National Planning and Dispatch Manager in Darwen

National Planning and Dispatch Manager

Lead and develop the Operations & Maintenance Planning, Dispatch and Logistics function, overseeing the Planning and Dispatch team to ensure service levels, customer safety, and engineer efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Provide direction, support and guidance to Team Leaders and Coordinators and day-to-day systems support within the department, ensuring clear roles and responsibilities and that tasks are completed accurately and successfully.
• Take ownership of regional performance including productivity, SLA adherence and minimized overdue work.
• Overall responsibility for confirming attendance with customers and handling queries and escalations.
• Lead daily planning calls with field and other operational teams.
• Ensure that portals and any other customer requirements are updated, managed and adhered to.
• Manage follow-up work and visits, ensure paperwork completion, parts ordering, tickets and quotations.
• Monitor service metrics to track performance and identify areas of improvement.
• Develop, monitor and report on progress with monthly report automation with the supporting commentary.
• Implement and improve service delivery processes, tools and procedures.
• Coordinate with key stakeholders to ensure smooth workflow and communication across all teams.
• Attend and contribute to department management meetings, providing key updates on risks, department issues and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure the team is informed and aware of the business strategic growth plan encouraging their involvement.
• Escalate any risks or concerns regarding service standards and/or operational risk to the leadership team as soon as you are made aware.
• Provide support and guidance to all internal and external teams.
• Manage the team performance through 1‑2‑1, regular team meeting and disciplinary hearing if required.

Qualifications

• GCSE (A‑C) minimum level in Math and English.
• High level of confidentiality, tact and diplomacy.
• Customer Service experience essential.
• Experience liaising field‑based engineering teams.
• Client management experience essential.

Core / Technical / Safety Competencies

• Knowledge and experience of working with electronic Customer Service systems required, including Planning and Dispatch, and Gantt view planners.
• Experience in Customer compliance processes such as Purchase orders, invoicing and certification.
• ISO 9001, 14001 & 18001 awareness.
• Computer literate with working knowledge of all Microsoft Office Suite applications.
• Ability to work to deadlines and with minimum supervision.

Employment Eligibility

Applicants must have the unrestricted and ongoing right to work in the United Kingdom for the duration of employment, without the need for sponsorship.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The company is opposed to all forms of discrimination and will select for employment, training and promotion on the basis of suitability for the job and/or merit. It is company policy that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of sex, race, colour, age, ethnic or national origins, political affiliations, religious beliefs, marital status, physical disability or is disadvantaged by unjustifiable conditions or requirements.