Background
Pets at Home has C430 stores across the UK. The Support Office is located in Handforth, near Manchester. In 2003 we built a distribution centre (DC) in Stoke, which has grown in volume supported by 400+ colleagues. To meet our aggressive store-growth plans we opened a second DC in Northampton in June 2011, which will have the capacity to expand to an operation supported by up to 350 colleagues.
The Distribution Centre services designated stores with full logistics support, providing store fulfillment and reverse logistics. Pets at Home have a strong sales focus with product availability key to the overall business success. Pets at Home deliver a strategy of minimum stock holding space within their stores in order to facilitate maximum sales floor space and reduce stock investment. Stores’ service is vital and success is measured by on-time-in-full (OTIF) delivery within a 1 hour delivery window. Stores receive between 2-6 deliveries per week dependant upon store size and sales velocity.
Growing from strength to strength, Pets at Home achieved recognition as one of the best 100 UK companies to work for in the Sunday Times 2011 survey. This year we also achieved recognition by Retail Week as Employer of the Year and Specialty retailer of the Year.
We now have a great opportunity for a Site Shift Manager to lead a warehouse shift operation at our DC in Stoke. The site will be operating shift patterns over a 24/7 period.
Reporting to: Senior Operations Manager
Direct Reports: Warehouse First Line Managers and c.200 Warehouse Colleagues on site
Key Relationships: Senior Operations Managers, General Managers, Warehouse First Line Managers, Warehouse Colleagues, Stock Control First Line Manager, Transport FLM’s, People Business Partner, Store Support Manager, Resource Planning Manager.
Job Band: D
Job Description:
- Reporting to the Senior Operations Manager, responsible for all operational and site aspects of a Distribution Centre.
- Maintain a proactive approach to risk management and adherence to site health & safety regulations to ensure a safe working environment.
- Ensure the operation consistently meets the requirements of the business, in terms of quality, productivity, daily and weekly operations reporting and key performance indicator (KPI) management.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and added value whilst key service levels are not affected.
- Ensuring proactive stock control measures are in place and that detailed loss analysis is completed in full.
- Responsible for developing a collaborative relationship with internal teams & suppliers to ensure that communication within the operation is consistent.
Scale of the site
- Up to 450 warehouse colleagues
- 24/7 operation
- Delivery up to 270 stores
- 3rd Party transport management
- Management team of approximately 20
- Up to 950,000 cases per week distributed
- Recycling centre
Candidate Required
Shift Operations Manager at business entry point with the capability to develop into Senior Operations Manager. Ideally candidates will have several years’ experience in Distribution Centre Management with a background in high volume retail logistics (in-house or 3PL).
Candidates must demonstrate a high level of commitment to previous roles, having taken ownership and ensuring excellence in service delivery. Due to the evolving nature of the organisation and the ongoing development of the logistics function, candidates should be experienced in delivering continuous improvement programs, ideally with exposure to lean logistics principles.
The ideal candidate will be fully flexible and happy to be part of a team of 4 shift managers, willing to be on a rota which includes weekends and nights.
The opportunity would suit a forward-thinking individual, who would seek to implement best practice.
Person Specification
- Action oriented with a proven track record of managing and delivering change within a fast moving distribution environment.
- Knowledge and experience of materials handling equipment, together with warehouse management systems.
- Managed service level agreements (SLA’s) and key performance indicators (KPI’s.)
- A proven leader who takes pride in the development of teams.
- Managed budgets and negotiated contracts.
- Has knowledge of wider aspects of the supply chain.
- Implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
- Exceptional people management skills.
- Energy and tenacity to succeed in a fast paced environment.
Attributes
- Forward-thinking and competitive with a store centric focus.
- People leader within the site.
- Focus and detail on cost control.
- Excellent communicator.
- Self starter and highly motivated.
- Very strong attention to detail and data analysis.
- Strong commercial acumen.
- Customer focus.
- Creative and resourceful under pressure.
- Results orientated.
- Team player within the wider business.
Skills
- Ability to build and motivate teams.
- Excellent people management and first class, proven leadership skills.
- Skilled in Human Resources and Health & Safety.
- Planning skills.
- Robust IT skills.
- Change management skills.
- Project management skills.
- Communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Commercial skills and experience e.g. budget prep, financial management, investment project expenditure
- Management, cost control and business case development.
- Capable and committed to developing the team and helping them, manage their career progression.
Nature and Scope
- Conduct daily briefs to shift team, covering volumes to be picked/service level/damages/error rate and own shift case rate, also covering the % picked and actual against the business demand.
- Plan and manage the day to day requirements of own shift to meet demands, utilising the colleagues available in the areas that suit for that days requirements.
- Monitor all absence from work ensuring all Return To Work Interviews are completed and action taken where required.
- To liaise with Stock Control daily to discuss warehouse cross offs and availability and rectify accordingly, covering any replenishment errors.
- To ensure all accident / incidents are carried out and reports presented to the People Team and the Health & Safety Manager.
- Be pro-active in the planning of the shift patterns including precise and accurate handover shift by shift.
- To plan new store allocations to ensure all new deliveries are on time prior to store opening, this will include the need to ensure that the window times set out are in no way compromised.
- Carry out reviews on all First Line Managers ensuring that projects relating to their particular areas are given, and to monitor the progress of the project.
- Carry out the disciplinary procedure up to the dismissal stage, ensuring that all disciplinary procedures have been adhered to within the Company handbook.
- Liaise with agency representative on a daily basis regarding performance/absence/ holiday/discipline.
- Liaise with transport department daily to assist in the best way to consolidate loads without jeopardising the service to stores.
- Ensure that First Line Managers are adequately trained to carry out their duties in all aspects of the warehouse.
- To promote a safe working environment for all colleagues and that all the colleagues are briefed on statutory regulations as well as company regulations relevant to Pets at Home.
- Manage all the overtime that is required taking into account the budget figures that have been set within individual areas to meet the business and costs demand.
- Oversee the holiday entitlement for their areas of responsibility.
- Produce accurate KPI’s on a daily basis for the Senior Operations Manager ensuring all information is reliable and precise.
- To ensure that the general standard of housekeeping is to agreed standards
- Represent the warehouse on the colleague improvement forum and health and safety committees.
- Will act upon and follow up any other reasonable requests as identified by senior management.
Education & Achievement
- Educated to degree standard or equivalent. (optional not a must)
- Track record of success in both operational and managerial roles.
- Several years’ experience within a management position within Distribution Centre Management, preferable in a Retail or similarly fast paced, high volume environment.
Package:
- Salary range: up to £50k dependent upon experience
- Shifts – tbc but will include some time on night shifts
- Bonus scheme applicable to grade
- 36 days holiday rising to 38 after 2 years service
- An extra day’s holiday when it’s your birthday
- Contributory stakeholder pension plan: 6.5% Company contribution
- Life assurance: 4 x salary
- 20% Pets at Home discount scheme
- ‘LifeWorks’ voluntary benefits package
*If you haven't heard back from us within 2 weeks, please assume that unfortunately on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful*
