Regional Operations Manager – South East ( Including London )

LWC Drinks · Direct employer

Job Title: Regional Operations Manager – South East ( Including London )
Reports to: Head of operations
Region: South East England, including Eastbourne, Romford, Aylesbury, Northampton ( Multi-site, including London )
This job is multi-site covering the South East region, the post code for this vacancy is the mid-point between all sites.

Job Summary

Key responsibilities, KPI & Measurement Criteria:

Operations Leadership ( Hands-on ):
• KPI: Management Visibility
Measurement: Regular documented site visits; operational engagement plans in place
• Actively support depots during peak periods, operational issues, or labour shortages
• Provide on-the-ground leadership to resolve service, staffing, or process challenge

Service & Delivery performance
• KPI: Monitor and Drive high customer service levels
Measurement: Consistent KPI delivery across all sites; minimal performance variance, Achieve Target 97% Service Level (Broken In Transit, Out of Stocks, Pick Accuracy)

Health, Safety & Compliance
• KPI: Conduct 6 Monthly H&S Audit
Measurement: Compliant with Legal and Company Policies
• KPI: Site Compliance
Measurement: Audit scores = 95%; actions closed within agreed timeframes
• Lead by example in H&S behaviours; conduct regular review of Monthly Depot Audit and support toolbox talks

Transport & Fleet Operations
• KPI: Conduct 6 Monthly Transport Compliance Audit
Measurement: Compliant with Legal and Company Policies
• KPI: Fleet Utilisation
Measurement: Vehicles utilised effectively; downtime minimised

• KPI: Route Efficiency
Measurement: Improved drops per route / reduced mileage per drop
• Support transport planning and routing improvements where required

Warehouse & Stock Management
• KPI: Stock Accuracy
Measurement: = 99.5% accuracy
• KPI: Monitor and Drive Warehouse Productivity
Measurement: Deliver Minimum of 85% Performance across all departments
• Support implementation of consistent picking, loading, and stock control practices

Financial & Cost Control
• KPI: Cost per Case Delivered
Measurement: Delivered within budget with continuous improvement
• KPI: Labour Efficiency
Measurement: Agency usage controlled; labour aligned to volume
Customer Experience
• KPI: Customer Complaints
Measurement: Reduction in complaints per 1,000 deliveries
• KPI: Service Recovery
Measurement: Issues resolved within SLA; root causes eliminated

Leadership & People Development
• KPI: Staff Retention
Measurement: Reduced turnover; stable depot teams
• KPI: Engagement & Absence
Measurement: Absence levels within target; improved engagement scores
• Coach and develop depot leadership teams
• Address performance issues directly and promptly

Continuous Improvement
• KPI: CI Delivery
Measurement: Demonstrable cost savings and efficiency gains
• Standardise processes across all depots
• Identify and implement practical, site-level improvements

Business Continuity & Resilience
• KPI: Operational Resilience
Measurement: Minimal disruption impact; effective cross-depot support
• Support implementation of BCP plans and inter-depot collaboration

What We’re Looking For

Skills & Experience required:
• Proven experience in multi-site transport and warehouse operations (drinks/FMCG preferred)
• Strong working knowledge of O Licence compliance, driver hours, and depot operations
• Demonstrable experience in a hands-on operational leadership role
• Strong problem-solving ability with a practical, action-oriented mindset
• Experience leading teams in fast-paced, service-critical environments


Qualifications ( Desirable but not essential ):
• CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) – National/International
• FLT Licence (Counterbalance/Reach) – or willingness to maintain operational competency
• IOSH / NEBOSH (Health & Safety)
• Transport or Logistics-related qualification

Key Behaviours:

• Leads from the front; visible and approachable
• Comfortable working at pace with operational intensity
• Strong attention to detail and compliance discipline
• Decisive and solution-focused
• Builds credibility quickly with depot teams

Success Profile (6-12 months)

• Establish strong presence and credibility across all South East depots
• Stabilise underperforming sites through direct operational involvement
• Deliver measurable improvements in OTIF, cost, and H&S performance
• Implement consistent standards across transport and warehouse operations
• Strengthen depot leadership capability and accountability

Additional Information:
• Company Car
• Pension

LWC Drinks Ltd provides licensed establishments with all their bar and sundry supplies. However, we are more than just a distributor, becoming the fastest growing privately owned drinks company in Britain, placing 24th in the Sunday Times PWC Profit Track 100. Our aim is to provide the best customer service in the industry, employing over 1,800 people, at 18 depots across the UK, with a Support Centre and Hub Distribution Centre based in Manchester.
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