About the role:
We are seeking an experienced Warehouse Operations Manager to take ownership of the end‑to‑end performance of an outsourced (3PL) warehouse operation in Australia.
This is a critical role responsible for ensuring high standards of safety, service, cost control and quality. Acting as the primary interface between the business and the 3PL partner, you will lead governance, performance management and continuous improvement initiatives. You’ll hold partners to account while building strong, collaborative relationships that drive operational excellence.
What does this role involve day to day?
3PL governance & relationship management
- Acting as the day‑to‑day operational lead with the 3PL site leadership team
- Running structured weekly operational reviews and monthly/quarterly business reviews
- Translating contractual SLAs into clear operational KPIs, targets and action plans
- Managing issues and escalations with a focus on root cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions
- Partnering with Procurement on contract adherence, scope management and change control
Performance reporting & continuous improvement
- Developing and publishing KPI packs with clear insight, commentary and actionable outcomes
- Driving productivity, waste reduction and service improvements using Lean principles
- Owning exception reporting across backorders, late picks and inventory variances
Safety, compliance & quality
- Ensuring full compliance with Australian WHS requirements and site safety standards
- Championing a safety‑first culture, including near‑miss reporting and visible leadership
- Ensuring compliance with Dangerous Goods handling and customer quality standards where applicable
Warehouse operations oversight
- Overseeing inbound, putaway, storage, cycle counting, picking, packing and dispatch performance
- Validating labour planning, shift patterns and resource utilisation against volume forecasts and peak demand
- Driving inventory accuracy through robust cycle count programmes and systemic improvements
Cost & contract performance
- Tracking and challenging cost‑to‑serve, including handling, storage and accessorial charges
- Reviewing and approving invoices, ensuring cost transparency and value for money
- Leading productivity improvement initiatives and waste reduction programmes
Systems, data & transport
- Governing master data, labelling, ASN compliance and system interface performance
- Supporting system testing, UAT and go‑live activity; maintaining SOPs and operational playbooks
- Ensuring transport lead times (road and air) are achieved in line with agreed SLAs and cost targets
This will be suited to you if…
Experience & capability
- You have 5+ years’ experience in warehouse and logistics operations, including 3PL management
- You have a proven track record of delivering KPI, SLA, productivity and cost improvements in fast‑moving environments
- You have a strong working knowledge of Australian WHS requirements and Dangerous Goods
- You are experienced in using WMS, RF scanning, EDI and have strong Excel capability
- You have exposure to Lean or continuous improvement methodologies
- Experience across retail, eCommerce or industrial operations would be advantageous
Personal attributes
- You are data‑driven, with the ability to produce clear, executive‑ready performance insights
- You are a confident and influential communicator, able to challenge constructively
- You are a structured problem‑solver who can remain decisive under pressure
- You have strong stakeholder management and change leadership skills
- You operate with high integrity, are customer‑focused and lead with a safety‑first mindset
We value diversity and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.
We’re committed to ensuring our recruitment process is fair and inclusive. If you face any accessibility challenges with your online application and require additional support, you have the option of speaking to a member of our Recruitment Team who can support you to complete an application in an alternative format. If you would benefit from this support, please email [email protected], and a member of the team will be in touch.
Recruitment Agencies: JCB does not accept any speculative approaches to present candidates for advertised vacancies.
