Commercial & Operations Manager - Development Role in Swindon

Commercial & Operations Manager – Future Branch Manager

Swindon | £45,000–£55,000 depending on experience
Monday–Friday | Permanent, full-time

A structured development opportunity to progress towards Branch Manager within 4–5 years.

Could you run a successful business operation in the future?

You may not be a Branch Manager today, and we're not expecting you to be.

We're looking for an ambitious, commercially minded individual with the potential, attitude and drive to develop into the future Branch Manager of our Swindon operation.

You could currently be working in sales, operations, distribution, manufacturing, account management or junior management. What's more important to us is your potential: your ability to lead people, understand customers, make sound commercial decisions, take ownership and learn how a successful branch operates.

You'll work closely with our existing Branch Manager and wider management team, gradually building your experience across sales, people, operations, customer service and commercial performance.

For the right person, our aim is to develop you towards taking responsibility for the Swindon branch within approximately 4–5 years.

The opportunity

This isn't simply a sales role.

Initially, we'll build on the experience you already have while progressively exposing you to all the areas required to successfully run a branch:

• Commercial performance – understanding sales, margin, costs and profitability.
• Customers – developing relationships and understanding what drives excellent service.
• People leadership – learning to lead, coach, develop and hold people accountable.
• Operations – understanding stock, warehouse, logistics, planning and branch efficiency.
• Sales development – identifying opportunities within existing and new customers.
• Decision-making – learning how to balance customer, commercial and operational priorities.
• Continuous improvement – identifying where things can be done better and taking ownership of change.

As your capability develops, so will your level of responsibility.

Who we're looking for

We're deliberately not looking for the finished article.

We're interested in someone who has already demonstrated commercial or operational responsibility and now wants the opportunity to progress significantly.

You are likely to:

• Have experience within a distribution or commercially focused environment.
• Have some experience in leading, supervising, coaching or influencing other people.
• Be commercially curious and comfortable working with numbers and performance information.
• Communicate confidently with customers and colleagues.
• Take ownership rather than waiting to be told what to do.
• Be prepared to challenge constructively and make decisions.
• Want to understand the whole business rather than remain within one function.
• Have the ambition and commitment to develop into senior management.

Previous Branch Manager experience is not required.

A pure sales background is not required.

What matters is that you can demonstrate the potential to become a strong commercial and people leader.

Your development

This is a genuine succession and development position, not simply a job with the possibility of promotion.

Over the next 4–5 years, we would expect your responsibilities to broaden as your capability develops, including greater involvement in:

Stage 1 – Learn & Contribute
Understand our customers, people, products, systems, commercial model and branch operation while taking ownership within your existing areas of strength.

Stage 2 – Lead & Improve
Take increasing responsibility for people, commercial performance and operational improvement, deputising for the Branch Manager where appropriate.

Stage 3 – Prepare to Lead the Branch
Develop the breadth of commercial, operational and leadership capability required to take overall responsibility for the Swindon business.

Progression will depend on individual performance and development, but we're looking specifically for someone with the ambition and potential to make that journey.

What we offer

• £45,000–£55,000 depending on experience.
• Company profit share scheme.
• Monday–Friday working, 8.30 am–5.00 pm.
• 30 days' holiday, including bank holidays, increasing with service.
• Pension and life assurance.
• Structured training and management development.
• Direct exposure to experienced branch and senior business leaders.
• Free parking.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits.
• Long-service awards.
• Employee Assistance Programme and 24-hour GP access.

About Oadby Plastics

Oadby Plastics, established in 1969, operates a network of branches that supply and manufacture engineering plastic solutions for customers across the UK.

Our Swindon branch (currently employing 9 staff) is an established and important part of the business, and we're investing now in developing the leadership capability it will need for the future.

If you're ambitious, commercially minded and believe you have the potential to run a significant branch operation in the future, we'd like to hear from you, even if you don't currently have "Manager" in your job title.

We are committed to applying our Equal Opportunities Policy at all stages of the recruitment and selection process and encourage applicants from different diverse groups in the community to apply. We can make reasonable adjustments at any stages if required.

Please submit your CV without delay to avoid disappointment; we may close vacancies prior to the published closing date if we receive a sufficient number of completed applications. For any candidates being recommended by our current employee’s, you must apply directly through our website and stipulate the referring employee.