About this role
Operations Manager, Birmingham Depot
Location: Birmingham (on-site)
Salary: £46,000 to £52,000, depending on experience
Contract: Full-time, permanent
About the role
Our client is an established name in industrial products and recycled materials. They need a practical, visible Operations Manager to run their Birmingham depot, a busy outdoor yard and processing site supplying both local and group customers.
This is a role for someone who prefers the yard to the desk. You’ll spend much of your day on site, leading a team of around 25 staff, yard and production operatives and admin staff, and working as the Site Leads right hand.
The business has a strong record of promoting from within, so there is a genuine route into senior depot or general management for the right person.
What you’ll be doing
Running the depot day to day, from material coming in to processing to going outCoordinating collections, drivers and vehicle movements so inbound and outbound loads stay on planWorking alongside the yard/production supervisor to keep things moving, particularly when plans changeWalking the site regularly to check loads, equipment and housekeepingCovering for the General Manager during leave or absence, including local commercial decisions within agreed limits The workforce combines long-serving employees with newer joiners. You’ll need to respect the experience in the team while challenging constructively when standards slip.
Key responsibilities
Operational leadership
Set and own the daily plan covering collections, tipping and processing, and load-outsDeploy drivers, yard staff and admin so the right people are in the right place at the right timeKeep yard layout, stock locations and loading bays under control to prevent bottlenecks Transport and yard coordination
Work with the transport team to schedule collections and deliveries around processing capacity and customer needsRespond quickly to delays, breakdowns and absences, reprioritising drivers and loads to protect service and cost People management
Lead a varied team with a wide spread of backgrounds and lengths of serviceSet clear expectations, give regular feedback and address performance or conduct issues promptlyFoster a culture that suits a tough industrial setting while keeping standards and procedures front of mind Health, safety, compliance and standards
Drive a strong safety culture covering traffic management, housekeeping, equipment use and PPEMake sure procedures are understood and followed, and the site is always ready for auditSupport the environmental and waste compliance requirements that apply to the depot Commercial awareness
Handle everyday commercial conversations when covering for the GM, such as straightforward pricing with local customers within agreed frameworksMonitor site cost drivers (overtime, vehicle utilisation, waste, rework) and support improvement initiatives About you
Proven operational leadership in a relevant setting, such as recycling, waste management, MRF/transfer stations, or heavy industry or manufacturing with yard-based operationsA track record of being hands-on and present in the operation rather than managing from spreadsheets and emailsExperience leading mixed teams of drivers, yard/production staff and administrators, ideally 15 to 30 peopleA strong health and safety mindset, and experience holding standards in demanding industrial environmentsThe confidence to deputise for your manager, make sound decisions and represent the site to colleagues and local customersGood organisation, able to juggle collections, processing and outbound loads without losing the detailA direct, clear communication style that earns respect from long-serving staff and brings newer starters with youA continuous improvement outlook, spotting small gains and seeing them through Candidates from distribution or warehouse-only backgrounds may be considered if they can show clear success in tough, outdoor, yard-based operations rather than purely indoor DCs.
Why join?
Real ownership of a live, complex depot, not just one part of the processA business with a strong record of internal progression across depots and group rolesThe chance to work closely with an experienced General Manager and a senior team who understand the sector and value hands-on operatorsScope to shape culture and standards at a key site If you’re an operations leader who thrives in real-world industrial environments and wants to run a busy depot from end to end, we’d like to hear from you.