Operations Assistant (Logistics/Purchasing/Fulfilment)

Overview

Title: Operations Assistant (Logistics/Fulfilment/Purchasing)

Role type: Full time, permanent, in-office working

You MUST be local to Hemel Hempstead/located in the Hertfordshire area

Location: Old Town Court, Suite 2, 70 Queensway, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 5HD, UK

Company: Sentia Spirits/GABA Labs

About us:

Sentia Spirits is a functional, alcohol-free beverage company changing the world of social drinking. Founded by Professor David Nutt, we offer compelling options for the ever-growing market who want to moderate drinking or choose not to drink alcohol at all.

Role and responsibilities

About the role: The Operations Assistant is responsible for supporting the day-to-day provision of professional and efficient Operations for our fast-growing company. Operations is a critical part of the business, and is responsible for Procurement, Purchasing and Logistics to ensure timely and cost-effective availability of the right materials to Manufacturing, and ensure finished goods move from Manufacturing through Distribution to Fulfilment in a timely manner.

The successful candidate will be working in a small and busy team, in a start-up/scale-up environment. This is a support role to assist our Logistics/Fulfilment Manager and our Production team. Good team-working and communication skills as well as a flexible approach to business pressures and a changing and unpredictable workload are essential. You should enjoy, and be skilled, at problem solving. You should be a person who wants to learn and grow, and bring energy to your work; this role will be challenging and will develop as time goes on and the business grows.

Your role as Operations Assistant is to support the procurement, storage and delivery of materials to the factory and the distribution of finished goods to the distribution and fulfilment chain. You\\\’ll help to ensure that the right material and products are delivered to the right location on time and at a good cost. You will assist in the sourcing and control of transportation, stock control, warehousing, fulfilment, and in monitoring the flow of materials and finished goods to meet business need.

Developing an understanding of the whole supply chain is important so that you can help to coordinate it effectively and help to liaise with suppliers of raw materials, manufacturers, logistics, warehouses and fulfilment centres.

You must be self-organised and able to schedule your work to ensure responsibilities are met.

Bonus points if:

You have experience with Amazon Seller Central and/or Amazon fulfilment knowledge

You have past experience with telesales/customer service facing roles

Duties to include

Procurement:

• Assist in the entire procurement cycle, from preparing and processing purchase requisitions to issuing purchase orders (POs).
• Source and identify potential vendors and suppliers, conduct market research, and obtain price quotations.
• Support the negotiation of terms, conditions, and pricing with suppliers to ensure cost-effectiveness.
• Maintain and update the supplier database, including contact information and performance records.
• Verify and reconcile invoices against purchase orders and delivery notes, resolving discrepancies as needed.

Logistics & Supply Chain:

• Coordinate the movement of goods, including arranging transportation (land, sea, or air) and tracking shipments.
• Monitor and track the status of all incoming and outgoing deliveries to ensure timely receipt and dispatch.
• Assist with inventory management, including maintaining accurate stock records, conducting regular stock takes, and monitoring stock levels to prevent shortages or excesses.
• Prepare and maintain all logistics documentation, such as packing lists, waybills, and customs declarations.
• Support the coordination of warehouse activities, including the proper storage and handling of goods.

Administrative & Reporting:

• Maintain accurate and organized records of all procurement and logistics transactions for audit purposes.
• Provide administrative support to the department, including filing, data entry, and handling correspondence.
• Communicate effectively with internal teams and external stakeholders ensure smooth operations.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Proven experience in a logistics, procurement, or administrative role.
• Knowledge or deep interest of procurement and supply chain procedures and best practices.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel, Outlook) — you must have these skills on arrival

Personal Qualities

• Organization and Meticulousness: This person must be able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Attention to detail in documentation (orders, invoices, waybills) is crucial to avoid errors that can lead to delays and financial losses.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Unexpected situations, such as delivery delays, damaged goods, or documentation issues, are common in this industry. A good assistant can react quickly and find effective solutions.
• Stress Resistance: Working under time pressure and in a dynamic environment requires mental resilience. The ability to remain calm and focused is essential for effective performance.
• Communication Skills: A procurement and logistics assistant must be able to communicate effectively with various groups of people: suppliers, carriers, warehouse staff, and other departments within the company (e.g., finance or sales).
• Negotiation Skills: Although negotiating is mainly the domain of more senior specialists, an assistant often participates in smaller negotiations regarding delivery terms or prices.

Aptitudes and Skills

• Enthusiasm, initiative, willing to learn, flexibility, accountability, good organisational skills
• Good time management, attention to detail, speed, accuracy
• Good communication skills, both oral and written
• Good interpersonal skills, ability to work well in a team
• Logical and systematic approach to work, ability to meet deadlines
• Resilience and ability to cope with pressure to meet important deadlines.
• Good analytical & problem-solving skills, able to think laterally and offer creative solutions
• Good numerate skills, able to easily use and apply arithmetic to decision-making
• Computer literacy, experience with any business software, able to use MS desktop tools including XLS
• An interest in business operations and a positive attitude to continued learning and development.

If you\\\’re ready to make a meaningful impact in the wellness industry, we invite you to apply asap!

Pay and benefits

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £26,000.00-£30,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Employee discount
• On-site parking

Application

Application question(s):

• Where in the UK are you located? An answer is required.

Experience:

• logistics or purchasing: 1 year (preferred)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person