Freightserve recruitment are looking for an Operations Excellence Manager for a well-established Courier / Logistics company based in the Heathrow area.

The Operational Excellence Manager is responsible for the design, compliance, and continuous improvement of the operational framework. This role focuses on continuous improvement, administration/documentation, process development and cost control to ensure operational excellence and compliance. This role also encompasses all elements of facilities maintenance, including plant and equipment.

The role has organisation-wide impact through ownership of operational processes and procedures, standardisation, and compliance/governance. It supports service delivery by providing clear processes & procedures, effective onboarding, skills development, and robust documentation.

General

• Be the Voice of Operations and the Operations Champion throughout the business alongside the Operations Manager.
• Responsibility for warehouse health, procurement, KPI’s and operational performance.
• Responsibility for disaster recovery planning which is regularly reviewed and tested
• Cover for Operations Manager when absent (annual leave/sickness)

Customer, Workforce & Shift Planning/Forecasting

• Build and maintain an operational forecasting tool.
• Lead the operational forecasting process using the sales forecast and customer schedules to predict requirements accurately.
• Monitor forecast accuracy and prepare scenarios for volume fluctuations.
• Analyse and optimise shift patterns to ensure operational coverage and cost-effective workforce utilisation.

Operational Productivity

• Review and enhance productivity levels throughout the UK warehouse, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Identify the most operational and cost-efficient movement across all modes of transport
• Analyse data to support smarter, faster, and more efficient decision-making.
• Work alongside operational managers to drive performance against KPIs and service levels.
• Develop, review, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), operational processes and frameworks.
• Develop and implement continuous improvement initiatives, drive improvements, best practice and operational excellence.

Operational Coordination

• Oversee the flow of parcels through the facility, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely throughput.
• Collaborate with internal departments to manage risks such as delays, capacity constraints, or client changes.
• Identify operational bottlenecks/constraints and build suitable mitigation plans.
• Lead on administrative tasks for operational projects.

Audit and Regulatory Compliance

• Plan, conduct, and oversee internal and external audits to ensure adherence to regulatory, contractual and organisational standards.
• Support teams with any remedial actions in response to audits.
• Develop and implement an appropriate audit cycle to include a programme of monthly and yearly audits (as applicable).
• Liaise with governmental and regulatory bodies together with external consultants, to support the Head of Legal and various teams in managing their compliance aspects across the business.
• Training matrix
• Overall responsibility for relationships with regulatory bodies and external consultants i.e. CAA, HMRC (Border Force, MOU, Trading Standards etc), Traffic Commissioner.

Human Resources (Operations Manager to cover in absence)

• Manage new starter onboarding and employment administration.
• Create, maintain and implement training and development plans alongsidse Operations Manager.
• Oversee HR administration including referencing and record keeping.

Customs Clearance, Civil Aviation Authority and Contractual Agreements

• Audit MOU customs clearance processes and procedures, ensuring all requirements are met effectively and efficiently.
• Support with Civil Aviation Authority compliance requirements such as clearance checks on employees.
• Support the Head of Legal in cascading key contractual requirements to relevant departments.
• Ensure aviation security compliance is always applied.

Health and Safety Compliance:

• Ensure the organisation is aware of and complies with UK Health and Safety laws and guidelines in conjunction with an external Health and Safety consultant.
• Collaborate with relevant teams (including supporting the HR Manager) to implement and monitor Health and Safety initiatives.

Risk and Compliance Programme Development

• Develop, implement, and regularly review a comprehensive risk and compliance programme tailored to organisational needs.
• Create and develop templates to support departmental management of risk and compliance initiatives.
• Monitor ongoing compliance and mitigate identified risks.

Cost Control

• Responsibility for the operations budget & operations/warehouse P&L
• Analyse and optimise shift patterns to ensure operational coverage and cost-effective workforce utilisation.
• Monitor and control costs for consumables, supplier contracts, documentation and staffing.
• Monitor and control maintenance work including facilities management.

Security

• Develop and implement security processes and procedures.

People

• Line Management for all Operational Management staff in the absence of Operations Manager.

As an agency we are fast becoming the number one Freight specialist in the UK. We have a fast growing reputation with most Freight related companies. Freightserve has been established since 1992 working within the Freight Forwarding and Shipping industry.