Overview
Location: Port of Tilbury London Ltd, Leslie Ford House
Port of Tilbury
Compensation: Salary - £54,652 + bonus
Hours: Working early, late & night shifts as well as weekends
Forth Ports is one of the UK's largest and most dynamic port operator groups, playing a key role in connecting the UK with Europe and beyond. As a multimodal ports owner and operator, we are at the forefront of delivering innovative port-related services. With our recent pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2032 and Net Zero status by 2042, we are committed to sustainability and driving the expansion of the UK's renewable energy sector, particularly offshore wind. Now is an exciting time to join our team as we embark on this transformative journey towards a greener future.
About The Role
In this role as Shift Operations Manager, you will provide tactical support and direction to the shift supervisors, setting strategic targets and goals for the operation. You will support the Asset Manager in delivering the FMCG strategy while providing leadership to the shift teams. You will also be accountable for maintaining the highest operational and safety standards across FMCG operations.
Key Responsibilities
* Deliver daily and weekly safety and performance targets
* Plan short- and medium-term resources, including headcount and plant requirements
* Control variable labour costs through effective management of overtime, absence, and agency usage
* Audit compliance with terminal and port policies and procedures
* Provide coaching, guidance, and performance management for shift supervisors
* Oversee terminal facilities and plant, ensuring they are well maintained and escalating major repair costs as needed
* Apply and manage disciplinary procedures up to dismissal at operative level
* Ensure all key roles are covered each shift, with deputies available for holiday and sickness cover
* Monitor and manage the training matrix to maintain required skills across all shifts
* Act as the senior responsible person on site outside of normal business hours
* Respond promptly to customer queries, escalating where appropriate
* Adapt daily operational plans to ensure shift targets are achieved
* Drive a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement
* Manage the storage strategy and optimise use of automation
What are we looking for?
We are seeking a dynamic and resilient Shift Operations Manager who can balance tactical decision-making with strong people leadership. The ideal candidate will be confident in managing teams, driving performance, and adapting plans to meet operational demands. Flexibility is key, as the role requires working across days, nights, and weekends to support the operation. A commitment to safety, customer service, and continuous improvement will be essential to success in this role.
Skills & Qualifications
* Proven experience in a fast-paced warehousing or FMCG environment
* Strong leadership with the ability to manage and develop first-line managers
* Experience in cost control and working within budgetary constraints
* Critical thinking and strong problem-solving skills
* Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage at all levels
* Background in continuous improvement and delivering customer excellence
* Confident using warehouse systems and MS Office applications
* Customer-facing experience with the ability to build strong relationships
* Full right to work in the UK
* Full UK driving licence
What Forth Ports Can Offer You
At Forth Ports, our people are our priority, and we are committed to creating a flexible, open, and supportive working culture. As part of our team, you will enjoy:
* A competitive salary
* Defined bonus
* Generous annual leave entitlement
* A defined pension scheme and life assurance
* Discretionary bonus
* Health promotion events and employee wellbeing initiatives
* Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for you and your family
* Cycle to work scheme and on-site free parking
* Attractive Family Friendly Policies
* Employee discount platform offering discounts on UK-wide restaurants, car rentals, and holidays
* GymFlex health club memberships
We value diversity and inclusivity, and we are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and will consider all applications for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status.
How To Apply
If you are an experienced Operations Manager and looking to continue your career as part of a forward-thinking and supportive team, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a cover letter when submitting your application via the ‘Apply Now’ link.
About The Company
Over our 50 years of experience we have witnessed our ports grow to become important assets to support and deliver growth both for the UK and local economies. The growth impact has been achieved due to the continued investments in our infrastructure, making sure that our ports are able to continually develop their services and support the growth of many industries. Our people have played a significant role. They have delivered the highest quality of service through their expertise, loyalty and flexibility and, without them, we could not have built the strong reputation and the long term agreements with many customers that we have today.
Company Culture
Welcome to Forth Ports Careers. As a leading port operator, we employ over 1,100 people across our ports in Scotland and the Port of Tilbury in London. A career in a port business is very rewarding. There is real variety within each role and significant opportunities for promotion and career development. Don’t just take our word for it; view the “Some of our People” section and the video below to gain insight into the kinds of jobs our employees do, how they’ve grown with us, and what motivates them each day. The port business can be seen as a barometer for the economy and this drives us to be adaptable and fast paced as we identify new business opportunities.
Required Criteria
* Proven leadership experience managing first-line managers and operational teams in a fast-paced warehouse or FMCG environment
* Strong commercial and problem-solving skills with experience in cost control, resource planning, and performance management
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities, with confidence in both customer-facing and cross-functional engagement
* Full right to work in the UK
* Full UK driving licence
Closing Date
Thursday 18th September, 2025
Contract Type
Full-time
Salary
£54,652.00 Yearly
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