Senior Distribution Manager UK

About the Opportunity

Driscoll’s is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Senior Distribution Manager to lead our UK distribution operations. This role is critical in ensuring the efficient and high-quality handling of fresh berries—from receiving and cooling to manufacturing and packaging—while maintaining full product availability and meeting customer service commitments.

The Senior Distribution Manager UK will be responsible for developing and executing the UK distribution strategy, optimizing cold chain performance, and driving operational excellence across production, warehousing, and packaging. This role requires close collaboration with internal teams and external partners, including growers and customers, to ensure safety, compliance, and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will also play a key role in supporting new business models and implementing fresh distribution agreements.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement the UK distribution strategy and contribute to the strategic logistics network model

Collaborate with the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) team to define facility and activity capacity requirements; lead initiatives to resolve constraints

Oversee production processes to ensure high-quality output and regulatory compliance

Manage warehousing operations including inventory control, storage, and order fulfilment

Apply best practices to boost productivity and reduce waste

Supervise maintenance of production and warehousing equipment; ensure adherence to preventive and autonomous maintenance schedules set by the Lean Distribution Manager

Ensure availability and efficient storage of packaging materials; oversee procurement and packaging processes to maintain quality standards

Lead and mentor a team of managers and staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement

Develop and manage budgets for production, warehousing, and packaging; monitor expenses and implement cost-saving measures

Track and analyse key performance indicators (safety, quality, customer service, cost, engagement, sustainability)

Partner with the Lean Distribution team to identify and implement operational improvements

Negotiate packhouse charges with growers; provide regular KPI reports on manufacturing and handling processes

Ensure compliance with food safety, labour, and environmental regulations

Develop contingency plans for major supply and demand disruptions

Collaborate with the commercial team to support new business models, including direct-to-consumer fulfilment and packaging automation

Serve as liaison for strategic and tactical activities with internal and external stakeholders

Safeguard Driscoll’s confidential and proprietary information

Represent Driscoll’s ethically and professionally in all interactions with growers, suppliers, buyers, and customers, adhering to company policies and practices

In addition to the functional responsibilities of the role, as a Driscoll’s people manager, you are responsible for the employee lifecycle, including:

Workforce Planning: Aligning the people plan to the business plan

Hiring: Find, evaluate, and hire new team members

Onboarding: Integrating new employees into the organization

Managing: Organize and coordinate activities of a team in order to achieve defined strategic objectives

Development: Partnering with your employees to create a plan to grow in their existing or potential future roles

Employee Safety: Ensure both physical and psychological safety in the workplace

Off-boarding: Ending an employment relationship

Candidate Profile

Education & training

Bachelor degree in Business Management, Supply Chain Management, or related field.

Advanced level of English.

Experience

At least 5 years as Site Operations Manager, in manufacturing environments

Experience in managing large teams

Experience leading transformational projects

Skills & behaviors

Production planning and scheduling

ERP Manufacturing solutions

Strong communicator, oral and written skills

Be self-motivated and able to complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision.

Ability to balance multiple work assignments.

Flexible team player with good interpersonal skills, drive and enthusiasm for continuous improvement.

Pro-active attitude.

Customer centric approach.

Excellent People Management skills – cultural awareness.

Analytical skills.

Adapts easily to frequent change.

Ability to initiate and follow through.

Hands-on personality, who’s used to handle ad-hoc issues.

Leadership competencies

Strategic Mindset: Looks toward the future and designs a way to get there.

Cultivates Innovation: Finds, champions, and implements innovations; large or small.

Plans & Aligns: Establishes priorities and desired outcomes and creates plans to achieve them.

Drives Results: Pursues everything with energy, resourcefulness, and the need to achieve desired outcomes.

Collaborates: Works with a variety of colleagues, inside and/or outside of Driscoll’s, seeking win-wins solutions.

Drives Engagement: Creates a motivating work environment and empowers others.

Develops Talent: Actively seeks opportunities to develop oneself and others.

Courage: Tackles difficult issues timely with optimism and transparency.

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