Depot manager (harlow)

Depot Manager Location - Harlow At Wellocks, we are passionate about supplying the UK’s finest restaurants with the very best ingredients. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re on an exciting journey to continue building a high-performing, people-focused culture. We are now looking for an experienced Employment Relations Advisor to join our People Team. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact by driving a proactive, commercially focused approach to employee relations across the business. We’re looking for an experienced and driven Depot Manager to lead our Harlow transport operation. This is a key leadership role where you’ll be responsible for delivering a safe, compliant, and high-performing depot, ensuring exceptional service for our customers every day. As Depot Manager, you’ll take full ownership of depot performance – leading your team, driving operational excellence, and ensuring all transport and health & safety standards are met. What You’ll Be Doing: Leading the Harlow Depot Operation Oversee the day-to-day running of the depot, ensuring an efficient, reliable fleet operation Plan and manage resources including drivers, vehicles, and routes Deliver excellent service to both internal and external customers Promote a positive, high-performing team culture focused on engagement and retention Compliance & Safety Ensure full compliance with UK transport legislation (drivers’ hours, tachographs, O-licence requirements) Maintain vehicle roadworthiness through effective maintenance and defect management Lead on health & safety, including risk assessments, incident investigations, and safe systems of work Support audits and ensure actions are completed in a timely manner People Leadership Lead, coach, and develop your team through regular 1:1s and performance reviews Manage recruitment, onboarding, and training to build a capable and compliant team Foster strong communication across the depot and wider network Handle employee relations matters professionally and fairly Performance & Continuous Improvement Own depot KPIs, analysing performance and delivering improvement plans Manage budgets, control costs, and identify efficiencies Drive continuous improvement and implement best practice processes Maintain accurate reporting and operational records What We’re Looking For: Experience & Knowledge Proven experience in transport, logistics, or distribution management Strong knowledge of UK transport compliance and operational practices Transport Manager CPC (preferred) Health & Safety qualification (IOSH/NEBOSH desirable) Skills Strong leadership and people management capability Excellent planning, organisation, and problem-solving skills Data-driven mindset with experience using KPIs to drive performance Confident communicator with strong stakeholder management skills IT proficiency, including Excel and operational systems Who You Are: A strong, accountable leader with a safety-first mindset Passionate about delivering excellent customer service Commercially aware and results-focused A collaborator who thrives in a fast-paced environment Driven to continuously improve and challenge the status quo Let us tell you some benefits you would receive at Wellocks: 33 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays) Generous employee discounts on all our products Fancy volunteering? We will give you one day off a year to take part in volunteering. Cycle to Work Scheme that offers discounted bikes and cycling equipment. Donate through your pay to a charity of your choice. The money is simply deducted through your pay before tax, so for every pound you donate, the 20p that usually goes to tax will go to the charity instead! Holiday Purchase Scheme We also have a range of employee assistance services which can be tailored to give you support on things such as finances, health and wellbeing. About us Wellocks, is one of the leading UK fresh food distributors using the finest ingredients we support chefs with quality ingredients. We offer pre prepared veg items to our customers which is an integral part of our service. We’re proud to be part of the William Jackson Food Group, a dedicated family-owned food business which started in 1851. Our sister businesses are Abel & Cole, Jacksons Bakery and Belazu. Family values and the commitment which comes with such a long-standing business are rooted in our culture here at Wellocks. Thanks for reading our job advert. We do our very best to bring to life what it's like working as part of our team. Diverse teams really are the best teams. We want everyone to feel they can be themselves at work and develop their talents to the full. All colleagues are expected to take personal responsibility for keeping our workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying - a place where everyone is treated fairly and respectfully. We also know that sometimes some candidates may be put off applying for a job unless they think they can tick every box. If you are really excited about working with us and think you can do much of what we are looking for but aren't sure if you are 100% there yet go on why not give it a whirl? Good luck!