Logistics and Distribution Manager

Logistics and Distribution Manager

Key Skills: Logistics and Distribution, Rental Equipment, Stock Control (outbound / inbound), Large Scale, People Management, Ability to Make things happen, excellent communication skills.

Excellent + Substantial Benefits (DOE)

My client is the rapidly growing European subsidiary of a global Film company who specialise in lighting, rigging, generators, etc. They also own film studies as well as facilitate studios for other organisations.

They seek a reliable, self-motivated individual to work as a Logistics and Distribution Manager reporting to the Operations Director and Head of Operations. You must be able to provide clarity when delegating instructions. You need to be highly organised and disciplined. The key focus to this role is "Making A Difference" and "Making It Happen". The purpose of this role is to ensure rental stock is picked and dispatched in line with customer requirements. Check, through auditing, that all rental stock is accurately tested to ensure proper function prior to dispatch to end customer. To also ensure that rental stock is packaged to the required standard and any special instructions are observed. Ensuring the day-to-day Operations are run smoothly and being very visible throughout the day.

You will play a key role in delivering a high spec and technically demanding range of rental equipment and as such will be required to continually and diligently research current and future best practices in relation to the transport, packaging and handling of our assets. Documenting and implementing a complete set of operational procedural documents relating to the turnaround and of all rental assets.

Key Duties

• Manage a team of equipment coordinators ensuring appropriate cover for the workflow including authorising and accounting for overtime if needed.
• Interpreting workflow from the sales team via and delegating Order to be pulled to Equipment Coordinators.
• Work with the Account Handlers to ensure phased delivery orders are kept up to date and allocated to the team.
• Ensuring shortages are reported and dealt with in a timely manner, and good communication is maintained from the coordinator teams to the sales team.
• Be responsible for ensuring a Job file is stated for each new Job, including a master pull list, and check out sheets documenting that has been dispatched on each load (partial or completed).
• Ensuring scanning accuracy for each Equipment dispatch.
• Investigating and implementing control measures for each Equipment dispatch.
• Ensure all Quality control checks are carried out by the coordinators in the bay prior to dispatch including checks on the appropriate packaging arrangements.
• Continuously review with the team and drive improvements in vehicle load restraint systems and security, including Shoot/working load combinations.
• Advise on vehicle size and loading considering load weight and liaise with the Operations Manager to agree loading timescales allocate loading bays each day.
• Liaise with the distribution team to ensure the correct trucks are present on the bays in a timely manner.
• Work with the late shift leader to hand over workload and ensure all next day orders are completed, and any sub hires are clearly discussed to make it to the right vehicle / bay.
• Ensure sub hires are properly checked in and back out and accounted for and paperwork is filed properly for returns.
• Personnel management responsibilities including return to work interviews, HR functions, regular workplace check-ins, performance management and disciplinary investigations for all department team members.
• Ensure the department resourced physically and technically at all times and all technical and infrastructure issues escalated to resolution.
• Keep track of any changes to orders and ensure information is relayed to coordinators as jobs progress.
• Ensure a process is in place for all signed delivery paperwork, so that it is retrievable as proof of receipt for each hire.
• Manage and drive the teams responsible for returning rental stock effectively to ensure smooth flow of equipment around the department.
• Ensure vehicles are unloaded completely and all load straps stay with the trucks.
• Manage and drive the teams responsible for ensuring all missing and damaged equipment being returned is recorded and channeled to the appropriate departments where necessary.
• Manage and drive the teams responsible for ensuring jobs are closed down correctly, ensuring timeframes and all information is reported back to the sales team within given time frames.
• Facilitate and drive training and upskilling across the Equipment Control teams.
• Work with the Head of Operations to create the operational SOP template in line with the wider expansion plans of the business.
• Rectify and where necessary, escalate instances of non-compliance and service delivery failures relating to ongoing order fulfilment requirements.
• Submit and develop ideas for operational improvements with the company ethos of continuous improvement.
• Support and encourage ideas from within your teams and support them through to completion and into becoming part of our standard operation procedures and facility.

Person Specification

• Great and demonstrable leadership skills
• Very good communication skills.
• First line management skills, including personnel management, conflict resolution, effective communications & training/development experience.
• Must be IT literate with a good understanding of Microsoft office software.
• Good understanding of operating systems such as Rental Tracker Pro inventory tracking system, Microsoft Teams.
• Adaptable to a fast-paced environment with the highest expectations of service and quality.
• Committed to continual improvement and development.
• Flexible to work overtime and occasional weekends as the needs of the business require.

Key Skills: Logistics and Distribution, Rental Equipment, Stock Control (outbound / inbound), Large Scale, People Management, Ability to Make things happen, excellent communication skills.