Operations Excellence Manager

Purpose of role:

To identify and deliver projects and service/cost initiatives across Primark’s End to End Supply chain to support the delivery of the Primark’s growth agenda. Collaborating with Operations and development teams to help define and deliver the Supply Chain road map.

Reports to: Operations & Systems Excellence Manager

Location:Islip or Reading

Key Responsibilities:

• Through robust data analysis of key operational and cost metrics, identify opportunities for innovation and work with all operation teams to quantify the value of the opportunity
• Champion Continuous Improvement and Operations Excellence throughout the Supply Chain through fast pace delivery of improvement/step change initiatives.
• Drive a culture of Operations Excellence across the Supply Chain network
• Implementation of change projects from conception through to delivery exploiting new ways of working/technology to deliver step change improvements
• Work with the Heads of and 3rd Party Partners to identify and deliver step change improvements across all aspects of the End to End Supply Chain (Manufacturer to Store, and reverse logistics)
• Manage the initiative ‘pipeline’ to ensure activities are co-ordinated, prioritised and managed across the Primark Network
• Manage a forward pipeline of opportunities, prioritising by importance and value
• Improve the speed and effectiveness of new initiatives through adopting a ‘fail fast methodology’
• Report on progress to plan, liaising with the commercial team, heads of, 3PL’s to validate reported benefits
• Keep up to date industry tends to identify further opportunity
• Responsibility to ensure all improvements take into account issues relating to Health & Safety and the Environment
• Identify areas of cost/service inefficiencies within current processes and driving through the change necessary to ensure that these are eliminated.
• Develop strong relationships and monitor Internal Customer satisfaction by gaining regular feed back
• Support delivery of operational consistency across the Supply chain through both process and technology.
• Gain “buy in” of key stakeholders through collaboration and effective engagement
• Work with business and broader Ops and Systems Excellence team to ensure initiatives are appropriately prioritised and supported.

Essential knowledge, skills and experience:

• Educated to university degree level or equivalent professional Logistics Qualification
• Minimum 5+ years in a Supply Chain/ Logistics function
• Strong proven track record of working within volume Supply Chain (ideally Retail & Fast Fashion) in an international business
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to develop strong working relationships at all management levels
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely and articulate concepts in an understandable way.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to handle large data sets and draw conclusions
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to initiate relevant projects and analysis
• Strong team player who is confident and personable
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritise tasks effectively
• Insightful, accurate and timely management reporting
• Experience of full project life cycle from idea generation, through business case to implementation and benefit delivery
• Flexibility to travel internationally and in-country

Personal Attributes:

• Highly organised, detail-oriented, and possess the ability to forward plan and anticipate issues
• Persuasive communicator who listens and understands stakeholders requirements
• Is comfortable working under own initiative or as part of a multi-functional team
• Proven ability in developing effective working relationships across all levels.
• Operates with a high level of integrity, and is sensitive to cultural differences across regions