Lead Operative in Northampton

Location: Grange Park, Northampton, Operations

Hours: 37.5 (Monday to Sunday) – Hours to be agreed

Reports to: Shift Manager

Pay: £12.71 per hour, with an additional £1.00 per hour worked, excluding holiday pay and periods of absence.

Role Summary

The Lead Operative is a hands‑on role within the warehouse operation, with a strong emphasis on operational delivery.

This role is 90% Operational (Primary Focus) and 10% Management (Secondary Focus).

This position is primarily responsible for executing the day‑to‑day warehouse operational activities such as inbound receiving, put away, picking, packing, replenishment, and dispatch within a fast‑paced 3PL retail fashion environment.

Alongside operational duties, the Lead Operative provides on‑the‑ground support to the Shift Manager by assisting with basic team coordination, maintaining workflow, and helping ensure shift targets, accuracy, and safety standards are consistently achieved. This role is ideal for an experienced warehouse operative ready to take a first step into leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Health, Safety & Compliance (Primary Priority)

• Apply and enforce all Health & Safety standards and safe systems of work.
• Act as a role model for safe working practices, proactively challenging unsafe behaviours.
• Ensure all work areas are clean, organised, and hazard‑free.
• Support compliance with site Health & Safety standards, SOPs, and operational procedures.
• Report incidents, near misses, or risks promptly in line with company policy.

Operational Duties (Primary Focus - 90%)

• Carry out warehouse tasks including picking, packing, dispatch, replenishment, and returns processing in line with standard operating procedures.
• Ensure orders are completed accurately and presented to required retail fashion standards.
• Support goods‑in activities including unloading, checking, and put‑away of stock.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping and organisation across the work area.
• Operate warehouse equipment safely (where trained), such as PPTs or scanners.

Team Support & Coordination (Secondary Focus – 10%)

• Support the Shift Manager with allocating tasks and ensuring smooth workflow across the team.
• Act as a point of contact for operatives during the shift for basic queries or guidance.
• Help monitor team output against KPIs and elevate issues to the Shift Manager where required.
• Provide on‑the‑job support and guidance to new starters or less experienced colleagues.
• Promote a positive team environment and encourage engagement on shift.

Performance, Quality & SLA Support

• Assist the Shift Manager to achieve the receiving, placement, picking, packing and dispatch KPIs
• Carry out basic quality checks on orders and highlight issues promptly.
• Ensure compliance with client expectations for order presentation and handling.
• Identify and raise process improvements or efficiency opportunities using CID and SIM methodology and training ie 5S, CAPA.

Basic Administration & Reporting Support

• Provide updates to the Shift Manager on workflow progress and issues.
• Assist with simple operational tracking such as noting volumes or issues.
• Escalate attendance or conduct concerns to the Shift Manager (no direct management responsibility).

Skills & Experience Required

• Proven experience as a warehouse operative within a 3PL, logistics, retail, or e‑commerce environment.
• Good understandingof warehouse processes including picking, packing, and stock handling.
• Ability to be a role model employee within a fast‑paced, physically demanding environment.
• Basic understanding of warehouse management systems (RF scanning, WMS).
• Strong communication skills and willingness to support others.
• Previous experience in a Team Leader or buddy/mentor role.
• Experience within a retail fashion or high‑volume distribution environment.

Personal Attributes

• Reliable, hardworking, and proactive.
• Positive attitude and team‑oriented mindset.
• Willingness to take ownership and support others.
• Good attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Able to remain calm and organised in a busy environment.

What Success Looks Like in This Role

• Consistently achieving individual and team KPIs for productivity and accuracy.
• Providing effective day‑to‑day support to the Shift Manager.
• Acting as a positive role model for team behaviour and performance.
• Maintaining high standards of safety, quality, and housekeeping.
• Supporting a collaborative and engaged team environment.

Experienced Warehouse Team Operative with a strong background in fast‑paced 3PL and retail distribution environments, specialising in warehouse operations including goods receiving, put‑away, replenishment, picking, packing, stock control, and dispatch. Proven ability to lead by example through a hands‑on approach, ensuring operational targets, productivity levels, and customer service standards are consistently achieved.

Skilled in coordinating daily warehouse activities, supporting Shift Managers with workforce organisation, workflow management and performance monitoring while maintaining high levels of accuracy, health and safety compliance, and operational efficiency. Demonstrates strong leadership potential with the ability to motivate teams, resolve operational issues, and drive continuous improvement within busy, target‑driven environments.

Recognised for a proactive work ethic, attention to detail, and commitment to delivering quality service, while fostering a positive and safety‑focused team culture. Adept at balancing operational responsibilities with team support to ensure smooth warehouse performance and successful achievement of business objectives.

Hours

37.5

25-09-2026

Job attachments

Lead_Operative_IDL_Grange_Park_JD_June_2026_v2.pdf