Head of Operations

Head of Operations

Job Summary

• The Head of Operations has overall responsibility for warehouse and on-site operations performance, together with financial and KPI metrics performance.
• The role requires strong leadership, decisive decision making and the ability to deliver operational strategy and alignment together with continuous improvement.
• Improving safety, productivity, efficiency and quality, whilst delivering operational projects that reduce costs, improve flexibility and enhance client service.
• The role is based on site five days/week.
• The Head of Operations reports to the MD and is de facto deputy and a member of the SLT.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the SLT collaboratively to achieve agreed financial, service and performance targets.
• Identify and deliver continuous improvement across all business activities.
• Lead logistics and operational projects that reduce cost and improve efficiency.
• Prepare annual operational budgets and KPIs.
• Define and own business and operational KPIs.
• Manage operational performance against KPIs and agreed metrics.
• Manage client service and performance and take corrective action where necessary.
• Manage warehouse and on-site operating costs.
• Provide regular and ad hoc operational reports and lead weekly SLT meetings.
• Lead recruitment, induction, development and retention of employees.
• Manage individual and team performance and address performance issues appropriately.
• Identify and deliver training and development requirements.
• Create an environment where managers and teams are motivated and empowered to make decisions.
• Recognise high performance and manage poor performance appropriately.
• Drive employee engagement and maintain appropriate attendance standards.
• Manage employee relations, including disciplinary, grievance and appeal processes where required.
• Provide leadership during operational difficulties.
• Manage resources to optimise operational and commercial performance measured against key metrics.
• Implement and document policy and process improvements effectively.
• Maintain appropriate health, safety and welfare standards.
• Ensure facilities and equipment are maintained to required standards.
• Ensure compliance with relevant HR, security, quality, health, safety and environmental procedures.

Experience & Qualifications

• Evidence of leadership experience and skills.
• Ability to challenge existing practices and identify opportunities for continual improvement.
• IT literate and numerate, with strong verbal and interpersonal skills.
• Business, Logistics, Operations experience.
• Previous experience in a similar operational management role.
• Evidence of managing financial performance and P&L.
• Experience developing and applying KPIs to improve operational performance.
• Experience in service-led distribution or operational environments.
• Strong analytical, numerical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to coach, mentor and motivate teams.
• Experience leading operational improvement projects.
• Experience working to high standards of quality, safety and service.
• Strong negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.

Personal Attributes

• Comfortable working in a relatively small, hands-on business.
• Self-reliant, reliable and hardworking.
• Results focused and commercially aware.
• Leadership, team development and people-management skills.
• Strategic thinking and operational alignment and execution.
• Performance management and accountability.
• Continuous improvement experience.
• Confident data-led decision making.
• Commercial and financial awareness.
• Effective relationship-building, communication and collaboration.
• Problem solving and adaptability.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results.
• Structured, methodical and organised.
• Adaptable and open to change.
• High standards of quality and service.
• Positive, articulate and professional.
• Able to influence and persuade others.
• Strong attention to detail.