General Manager Transport

Wincanton are excited to share an opportunity within our Group Transport sector based within the Northamptonshire region with responsibility for multiple sites across the UK. The role will have ownership and accountability for a circa £50m transport budget responsibility with a mix of Open Book and Closed Book retail transport.

This role will own the customer relationship, set Strategy for the account and lead the operational activity of the operation through its management team. It will ensure the safety, commercial, profit, retention and contractual objectives are met and drive synergies across the wider business.

Key Elements

1. Resource management and control, including fleet build & renewal strategy, people recruitment, development, engagement & retention to delivery customer volume within agreed KPIs.
2. Safety, legal and policy compliance including fleet audit compliance, Ops Ex standards compliance and the deliver of a safe operation through the achievement of H&S standards and KPIs.
3. Deliver operational solution to delight the customer within agreed KPIs, including Yard management across multiple sites, trunking, outbase cross dock and despatch process and final mile delivery, with added value backhaul to achieve budgeted targets.
4. Budgetary controls to delivery agreed customer open book budgets & Wincanton wider business budgets and achieve KPI and gainshare bonus contributions where appropriate. Create, set and agree budgets and budget targets, including initiatives to maximise opportunity through CI initiatives.
5. Set strategy for the contract to delivery objectives of the customer and the Wincanton business, communicate and cascade the strategic road map, broken down into specific measurable tasks at site level to ensure team are clear on objectives to support the delivery of the wider strategy and are empowered to do so, with meaningful, purposeful work.
6. Drive and deliver the organic growth of the business through the implementation of Supply Chain Mapping analysis and Joint Account Plans, support Solution Design & Business development on new business initiatives to deliver sustainable growth.
7. Own procurement and management of subcontract hauliers, including trunking to Ireland.
8. Represent the Contract at Regional and national conference and collaboration opportunities to drive synergy and innovation to add value.

Leadership Attributes essential for the Role

1. Seeks to learn and innovate.
2. Sees and leads the bigger picture.
3. Champions Growth.
4. Drives Change.
5. Builds relationship, Partners with customers.
6. Demonstrates strong People Leadership.

Leadership Capabilities

1. Provides leadership to managers; may also provide leadership to supervisors and/or professional staff.
2. Develops departmental plans, including business, production, operational and/or organizational priorities.
3. Controls resources and policy formation in area of responsibility.
4. Looks beyond existing methodologies and own discipline to define and resolve complex problems.
5. Develops plans and delivers results in fast-changing businesses and/or regulatory environments.
6. Provides input to functional or departmental strategy.
7. Typically contributes directly to business priorities and planning.
8. Identifies applications of functional knowledge and existing methodologies to complex problems.
9. Manages large teams of professionals and/or junior managers.
10. Manages professional employees and/or supervisors or supervises large, complex support, production or operations team(s).
11. Has accountability for the performance and results of a team within own discipline or function.
12. Adapts departmental plans and priorities to address resource and operational challenges.
13. Decisions and problem-solving are guided by policies, procedures and business plan; receives guidance from senior manager.
14. Provides technical guidance to employees, colleagues and/or customers.
15. Accountable for the budget, performance and results of a medium-sized team or multiple small teams of employees.
16. Exercises full management authority, including performance reviews, pay decisions, recruitment, discipline, termination and other personnel actions.
17. Addresses issues with impact beyond own team based on knowledge of related disciplines.
18. Defines team operating standards and ensures essential procedures are followed based on knowledge of own discipline.

Essential skills and experience

1. This is a senior, heavy-weight experienced GM role, with a large Open Book budget and based on a customer’s site. It will require experience in leading all aspects of a site, customer led operation and proven track record in delivering innovative performance improvements and operational excellence.
2. Knowledge of the complete life cycle of a contract i.e. start-ups and closures.
3. Knowledge of support services / contracts business model (including 3PL).
4. Demonstrable exemplary customer relationship management skills with the flexibility in style, approach to engaging with a number of senior customer partners with varying requirements at the same time.
5. Excellent commercial acumen - understands dynamics of ‘open/ closed book’ contracts & develops a profit centre approach & culture amongst the Account team that is focused on bottom line performance, with a significant experience of managing large, complex Open Book contracts over multiple sites.
6. Well-developed interpersonal skills with an ability to influence at all levels. Able to manage conflict and tough conversations including complex IR issues.
7. Succeeds in building effective stakeholder relationships with the ability to influence management team’s thinking to deliver high performance through a culture of accountability and ownership.
8. Agile approach to strategy and planning with a proven experience of adapting operational plans to changing customer requirements whilst also achieving a commercial benefit.
9. Understands how to use IT / technology to drive performance through business intelligence data to make quality informed decision based on route cause from performance trends.
10. Able to manage Equality and Diversity issues and creates a culture of respect and “Dignity at Work” for all.
11. Understands team dynamics and composition and applies knowledge to develop high performing teams; ensure clear ownership & accountability with a focus on skills gap analysis and robust development plans to team have relevant capability and have an opportunity for progression.
12. High level of self-awareness (including via psychometric profiling) and takes accountability for own development. Seeks and provides feedback on a regular basis.
13. Personal resilience, tenacity and motivated by achievement.
14. Highly numerate and excellent written communication skills.

There will be a requirement to travel to UK locations, including Northern Ireland to support business.