Warehouse & Logistics Operations Manager in Chelmsford

We're looking for an experienced Warehouse & Logistics Operations Manager to lead operational performance across two busy freight forwarding warehouse facilities. You'll take ownership of warehouse, logistics and cargo-handling operations, ensuring everything runs safely, efficiently, compliantly and cost-effectively. You'll lead and develop teams, coordinate warehouse, transport and customs functions, manage key stakeholders and drive continuous improvement. This is a hands-on leadership role.

Your Mission

• Lead two sites as one operation.
• Own performance across both facilities, creating consistent SOPs, processes, KPIs and standards.
• Plan labour, equipment and capacity around changing volumes and priorities.
• Build a culture of accountability, teamwork, safety and operational discipline.
• Step in during peak periods or operational challenges to maintain service continuity.
• Keep cargo moving: Oversee air, sea and road freight, including receiving, breakdown, consolidation, storage and dispatch.
• Manage general, hazardous, temperature-controlled and high-value cargo.
• Monitor throughput, turnaround times, accuracy, productivity and service performance.
• Connect warehouse, transport and customs: Coordinate transport, carriers and haulage providers.
• Manage movements between facilities, ports, airports and customers.
• Improve routing, utilisation and freight costs.
• Work closely with customs teams to support efficient clearances, inspections and documentation.
• Own compliance: Oversee ETSF and non-bonded stock accuracy, audits, reconciliations and discrepancy resolution.
• Support HMRC requirements and inspections.
• Ensure compliance with IATA, CAA, HMRC, aviation security, dangerous goods and Health & Safety requirements.
• Maintain robust SOPs, risk assessments, safe systems of work and incident-management processes.
• Lead and develop people: Manage workforce planning, staffing, shifts and resources.
• Coach, develop and performance-manage warehouse and logistics teams.
• Set clear expectations around safety, quality and productivity.
• Build strong communication across warehouse, transport and customs.
• Develop future operational leaders.
• Drive continuous improvement: Use operational data, team feedback and customer insight to identify and deliver improvements.
• Contribute to WMS/ERP development, digitalisation, KPI reporting, Lean initiatives, productivity and cost reduction.
• Support capacity planning, budget management and longer-term logistics strategy.

What You'll Bring

• Proven warehouse/logistics management experience within freight forwarding or a similar regulated environment.
• Experience across air, sea, road or multimodal freight.
• Strong understanding of ETSF, bonded warehousing, customs and international freight documentation.
• Knowledge of relevant IATA, CAA and HMRC requirements.
• Proven people leadership and stakeholder-management skills.
• Experience with WMS, ERP or operational systems.
• Data-driven approach to performance management.
• Practical, hands-on leadership style.
• Valid FLT certification and ability to operate equipment when required.
• Five-year employment history with no gaps, as required for CAA regulatory purposes.

Desirable:

• Degree in Logistics, Supply Chain, Business or related discipline.
• IATA DGR, aviation security or customs qualifications.
• CILT, APICS or equivalent professional qualification.
• Lean/Six Sigma experience.
• Experience delivering WMS or warehouse digitalisation projects.

The Person

You're a leader, problem solver and commercially minded operator who can balance service, productivity, capacity and cost. You'll be calm under pressure, detail-focused and operationally credible, with the ability to build accountability without unnecessary bureaucracy. Most importantly, you'll constantly ask: Why?

This Role

This is an opportunity to shape and improve a multi-site logistics operation with genuine influence over people, processes, cargo flow, performance and future growth. If you combine strong leadership with hands-on operational credibility, commercial thinking with attention to detail, and high standards with a practical approach, we'd like to hear from you. Ready to take ownership? Apply now and tell us what great warehouse and logistics operations look like to you.