Senior Manager, Supply Chain Operations – South
📍 Location: Field-Based, South UK (Regular travel to Birmingham, Severnside & South Ockendon)
Are you an influential operational leader with the vision, resilience and capability to shape the future of a multi‑site, high‑volume supply chain network? Do you thrive in environments where operational excellence, major transformation and complex stakeholder alignment all collide, and where your leadership directly impacts national and European supply chains?
CHEP is hiring a Senior Manager, Supply Chain Operations – South, who will report to our UKI Supply Chain Director. You’ll oversee a large, fast‑paced operational region, leading three Plant Managers and c.600 colleagues, while spearheading some of CHEP’s most strategically important initiatives.
This role blends operational leadership with long‑term strategic influence, offering the scope to deliver real, measurable impact across safety, cost, service and transformation. It’s a role for someone ready to step into a large platform with visibility, autonomy and the chance to shape how our network performs today, and how it evolves for tomorrow.
If you’re driven by the challenge of leading large teams, transforming ways of working and delivering high‑stakes results in a matrix organisation, this is an exceptional opportunity to make your mark.
Experience & Capability
* Extensive experience managing large teams in high-volume, fast‑paced manufacturing or Supply Chain environments.
* Strong operational leadership across safety, service, quality and cost.
* Proven experience delivering transformation projects and change management initiatives in complex, multi‑site operations.
* Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders across matrix organisations (Commercial, Supply Chain, Engineering, HR, etc.).
* Experience working in unionised environments with positive relationship management.
* Financial and commercial acumen - budget ownership, P&L understanding, and cost optimisation capability.
Leadership Behaviours
* Exceptional communication and coaching skills.
* Comfortable with complexity, ambiguity and competing priorities.
* Proactive, independent decision‑maker who can balance strategy and execution.
* Able to build engagement, foster Zero Harm culture and drive high performance across diverse teams.
Key Responsibilities May Include:
* Ensure all operational activities within the region fully comply with health, safety, and quality standards, as well as operational procedures to drive regulatory adherence and risk mitigation.
* Drive customer satisfaction by ensuring plants consistently meet service and quality standards, and foster a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement.
* Provide leadership and oversight to ensure plants have the appropriate resources and focus to consistently deliver on KPIs, meeting customer satisfaction and operational goals.
* Continuously improve operational performance in key areas such as health and safety, cost management, product quality, customer satisfaction, and sustainability.
* Analyze and track regional cost trends, identifying opportunities for cost efficiency and ensuring that financial performance aligns with budget targets.
* Lead and implement cost‑saving initiatives by recommending, analyzing, and executing efficiency improvements across the region.
* Actively contribute to the development and execution of the regional supply chain strategy, working closely with cross‑functional teams to drive operational consistency and improvement.
* Lead and mentor plant management teams, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, fostering a collaborative work environment, and supporting professional development.
Why Join CHEP?
* Lead high‑profile transformation programmes with genuine European exposure.
* Multi‑site, cross‑functional scope — Operations, Engineering, Commercial, Supply Chain UK/EU.
* Accelerated career pathway — a natural pipeline to future Head of Operations / Director roles.
* Complex, exciting environment with autonomy, visibility and impact. This is a role for someone who wants to shape the future, not just run the present.
💼 What’s in It for You?
* Certified Top 17 Global Employers
* Annual bonus (typically 20%) based on company and individual performance
* Generous Share Scheme
* Private healthcare (family cover)
* 25 days holiday + statutory holidays, with the option to buy/sell 5 additional days
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