sustainable delivery company in the UK. At DPD UK we also aim to deliver the best service, use the best technology and recruit and retain the best people in the industry.

DPD is a Valuable 500 company and a Disability Confident Employer.

Job Description

Role Purpose

The Senior Manager role is responsible for the critical, day-to-day execution and continuous monitoring of network flow within and between DPD's Depots and central Hub operations. This role focuses on ensuring the management of performance, quality, and cost standards needed to deliver the agreed operational plan set by the business, acting as the primary link between Senior management and on-site Depot operations.

Key Role Accountabilities

• Deliver day-to-day execution of the plans across all depots, ensuring daily performance targets for service are achieved
• Ensure all depots within each area maintain the highest Quality and Health & Safety Standards at all times.
• Ensure cost control is managed to budget
• Working closely with the wider hub operations team and providing regular feedback/solutions
• Develop all direct reports to ensure they deliver the highest standards of performance as required by business KPI’s and DNA.

Network Strategy & Design

• Provide "on-the-ground" feedback to the Heads of Network to refine network processes
• Coordinate the physical setup of new Depots and/or depot moves as required by the business plans
• Monitor depot performance against capacity limits and elevate any service and cost issues.

Operational Performance & Efficiency

• Conduct regular reviews using business systems and dashboards of each site to measure performance against all KPIs and implement improvement plans where required with site management teams.
• Identify immediate operational risks (e.g., weather, road closures) and ensure sites implement contingency plans as expected.
• Analyse depot route planning to identify and fix localised inefficiencies.
• Ensure all depots have plans for volume uplift periods at Bank Holidays and Peak to maintain service and cost metrics.
• Authorise and monitor operational expenditure with your area as required by company processes.

Transport & Routing Optimisation

• Regularly review the use of Quantum and Route Planning at Depot level.
• Conduct regular audits of route plans to ensure they are being executed as intended.
• Work with transport leads to ensure daily fleet availability at the depots meets the depot requirements.

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead a team of Site managers to deliver the business performance targets as required by senior management.
• Act as the primary point of contact for all Depot Managers regarding daily network issues.
• Identify talent with your area to ensure we plan for future growth and give opportunity for people to progress inline with campaign strategy.
• Develop relations with all support functions impacting your area to ensure all policy, procedures and Legal compliance is maintained in all sites
• Responsible for presenting operational performance of your sites back to senior management in a concise and clear manner.
• Responsibility to support Sales and CRM in achieving company revenue growth plans.

Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Identify immediate "low-hanging fruit" for efficiency gains (e.g., better AM Time in Depot).
• Ensure depot teams are using all digital tools and routing best practices for maximum gain.
• Support site-level pilots of new operational processes.

Sustainability & Compliance

• Monitor daily driver compliance with hours and safety regulations.
• Ensure Depot-level adherence to environmental policies (e.g., engine idling and route compliance).
• Record and report sustainability data (e.g., EV utilisation rates) at the Depot level.

Key Relationships

Internal: Head of Region (Reporting line), Depot Managers, Shift Managers, Transport Operations Teams,, Hub Operations Teams.

External: 3PL drivers, Multi route Partners, External courier suppliers, regulatory auditors.

Qualifications

Experience & Capability

• Strong background in hands‑on parcel management or transport operations.
• Proficiency and understanding in using live routing systems (e.g. Quantum)
• Demonstrated experience in managing live operational teams across a multi‑site portfolio.
• Good understanding of UK transport regulations and safety compliance.

Personal Attributes

• Results‑driven with a focus on accountability and daily targets.
• Computer literate with excellent prioritisation and organisational skills
• Excellent commercial and communication skills for managing "blue-collar" and management stakeholders.
• Demonstrate the Company DNA and have an ability to inspire excellence in others.
• Adaptable and decisive in fast‑paced, high‑pressure environments.
• Strong ability to mentor and performance manage a team.
• Good analytical skills.

Additional Information

About our benefits

Alongside an excellent basic salary, we recognise that our people are at the heart of our business, without them we wouldn’t be able to deliver our award‑winning service to all our customers.

• Vitality At Work
• Holiday trading
• Enhanced maternity and paternity package
• Free life assurance of 4 x salary on joining the pension scheme
• Free onsite parking for all employees
• Discounted shopping from 100’s of retailers including up to 5% off your weekly supermarket shop
• Milestone Days off to celebrate with your family and friends
• Free eye tests and support with the cost of glasses

Joining DPD can lead to not just a stable job but also a career. DPD prides itself on recognising and developing talent alongside a desire to promote from within. As a continually growing and evolving organisation, we are proud to offer a great number of development and promotion opportunities.