At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and motivate teams in a dynamic warehouse environment, ensuring operational excellence.
- Company: Join Pets, a company dedicated to enhancing the lives of pets and their owners.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, annual leave, health insurance, and a generous colleague discount.
- Other info: Inclusive culture that values diversity and encourages personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on pet welfare while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in logistics and strong leadership abilities are essential.
The predicted salary is between 43000 - 47000 £ per year.
- Lead First Line Manager – Warehouse
- Stafford Fulfilment Centre
- Salary - £43,000 - £47,000 dependant on experience
- Hours - 40 per week, shifts covering days and nights and to include some weekend working
At Pets, our mission is to give the nation’s pets everything they need to live their happiest, healthiest lives — whether that’s a squeaky toy for a spaniel, a scratch post for a calico, or a cosy home for a hamster.
To make this happen, our Distribution Centres must run safely, efficiently, and with brilliant leadership every day.
Right now, we’re searching for a Lead First Line Manager (Lead FLM) to join our Warehouse Operations team.
The Role
This is more than a standard FLM role — it’s a leadership position operating one tier above First Line Manager level, providing operational coverage across multiple warehouse functions and acting as the deputy to the Senior Operations Manager.
You’ll support the full day-to-day running of warehouse operations across both day and night shifts, ensuring colleagues are engaged, performance is strong, and operational standards are consistently delivered.
You’ll lead teams, drive continuous improvement, and maintain a safe and inclusive working environment — all while preparing for future progression into senior leadership roles.
With responsibility across stock flow, resource planning, colleague engagement and safety, you’ll ensure service, productivity, and quality targets are hit every single day.
Key Responsibilities
- Operational Leadership
- Lead daily operations across multiple warehouse functions, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-performing processes.
- Conduct daily briefings aligned with business priorities and provide clear performance updates including KPIs, service levels, errors, volumes, and damages.
- Plan and manage labour to meet demand, optimising resource allocation across shifts.
- Liaise with Stock Control to resolve cross-offs, investigate availability issues, and correct replenishment errors.
- Work closely with Transport to consolidate loads while maintaining excellent service to stores.
- Ensure seamless and accurate shift handovers.
- People Leadership
- Motivate, engage, and develop teams, fostering a high-performance, inclusive culture.
- Oversee absence management, ensuring all Return-to-Work Interviews are completed.
- Manage disciplinary processes up to and including dismissal, following Company Handbook guidelines.
- Engage proactively with agency partners regarding performance, attendance, and behaviours.
- Safety & Standards
- Lead and complete accident and incident investigations, reporting outcomes to Health & Safety.
- Champion safe working practices and ensure all colleagues operate within compliance and safety guidelines.
- Leadership Continuity
- Provide full operational cover for the Senior Operations Manager during holidays, rest days, and absence.
- Operate with leadership behaviours aligned to the next tier, contributing to building a strong future leadership pipeline.
- What We’re Looking For
Essential
- Proven experience leading teams within a logistics, warehouse, or distribution environment.
- Strong leadership qualities with the ability to motivate, coach and inspire colleagues.
- Experience working in an automated warehouse environment.
- Confident IT skills and experience with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).
- A passion for continuous improvement and delivering operational excellence.
Desirable
- Experience driving performance within high-volume environments.
- Understanding of resource planning, efficiency improvement, and warehouse optimisation.
- Knowledge of employment policies and colleague relations best practices.
- Strong analytical capability with the ability to interpret performance data.
- What You Will Get in Return
- Competitive salary.
- Annual leave including Bank Holidays, increasing after 2 years of continuous service.
- An extra day’s holiday on your birthday.
- Stakeholder pension plan.
- Personal Health Insurance scheme (when enrolled in the pension plan).
- Life assurance.
- 20% Pets at Home colleague discount after 12 weeks’ service.
- Pets “Treats” voluntary benefits package.
- Annual performance-related bonus.
- Company Culture
We take our inspiration from pets in embracing people from all walks of life, valuing and celebrating difference.
We encourage our people to be their best selves so that together we can create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People.
Even if your experience doesn’t perfectly align, if your values and behaviours match ours, we’d love to hear from you.
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Lead First Line Manager in Stafford employer: Pets at Home
At Pets at Home, we are not just building a pet insurance business; we are creating a vibrant and innovative environment where your contributions truly matter. As a Senior Pricing Analyst, you will enjoy the unique opportunity to work with unparalleled data assets while being part of a passionate team dedicated to improving outcomes for pets and their owners. With a supportive culture that values diversity and encourages personal growth, this role offers a chance to make a significant impact in a dynamic start-up atmosphere backed by the stability of a leading brand.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead First Line Manager in Stafford
✨Get Involved in Industry Events
Logistics and supply chain are all about networking, so hit up those trade shows and local meetups. Places like the UK's Logistics and Supply Chain conference can be goldmines for connecting with potential employers like Pets at Home and learning about the latest trends in the industry.
✨Leverage Online Communities
Join forums and LinkedIn groups specifically for logistics professionals. Share your insights and ask questions to get noticed. Being active in these spaces can help you establish credibility and might just lead to an opportunity at Pets at Home!
✨Showcase Your Skills with a Portfolio
Even if it’s a full-time gig, having a portfolio can really set you apart. Include case studies or projects that demonstrate your understanding of supply chain management, logistics software, or solving operational challenges. You’d be surprised at how much this can impress hiring managers.
✨Apply Directly Through Our Website
Don't forget the power of applying directly through our website! A lot of companies like Pets at Home keep job postings exclusive to their sites. This way, you can easily keep track of your applications and ensure your profile is in front of the right people.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead First Line Manager in Stafford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Supply Chain Savvy:In your CV and cover letter, make sure to highlight your understanding of logistics and supply chain management principles. Mention any relevant courses you've taken or tools you've used, like inventory management software or data analysis platforms, to showcase your skills and keep up with best practices in the industry.
Quantify Your Achievements:When detailing your previous work experience, remember to use numbers wherever possible. Did you improve delivery times by a specific percentage? Did you help reduce costs? These kinds of quantified achievements not only catch the eye but also demonstrate your capability in the logistics sector.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Pets at Home:This is your chance to really connect with the team at Pets at Home. In your cover letter, express why you're passionate about supply chain logistics and how your goals align with the company’s mission. A little personalisation goes a long way!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you've got any certifications related to logistics or supply chain management—like APICS or Six Sigma—make sure you flaunt them! These show that you're committed to your professional development and can set you apart from other candidates.
How to prepare for a job interview at Pets at Home
✨Know Your Logistics Tools
Make sure you're familiar with key logistics software and tools like SAP or Oracle ERP. These are often used in the industry, and being able to demonstrate your knowledge or experience with them can really set you apart during your interview with Pets at Home.
✨Perfect Your Problem-Solving Skills
Expect to tackle scenarios that showcase your problem-solving skills. Think about past experiences where you've had to optimise supply chains or handle logistics challenges. Have a few examples ready to discuss how you made decisions that led to improvements.
✨Show Your Team Spirit
Supply chain roles heavily rely on teamwork and communication. Be prepared to discuss how you've collaborated with others in previous roles. Maybe share a time when you coordinated with a team to resolve a logistical hiccup. This can show Pets at Home that you're a team player!
✨Understand the Big Picture
Be ready to talk about the broader logistics and supply chain trends. Having insights into current challenges in the industry, like sustainability or lead times, can impress the interviewers at Pets at Home. Show them you’re not just focused on the day-to-day but also have a strategic mindset!