Automation & Facilities Manager in Liverpool

An established and rapidly growing wholesale and distribution business is looking for an experienced Automation & Facilities Manager to take responsibility for the engineering, automation and facilities operation at its Liverpool site. This is a senior leadership position within a large, technology-led logistics environment. You will be responsible for ensuring the site's automated systems, engineering infrastructure, building services and facilities operate safely, reliably and efficiently.

The role will suit an experienced engineering or facilities leader who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and can combine strong technical understanding with commercial awareness, strategic thinking and effective people leadership. You will lead a multi-skilled team and work closely with Operations, Procurement, Property, Health & Safety, project teams and external service providers to maintain operational continuity and continually improve site performance.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop a multi-skilled engineering, automation and facilities team.
• Create a culture focused on safety, accountability, reliability and continuous improvement.
• Set clear performance expectations and support the development of technical capability across the team.
• Manage resource planning to ensure appropriate engineering and facilities coverage.
• Coach and develop managers and team members, supporting succession planning and long-term capability.
• Build strong relationships with operational and senior stakeholders across the business.

Automation & Engineering

• Take ownership of the reliability and availability of automated warehouse systems and associated engineering infrastructure.
• Develop a proactive maintenance strategy focused on preventing failures and reducing operational downtime.
• Oversee planned preventative maintenance programmes and ensure maintenance activities are completed effectively.
• Analyse breakdowns, equipment performance and recurring faults to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Manage the lifecycle of critical automation and engineering assets.
• Coordinate upgrades, modifications and replacement programmes where required.
• Work with specialist engineering partners to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues.
• Support the introduction of new automation technologies and improvements to existing systems.

Facilities & Site Infrastructure

• Manage the day-to-day operation and maintenance of site facilities and infrastructure.
• Oversee building services, utilities, cleaning, waste management, security and other essential site services.
• Ensure the working environment remains safe, compliant, efficient and fit for purpose.
• Manage planned and reactive facilities works while minimising disruption to operations.
• Maintain effective emergency response and business continuity arrangements.
• Ensure statutory inspections, testing and servicing are completed within required timescales.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Promote a strong health, safety and environmental culture across the engineering and facilities functions.
• Ensure all activities comply with relevant UK legislation, regulations and company standards.
• Maintain appropriate risk assessments, safe systems of work and operating procedures.
• Ensure contractors and employees work to the required safety standards.
• Support internal and external audits, inspections and compliance reviews.
• Identify risks and ensure appropriate corrective actions are implemented.

Contractors & Suppliers

• Manage relationships with external contractors, engineering specialists and facilities service providers.
• Ensure suppliers deliver against agreed service levels, quality standards and contractual requirements.
• Monitor supplier performance and address areas where service levels fall below expectations.
• Support tendering, contract negotiations and supplier reviews.
• Ensure external contractors operate safely and comply with site requirements.

Budget & Commercial Management

• Take responsibility for significant engineering and facilities expenditure across operational and service budgets.
• Ensure resources are deployed effectively and expenditure is appropriately controlled.
• Identify opportunities to improve value, reduce unnecessary costs and increase asset efficiency.
• Support capital investment proposals and business cases for major engineering, automation and facilities projects.
• Maintain appropriate levels of critical spares, materials and engineering resources.
• Work with Procurement to ensure suppliers and contracts deliver value for money.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and monitor meaningful KPIs covering equipment reliability, downtime, maintenance, facilities performance and compliance.
• Use data and operational insight to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Lead initiatives designed to increase uptime, improve efficiency and reduce operational risk.
• Drive the transition from reactive problem-solving towards planned, preventative and predictive maintenance.
• Ensure the department continually evolves in line with the needs of a growing and increasingly automated operation.

About You

We are looking for a technically capable and commercially minded manager with significant experience within a large-scale warehouse, distribution, logistics, FMCG, manufacturing or similarly automated environment. You will ideally have:

• Proven experience managing engineering, automation and facilities teams.
• Experience leading multi-skilled technical teams within a high-volume operational environment.
• Strong knowledge of automated material-handling and warehouse systems.
• Working knowledge of PLC, SCADA and automated control systems.
• Experience with CMMS, CAFM and/or BMS platforms.
• Strong understanding of mechanical and electrical engineering environments.
• Experience developing and managing preventative maintenance programmes.
• Good knowledge of UK health & safety, building compliance and environmental requirements.
• Experience managing contractors, suppliers and service contracts.
• Experience managing significant operational budgets.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills.
• The confidence to make decisions and take ownership in a demanding operational environment.
• A proactive approach to identifying problems before they impact the operation.

Qualifications

A relevant HNC, HND, degree or equivalent practical experience in Engineering, Facilities Management or a related discipline is preferred. An IOSH, NEBOSH or equivalent Health & Safety qualification would be advantageous.

What You'll Get

The successful candidate will join an established and growing business and will have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the performance and future development of a major Liverpool operation. The package includes:

• Competitive salary based on experience.
• 37.5-hour working week.
• Generous annual leave entitlement, increasing with length of service.
• Company pension scheme.
• Employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing benefits.
• On-site facilities including subsidised catering and fitness facilities.
• Death-in-service benefit.
• Long-service recognition.
• Employee assistance programme with confidential support available 24/7.
• Access to a range of discounted retail, leisure and hospitality benefits.
• Optional health and wellbeing insurance products.

The Opportunity

This is a particularly strong opportunity for an experienced Automation & Facilities Manager, Engineering Manager, Engineering Services Manager or Senior Facilities Manager who wants to take ownership of a large and complex operational environment. With significant automation, a substantial engineering infrastructure and continued investment in operational capability, the successful candidate will have genuine scope to improve reliability, develop people, influence investment decisions and shape the future engineering and facilities strategy of the site. If you have the technical expertise, leadership experience and commercial mindset to operate at this level, we would be interested in hearing from you.