Distribution Centre Manager jobs
With the rise of mail-order and online shopping, distribution centres of major retailers are becoming a huge source of logistics employment. It’s no surprise they’re hiring: a busy high-street store’s distribution centre might have to deal not only with its store deliveries but also potentially millions of home deliveries per year. Needless to say, this will produce a high-pressure environment where confident and able managers are highly valued if customer satisfaction and stocked shelves are to be maintained.
The role will be concerned with the day-to-day management of the centre, from personnel and security to the deliveries and warehousing themselves, but will also involve the implementation of cost-saving measures and the introduction of new systems as they are fed through from head office.
The distribution manager of a mainstream centre could well be in charge of tens or hundreds of staff, making the human resources responsibilities as crucial as the technical and physical. And in the other direction, the manager will have a head office to keep just as happy by driving efficiencies and keeping rigidly to budget.
The skills required
The distribution centre manager will need to be a highly professional and motivated person, able to work on many strands simultaneously while understanding the possibilities and limitations of delegation of tasks and roles. Great communication skills and a team attitude will keep the corporate massage and aims alive and enacted while also helping to keep the staff motivated.
With many of the deliverable tasks expected of the manager being based on IT systems, some experience in the common warehousing software will be useful, as will experience in word processing, accounting and presentation software.
Distribution Centre Manager Jobs in Ashford
The Kent town of Ashford was traditionally a market town and stop-off point for London to Folkestone or Dover travellers. Although it has a moderately large population of around 65,000, it is by far the largest settlement for 20 miles in any direction, and remains an important shopping town in the region, especially now that it has a designer outlet to accompany its several shopping districts.
It is the railways that have played the largest part in Ashford’s history since the nineteenth century, however. The town served as an important hub for trains to London (50 miles, or 80 km, to the north west), Tonbridge, Hastings, Folkestone and Canterbury and this brought trade and population to the town. But Ashford’s link with the railways became international when it was made a stop on the Eurostar line to France in 1996. The town now has at least five distinct trading and industrial estates, some of which are located there mainly thanks to its excellent links with London and the Continent.
Ashford has always been a busy town but the Eurostar line coming to town has made it a key element in Britain’s transport infrastructure. Ashford is also well connected by road, with the M20/A20 that links Folkestone/Dover and London passing by Ashford’s eastern borders. This all adds up to a positive picture for anyone seeking Distribution Centre Manager jobs in Ashford or the surrounding area.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s logistics opportunities
Cast UK is a growing force in the UK logistics, procurement and supply chain recruitment sector. People approach us for many reasons, whether seeking more job fulfilment or simply relocating with the family, so it’s good to know that we always have the complete range of positions available all over the country.
Our founder members and consultants all come from the same sectors, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for in their staff and careers respectively. As we only deal with these fields, many employers come to us first to create a candidate shortlist because they know we’re tightly focused on delivering the best people to them.
Please see what’s available in your region and if you’ve seen something you’re interested in, please get in touch – whether it’s today or tomorrow, we might have a position with your name on it!
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Distribution Centre Manager for your business or find you a job as a Distribution Centre Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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