Team Manager

John Lewis Partnership; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

John Lewis Partnership in the UK is seeking a Section Manager for our South Central Customer Delivery Hub in Southampton to lead a team of Partners delivering direct-to-customer orders while upholding John Lewis service standards across all touchpoints. You will plan resources, monitor KPIs, and work with transport planning and agencies to ensure compliant, efficient operations.

The role requires flexible hours and out‑of‑hours coverage, with a strong focus on safety and high performance in a

Qualifications

• People management experience within a large team
• Experience in a fast-paced, operational environment
• Strong stakeholder and agency management skills
• Experience managing performance, absence and conduct, including disciplinaries and grievances
• Knowledge and understanding of transport operations and legal compliance
• Strong communication, organisation and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and make effective decisions under pressure
• Experience driving performance and maintaining high standards across a team

Responsibilities

• Plan operational resources (daily and weekly) with the Partners and agency
• Develop and maintain relationships with the operational teams to ensure communication across the site remains effective
• Monitor and analyse department KPIs to look for trends and opportunities to facilitate continuous improvement within the team
• Ensure daily communication with the transport planning team
• Managing the day-to-day running of the transport office (schedules and conference calls)

Skills

People management

Fast-paced ops

Stakeholder management

Performance management

Transport compliance

Communication skills

Prioritization

Decision making under pressure

Education

Transport Manager CPC

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

As Section Manager in one of our Customer Delivery Hubs, you'll manage a team of Partners responsible for direct-to-customer deliveries and ensure the supply chain runs smoothly, while maintaining the highest customer service standards expected of the John Lewis brand.

You’ll ensure all operations adhere to legal compliance rules and regulations and deliver all operational KPIs / SLAs in line with Partner, customer, and profit business-wide metrics.

In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 18:00 - 22:00 will attract an Evening Premium at a rate of £3.75 per hour, and any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract a Night Premium at a rate of £4.75 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements.

At a glance

Partnership Role Title: Section Manager, Customer Delivery Hub

Positions Available: 2 (1x Permanent, 1x 6-month Secondment/Fixed-Term)

Location: South Central (Customer Delivery Hub) in Southampton

Hours of work: Full-time, 41 hours per a week.

Permanent Shift Pattern (3-Week Rota)

• Week 1: Wednesday–Saturday (6:00 am–5:00 pm)
• Week 2: Monday (5:00 am–4:00 pm), Tuesday–Thursday (6:00 am–5:00 pm)
• Week 3: Tuesday–Friday

Fixed-Term Shift Pattern (6-Week Rota)

• Week 1: Monday (5:00 am–4:00 pm), Tuesday–Thursday (6:00 am–5:00 pm)
• Week 2: Tuesday–Friday (10:30 am–9:30 pm)
• Week 3: Wednesday–Saturday (6:00 am–5:00 pm)
• Week 4: Monday–Thursday (10:30 am–9:30 pm)
• Week 5: Tuesday–Friday (6:00 am–5:00 pm)
• Week 6: Wednesday–Friday (10:30 am–9:30 pm), Saturday (7:00 am–6:00 pm)

Key Responsibilities

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Planning operational resources (daily and weekly) with the Partners and agency.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with the operational teams to ensure communication across the site remains effective.
• Monitoring and analysing department KPIs to look for trends and opportunities to facilitate continuous improvement within the team.
• Ensuring daily communication with the transport planning team.
• Managing the day-to-day running of the transport office (for example, schedules and conference calls).

You’ll need to be open to flexible working hours, as this role has the head of branch, out-of-hours, and key holder responsibilities. During these times, you will be held accountable for the site's business continuity procedure.

It’s crucial that you act responsibly in line with Corporate Social Responsibility commitments and waste management for your department and site.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• People management experience within a large team environment
• Experience working in a fast-paced, operational environment
• Strong stakeholder and agency management skills
• Experience managing performance, absence and conduct, including disciplinaries and grievances
• Knowledge and understanding of transport operations and legal compliance
• Strong communication, organisation and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and make effective decisions under pressure
• Experience driving performance and maintaining high standards across a team

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Transport Manager CPC qualification
• Hiring Manager and/or recruitment experience
• Incident management experience
• Experience of managing fleet, drivers or transport operations
• Experience using transport, workforce management or performance systems
• Experience of continuous improvement and delivering operational efficiencies

Closing Date: September 20, 2026

Pay: £36,600.00 - £57,600.00 Annual

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours of Work: Hours are a 3 week rota; Week 1 Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday Week2 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Week 3 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Mondays are always 5am-4pm All other days are 6-5pm.

Job Level: Partnership Level 8

Where You'll Be Working: South Central Customer Dellivery Hub (John Lewis & Partners), Unit 3, Peel Logistics Park South Central, Southampton, Hampshire, SO169BN

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.