DESPATCH FRONT LINE MANAGER – Forest Gate, London

The Role

We're looking for a Despatch Front Line Manager to lead our despatch team at our Forest Gate site, ensuring products are picked, loaded and dispatched safely, accurately and on time.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll be responsible for managing the team day-to-day, driving team performance, maintaining high standards of safety and quality, and ensuring excellent customer service through efficient despatch operations.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading, motivating and developing a team of Despatch Operatives
• Planning and coordinating daily despatch activities to meet customer delivery requirements
• Monitoring productivity and performance, providing coaching and support where needed
• Ensuring orders are picked, checked and loaded accurately and on time
• Maintaining high standards of health, safety and housekeeping across the despatch area
• Managing staffing levels, breaks and shift priorities to meet operational demands
• Investigating and resolving operational issues, stock discrepancies and delivery concerns
• Working closely with Warehouse, Transport and Customer Service teams to ensure smooth operations
• Monitoring KPIs and driving continuous improvement across the department
• Ensuring company policies, procedures and compliance standards are followed

What We're Looking For

• Previous experience in a warehouse or despatch leadership role
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop a high-performing team
• Strong organisational and planning skills with the ability to prioritise effectively
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills
• A proactive approach with the confidence to make decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Good attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Knowledge of warehouse health and safety practices
• Experience using warehouse management systems would be advantageous

The Role Involves

• Leading a busy team in a fast-paced environment
• Meeting customer service and operational deadlines
• Manual handling and occasional physical duties
• Being on your feet for much of the shift
• Supporting operational requirements when needed

Why work for us and our benefits:

At Hovis, we understand the importance of looking after our colleagues, so we provide a variety of benefits in addition to their salaries. The benefits we provide at Hovis are as varied as the people who receive them but they are offered with the intention of creating value to them personally over and above their salaries

• There is a range of colleague benefits available, which individuals can select based on their needs.

• Our benefits scheme is called Hovis Choice, which offers a variety of savings and cashback offers on day to day living and much more including eyecare vouchers, and a healthcare scheme to suit everyone.  It also includes our Cycle to Work scheme where you can obtain a brand new bike at a significant saving

• We offer competitive annual leave entitlement and flexibility where possible in order to create a healthy work-life balance

• We celebrate loyalty with our generous long service and colleague recognition schemes

• We offer three levels of pensions

Hovis values diversity and is committed to promoting equal opportunities in the workplace. Every job applicant, employee or worker will be treated fairly and equally with dignity and respect regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, social class, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, union membership, political opinion, sex, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic.