Station Manager - Purfleet in England

DHL Global Forwarding (DGF) is part of the DHL Group. While the DHL Group employs more than 580,000 people globally, DGF has around 31,000 freight forwarding experts in more than 190 countries around the world, with around 1,000 of us based in the UK across 15 Sites. As the experts in Freight Forwarding since 1815, we are the global specialists in Air, Ocean and Rail Freight.

Our people are at the heart of what we do, and we’re committed to helping our Forwarders to realise their full potential, supported by our own development journey - Certified International Forwarder (CIF).

Our Values

Every day we are guided by our values: Passion, Entrepreneurship, Excellence and Teamwork. We are extremely passionate about our people and what we do, which is why DHL Global Forwarding is recognised as a Top Employer and a Great Place to Work, because we are specialists in providing Excellence, Simply Delivered.

In addition to our values, we promote an open and honest feedback culture based on Respect & Results, whereby our employees embrace diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, while ensuring that we never compromise our integrity and compliance.

Role Overview

As Station Manager for Purfleet, you will lead all aspects of station operations, driving exceptional customer service, commercial growth and operational excellence. You will be responsible for delivering strong financial performance, developing innovative customer solutions and ensuring the highest standards of safety and service. Leading a diverse team, you will create a high-performing culture through coaching, development and engagement. This is a strategic leadership role with accountability for business growth, customer satisfaction and the continued success of the Purfleet operation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the Purfleet Station team, creating a high-performing and customer-focused culture.
• Drive exceptional service delivery and customer satisfaction across all products and services.
• Develop and implement innovative, customer‑centric solutions that support business growth.
• Own customer relationships, including retention, profitability, contract renewals, and new business implementation.
• Deliver station financial performance, including P&L accountability, budget achievement, and cost optimisation.
• Identify and develop new commercial opportunities, services, and value-added solutions.
• Champion a safety‑first culture, ensuring the wellbeing of all employees and compliance with operational standards.
• Develop talent through coaching, training, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Build strong partnerships with sales, operations, and support functions to achieve strategic objectives.
• Lead station growth initiatives and ensure alignment with UK and global business strategies.
• Ensure that all interactions are compliant with DPDHL Code of Conduct and other compliance requirements e.g. anti‑corruption.
• Contribute to the First Choice continuous improvement program.

Skills and Experience:

• Proven leadership experience managing multi-functional operations teams and driving high performance.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience delivering P&L, budget and business growth targets.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong customer relationships, ensuring exceptional service delivery and customer satisfaction.
• Experience identifying and implementing innovative customer‑focused solutions and value‑added services.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across operational, sales and leadership teams.
• Strong people development skills, including coaching, mentoring, succession planning and employee engagement.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to develop and execute growth plans aligned to business objectives.
• Commitment to creating a positive, inclusive and safety‑first working environment.
• In‑depth knowledge of Air Freight, Ocean Freight and 3PL logistics solutions.
• Proven success in securing and developing international freight forwarding and 3PL business opportunities.

Benefits:

• A competitive salary.
• Generous holiday entitlement.
• Company car or car allowance.
• Eligibility to participate in the Employee Incentive Bonus Scheme.
• Pension scheme which includes life assurance.
• Access to professional employee assistance and wellbeing programme.
• A competitive package of voluntary benefits including retail, entertainment, gym membership, cycle to work scheme, contribution to eye care costs, and many more discounts.
• Training and Development opportunities with a strong focus on internal promotion.

HOURS/SHIFT PATTERN: 37.5 hours per week

REPORTS TO: VP Airfreight UK

Please note: Due to the nature of our business we are regulated by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), therefore it is compulsory for all applicants once offered employment to provide a full 5 year employment history. Additional to this we are required to carry out a Criminal Record Check.

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows.

Our culture is focused on personal commitment – to our customers, to each other, to our communities and to the environment. We reward excellent work and we nurture the talents of our employees. This enables you as an employee to develop your expertise and your career in different areas or divisions – and even in other countries.

We are committed to creating a workplace that ensures mutual respect and is focused on results. We hire talented people from all backgrounds – irrespective of gender, disability, nationality, ethnicity, social background, religion and beliefs, age or sexual orientation and identity. Diversity enriches our workplace, drives our success, and helps us deliver excellence.

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