This is very much a ‘hands on’ management role within a busy mail orderdepartment. It incorporates several crucial elements and processes and isintegral to delivering the high standards, ethos and first-class customer serviceof Grasmere Gingerbread®. Key responsibilities include ensuring the efficientoperation and execution of the daily operational dispatch ofdomestic/international parcels to acute/rolling deadlines and to pro-activelyand supportively manage the team to deliver ‘the above’ effectively andefficiently. It is a position that demands an understanding and appreciation ofthe internal and external demands upon Grasmere Gingerbread®.
Meetingthese consistently has enabled the business to establish and maintain a globalreputation for excellent customer service.
Dispatch:
- Process and execute the daily dispatch of orders.
Management of mail order team:
- Organise staffing of the department enabling full operation 6/7 days a week.
- Give daily direction to the team to fulfill dispatch deadlines and meet company quality standards andcustomer expectations.
- Liaise with Operations Manager to further support and manage relief packers during busy periods.
- Monitor staff performance and action staff reviews in conjunction with Senior Management andcompany procedures.
- Deliver relevant staff training as and when required.
Communication:
- Communicate internally and externally at all levels and formats (face-to-face, telephone, email andletter) to build and maintain excellent relationships.
- Communicate regularly (daily) with bakery to ensure mail order requirements are fulfilled.
- Communicate internally with the rest of the team as and when required.
- Provide the Finance Manager with financial information as and when required (often to legaldeadlines).
- Gather and collate regular statistical mail order data for presentation to the Operation Manager,Directors & Ecommerce Manager.
- Provide regular operational up-dates for Operations Manager or, in his absence, the Directors.
- Communicate with external providers, e.g. couriers (account managers, customer support and drivers)and suppliers (where applicable) to build harmonious working relationships.
- Communicate with customers (individual/corporate) to meet the company’s ethos and standards andensure this is replicated by the rest of the team to deliver first-class customer service.
- Monitor and deal with negative issues, respond accordingly and record relevant data.
- Communicate with the Sales and Marketing Department in reference to the online shop.
Consumables:
- Liaise with Stock & Procurement Manager or, in their absence, Bakery/Operations Manager forstock requirements/issues.
- Maintain suitable stock levels for both saleable and consumable stock (mail order only) which takeinto account seasonal peaks and sales promotions by liaising with the Stock & Procurement Managerand the Sales & Merchandising Manager.
Technology and Data Management:
- Data management and compliance with GDPR across all areas.
- Ability to operate all courier software and execute courier software updates.
Finance:
- Process all relevant payments.
- Compile records of refunds and replacements for monthly submission to the Finance Manager.
- Monitor courier costs and communicate when changes/issues arise.
- Process refund claims with courier companies and keep records of these for quarterly submission to the Finance Manager.
- Alert Operations Manager or, in their absence, the Directors in the event of any payment systemfailures.
- Responsible for petty cash in the absence of the Finance Manager.
Websites & Digital:
- Ensure complete understanding of the company’s Terms and Conditions and that they are fullyadhered to.
- Liaise directly with Ecommerce Manager on any issue with website.
- Monitor and update stock on website in the absence of the Stock & Procurement Manager.
- Create and design marketing emails, link to site and email in absence of Sales & MerchandisingManager.
Promotion:
- Manage and execute dispatch of special or seasonal promotions working alongside Marketing &Sales, Procurement.
- Full responsibility for the mail order department building – security, housekeeping plus healthand safety of colleagues working in and others that may enter the building.
- Any other tasks as and when required by the Directors.
Skill Requirements
Person Specification:
As previously stated, the role of Dispatch Manager is very much a ‘hands on’ managerial role. It requires ahigh level of self-confidence, a commercial mindset, excellent communication skills, an analytical, organisedapproach and the ability to self-motivate and work independently and/or as part of a team.
Ultimately, theDispatch Manager relates to and interacts with the business as a whole to deliver excellent customer service.
The ideal candidate must demonstrate experience across ecommerce management, technology, distributionand possess strong logistics and staff management experience.
Essential skills and experience:
- Exceptional attention to detail in all dispatch and packing tasks.
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in dispatch, logistics, warehouse or ecommerce fulfilment.
- Strong understanding of pick/pack workflows, parcel labelling and courier handover.
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Office and dispatch‑related IT systems.
- Confident using order management, courier booking and parcel tracking platforms.
- Personable with first‑class customer service skills.
- Clear, effective communicator across written, verbal and digital channels.
- Highly organised with excellent time management.
- Able to manage and co‑ordinate multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Working knowledge of GDPR and secure data‑handling practices.
- Strong problem‑solving skills, particularly around courier delays or stock discrepancies.
- Experience supervising or coordinating small teams.
- Knowledge of courier performance metrics or dispatch KPIs.
- Experience improving dispatch processes or reducing error rates.
- Familiarity with stock control or inventory systems.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel (Intermediate–Advanced) and confident with formulas such as IF,VLOOKUP; macros.
- Microsoft Outlook, Word and PowerPoint.
- Cloud backup and Anti-virus software.
- Shipping and logistics software systems.
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