Exclusive Mandate via Motiva Recruitment
Motiva Recruitment is partnering with a high-growth, technology-enabled healthcare organisation to appoint a UK Operations Director to lead and scale a complex, high-throughput, regulated fulfilment operation.
This is a board-facing, enterprise level leadership appointment with full P&L accountability for the UK site. The successful candidate will bring proven experience operating at Director/GM level, with a track record of scaling live logistics environments beyond 10,000 orders per day while leading teams of 100+ across both high-growth scale-ups and mature operational settings.
The Mandate
The UK Operations Director will assume end-to-end responsibility for a high-volume distribution and fulfilment centre engineered to support 35,000+ orders per day.
The core brief is clear:
* Stabilise and optimise a live 10k+ orders/day operation.
* Architect the systems, structure, and automation required to scale materially beyond current volumes.
* Lead a workforce of 100+ employees through disciplined growth.
* Embed robust operational governance, compliance, and performance management.
* Deliver sustainable improvements in throughput, cost per order, accuracy, and SLA adherence.
This is a “four walls” leadership role encompassing operational strategy, execution, people, technology, facilities, compliance, and logistics partnerships.
Success will be measured through scalable performance: higher volumes, lower error rates, improved productivity, strong employee engagement, and operational resilience under peak pressure.
This is a full-time, UK-based, on-site position.
Key Accountabilities Enterprise-Level Site Leadership
* Full operational ownership of receiving, processing, verification, packing, and outbound distribution.
* Define and execute the roadmap from current volumes to 20k+ and 35k+ orders per day.
* Implement structured KPI governance across throughput, quality, labour efficiency, cost per order, and service performance.
* Ensure cold chain integrity, physical security, and stock control meet the standards required for high value regulated inventory.
* Build contingency frameworks for peak demand, operational risk, and volume volatility.
Strategic People Leadership
* Direct and develop a workforce exceeding 100 employees in a fast-paced, multi-shift environment.
* Build a strong layer of operational leadership beneath you (managers, supervisors, shift leads).
* Establish disciplined operating rhythms, clear accountability structures, and performance management frameworks.
* Lead workforce planning aligned to volume forecasts and automation strategy.
* Foster a culture of high standards, pace, candour, and operational excellence.
Candidates must demonstrate significant experience managing large operational teams within logistics, warehousing, or fulfilment environments.
Scaling & Operational Engineering
* Redesign layouts and workflows to optimise flow and eliminate friction points.
* Map end-to-end processes and rebalance stations to maximise throughput.
* Introduce structured scale-up phases that maintain control and compliance.
* Create scalable SOPs and operating playbooks suitable for multi-site replication.
* Apply data-led decision-making to remove bottlenecks before they impact service.
Experience scaling live distribution environments beyond 10,000 daily orders is essential.
Automation & Robotics Integration
* Evaluate and implement robotics and automation solutions with clear commercial ROI.
* Integrate technology across picking, verification, packing, and cold-chain handling where appropriate.
* Balance innovation with operational reliability whilst prioritising stability over experimentation.
* Lead vendor selection, commissioning, and change management for automation initiatives.
* Ensure automation reduces manual load, error rates, and unit cost sustainably.
Hands‑on experience implementing warehouse automation or robotics in complex environments is highly desirable.
Logistics & Carrier Governance
* Own outbound carrier performance and SLA management.
* Build resilient partnerships with parcel carriers and 3PL providers.
* Develop peak and contingency planning frameworks.
* Improve first‑attempt delivery success and exception management discipline.
Candidate Profile
We are seeking a seasoned operational executive who combines scale‑up capability with enterprise-level rigour.
You will likely demonstrate:
* Prior experience as Operations Director, General Manager, or equivalent senior leader.
* Direct leadership of 100+ staff in high throughput warehousing or logistics environments.
* Experience operating at or beyond 10,000 orders per day.
* A background spanning both high‑growth scale-ups and established, mature operations.
* Deep understanding of facility design, throughput engineering, and workforce productivity modelling.
* Proven success implementing automation and/or robotics within distribution settings.
* Strong financial literacy and ownership of cost-to-serve optimisation.
* Experience with high-value inventory control and regulated compliance frameworks.
* The ability to build systems that scale across multiple sites.
You will be analytical, decisive, commercially minded, and comfortable operating with high autonomy and accountability.
Desirable Experience
* Commissioning and launching new facilities.
* Regulated healthcare or pharmaceutical operations.
* Hub-and‑spoke or central‑fill distribution models.
* Advanced cold-chain logistics management.
* Building real-time operational dashboards.
* Negotiating high-volume national carrier contracts.
Cultural Alignment
* Relentless ownership and accountability
* High standards and execution discipline
* Candour and direct communication
* Resourcefulness and commercial prudence
* Long-term value creation over short-term optics
* Urgency paired with structured thinking
This role will suit an ambitious Operations Director seeking a career-defining mandate with both scale and complexity.
Compensation & Benefits
* £100,000–£200,000 base plus equity participation
* Comprehensive medical insurance
* Generous PTO plus UK public holidays
* Relocation support (on‑site requirement)
* Professional development and wellness budgets
* Company-provided equipment
About Motiva Recruitment
Motiva Recruitment specialises in placing transformational operational leaders into high-growth and operationally complex businesses. This search is conducted on a confidential basis, with further detail shared under NDA.
* If you are an experienced operational leader who has scaled high-volume logistics environments, implemented automation and robotics, and built high-performing teams at scale, we welcome a confidential discussion.
* Contact Stuart on 07539 172680 or stuart@motivarecruitment.co.uk
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