Warehouse General Manager

Summary of Role

This role is in support of Cencora's wholesale distribution services in Europe operating through our Alliance Healthcare business.

We are looking for an Warehouse General Manager to support our brand new Central Logistics Centre in the heart of Birmingham.

The Central Logistics Centre (CLC) is Alliance Healthcare UK's new, next-generation, 24/7 logistics facility based in Birmingham. Designed with advanced automation and cutting-edge robotics, the CLC is a world-class, game-changing addition to the Alliance Healthcare estate.  It's set to redefine how we manage and deliver medical, health and beauty products to our customers across the UK. 

Reporting to the Head of the Central Logistics Centre, this role oversee the daily operations of the warehouse, ensuring efficient and effective logistics and supply chain management for medical, health, and beauty products.

The role involves strategic planning, team leadership, leveraging automated systems, optimising processes and ensuring the safe and accurate handling of inventory, as well as working closely with the Transport General Manager to ensure smooth inbound and outbound deliveries.  

This role will serve to ensure efficient operational and financial running of the CLC through effective leadership and management, within corporate guidelines and agreed budget, ensuring excellent customer care.

Acting as a leader within the site, this individual will be responsible for driving the correct behaviours and as result delivering continuous improvement. In turn, this role will contribute to the identification and development of future leaders within the business.  

Job Scope:   

We are looking for someone who can oversee and manage critical aspects of our supply chain operations. This role comes with delegated responsibilities to ensure the smooth and compliant handling of products throughout the entire process. This includes:

• Ensuring products are received and stored under the correct conditions as specified in their product descriptions.

• Overseeing automated picking processes to guarantee accuracy, proper date rotation, and efficient handling.

• Managing the safe and timely transportation of products according to their specific requirements.

• Coordinating the retrieval of returned and recalled products in line with company procedures.

Responsibilities:  

1. Operational Leadership 

• Implement operational strategies to improve productivity and efficiency in line with company requirements

• Prioritises tactical actions to improve service and cost performance within the operations team and make recommendations for improvements

• Working with people leaders to develop a culture of continuous improvement across the central logistics centre and making recommendations to the Head of CLC

• Promote and enforce a safe working environment, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations

• Deputise for the Head of CLC in their absence

2. People Leadership 

• Lead, mentor, and develop a multi-skilled operations team.  

• Support with coaching, direction, development and guidance in line with our Guiding Principles including hiring, training, performance evaluations

• Foster a positive and collaborative work environment, encouraging teamwork and continuous improvement

• Embracing a learning and development culture across within the function liaising with L&D team to maximise output. 

• Support teams to achieve participation levels in employment engagement surveys to drive action plans

• Conduct performance reviews and provide timely feedback to all team members according to the company’s annual appraisal process

• Champion and lead DE&I, embracing an open dialogue and collaboration as part of the sites culture, empowering sharing of different perspectives, ensuring a culture of feeling valued, respected, and supported   

• Recruit, train and develop all direct reports

• Be a role model by demonstrating the Guiding Principles in the everyday and continuously work towards the Cencora Purpose 

• Provide effective leadership and motivation through regular team briefings

3. KPI 

• Monitor key performance indicators (KPI’s) and operational metrics to drive performance against service, compliance, productivity and cost in line with targets and ensure the implementation of actions to reverse identified areas of under-performance.  

• Identify opportunities for process improvement and implement best practice

• Responsible for correct headcount to maintain both service and productivity measures in operations according to all relevant KPI’s. 

4. Automation Management 

• Support efficiency and optimisation of automated systems and equipment to ensure effective operations. 

• Collaborate with IT, Knapp and technical teams to troubleshoot and resolve any automation-related issues. 

5. Compliance 

• Working with the Quality Support Manager ensuring CLC is operating in accordance with standards expected from regulatory bodies such as GDP, MHRA, Home Office, ICO. Monitor and manage compliance in line with these standards

• Ensure the department meets all Health & Safety requirements and Direct Reports are aware of their responsibilities and compliant to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s)

• Conduct regular audits and inspections to maintain compliance and address any deficiencies

• Maintain high standards of quality and accuracy in all warehouse operations, ensuring that pharmaceutical products are handled and stored correctly

• Support the Quality team to ensure all procedures are followed within Operations to secure the integrity of products

6. Inventory Management 

• Effectively implement inventory management procedures related to Inbound and Outbound processes in line with company guidelines, working in partnership with the Risk and compliance manager and Inventory & Returns manager to manage inventory levels

• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and productivity

7. Budget Management 

• Develop and manage the warehouse and overhead budgets

• Monitor expenses and ensure cost-effective operations

• Identify and implement cost-saving initiatives

8. Stakeholder Engagement 

• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders 

• Collaborate with other departments, aligning warehouse operations with organisational goals to ensure seamless operations and customer satisfaction

• Participate in cross-functional meetings to align warehouse activities with business objectives

• Address and resolve any operational issues or challenges 

• Provide prompt feedback to queries raised by other departmental managers and act swiftly to warehouse service issues raised by customers 

9. Health and Safety and ESG 

• Champion and lead the Health and Safety culture as well as continuous improvement through best practice activities in accordance to the SOP’s. 

• Working with the H&S Manager conduct regular safety audits and risk assessments. 

• Commit to advancing our ESG initiatives to create healthier futures around the world

• Ensure a culture of being safe, legal and compliant.  

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required:  

• Proven experience in warehouse operations management, with significant leadership experience (managing managers as direct reports) in an automated warehouse environment within a set budget is essential

• Proven track record in designing and delivering projects to stabilise and develop warehouse operations. 

• Excellent leadership, communication and problem-solving skills to lead and develop teams in large, complex 24/7 operation. 

• Experience of leading teams in a fast moving and changing environment 

• Ability to work in a warehouse environment; Including standing and walking for extended periods. Ability to lift and move materials as needed. Comfortable working in varying temperatures within the warehouse environment.  

• Systems; Experience of warehouse management systems (WMS) and automated technologies. Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 and warehouse software with the ability to navigate between multiple systems seamlessly. 

• Industry knowledge; Experience in the pharmaceutical industry is highly preferred 

• Compliance; Knowledge and experience of regulatory compliance and quality standards in pharmaceutical distribution is highly preferred

• Analytical; Proficiency in data analysis and performance metrics including KPIs, strong problem-solving skills and high attention to detail

• Relationships; Ability to build strong and effective relationships across departments, demonstrating a collaborative approach

• Excellent organisational abilities

.

Additional Information:  

Some UK travel required, with overnight stays and attendance at meetings or conventions outside of normal business hours, including some evenings and weekends.

All staff are expected to understand the principles of Good Distribution Practice of Medicinal Products for Human Use (2013/C 343/01) which is reflected in our SOP – REF Chapter 1 AHDL GDP 1.1. It will be a requirement for all staff to be trained in this SOP and have a periodic refresher. All other GDP training will be job specific and as per your personal training matrix.  

All people leader roles within the Central Logistics Centre will need to be “on call” for emergency orders.  

Full driving licence required 

All people leader roles within the Central Logistics Centre may be required to participate a weekend working rota. 

An agreed element of flexibility may be required.  

What Cencora offers

​Benefit offerings outside the US may vary by country and will be aligned to local market practice. The eligibility and effective date may differ for some benefits and for team members covered under collective bargaining agreements.

Full time

Affiliated Companies

Affiliated Companies: Alliance Healthcare Management Services Limited

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law.

The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non-discriminatory.

Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements. If you wish to request an accommodation while seeking employment, please call 888.692.2272 or email [email protected]. We will make accommodation determinations on a request-by-request basis. Messages and emails regarding anything other than accommodations requests will not be returned