Operations Director - Freight Forwarding

Operations Director - Freight Forwarding
Location: Daventry
Salary: -100,000pa

About the Role
We are seeking an operational & commercially astute Operations Director with proven experience working directly within a UK-based freight forwarding company. The successful candidate will have deep knowledge of air, sea, and road import/export operations, combined with full P&L responsibility. This senior leadership role will drive operational excellence, financial performance, and strategic growth at one of our key regional branches.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide decisive leadership and strategic oversight of branch operations.
• Manage and develop a high-performing team to ensure smooth multimodal freight forwarding processes across air, sea, and road.
• Take full ownership of P&L, safeguarding existing revenue while driving sustainable, profitable growth.
• Collaborate closely with the Operations Manager to coordinate daily activities and resolve operational issues.
• Prepare, review, and analyse monthly financial and operational reports in partnership with the Group Operations Director.
• Ensure full compliance with health & safety regulations, security protocols, and company policies.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and implement initiatives to improve productivity, customer satisfaction, and cost efficiency.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal teams.
• Lead team performance management, including conducting Performance Development Plans (PDPs) and promoting continuous improvement.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Proven experience in a UK-based freight forwarding company, with hands-on management of air, sea, and road import/export operations.
• Commercially astute with full P&L accountability and a strong track record of delivering financial results.
• Minimum five year''s experience leading multi-functional logistics teams in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and planning skills.
• Adaptable, resilient, and skilled at problem-solving under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Professional qualifications in Logistics or Supply Chain Management are preferred.
• Proficient in MS Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and CargoWise software.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence and engage across all business levels.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Timely and accurate delivery of monthly billing and financial data.
• Compliance with service level agreements (SLAs).
• Adherence to budget and robust financial reporting.

Why Apply?
This is a prime opportunity for a strategic and commercially savvy operations leader to take ownership of a key branch within a growing logistics company. If you bring the experience and leadership to drive success in a dynamic multimodal freight forwarding environment, we want to hear from you!

WR Logistics are the #1 recruitment partner for all vacancies in the logistics industry. We recruit UK wide for permanent and contract jobs.

WR is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.