Job Description

The role

Joining our Online Distribution team, in our flagship warehousing hub in South Elmsall, you’ll play a pivotal part in ensuring our customers receive their orders on time, every time. You will oversee and drive the performance of both internal distribution processes and our third-party carrier network, turning operational data into real, positive change across the UK. Reporting directly to the Assistant UK Parcels Manager, you will collaborate closely with distribution teams and carrier partners to review performance, visit sites, and support continuous improvement initiatives. From day one, you’ll receive dedicated support and hands-on guidance from experienced colleagues across the network to help you get up to speed and thrive in our fast-paced environment.

What you’ll take on

• Monitor and drive carrier performance: Track, analyse, and act upon daily, weekly, and seasonal operational KPIs to safeguard customer delivery standards and achieve the best success rates for UK parcel deliveries
• Evaluate on-site operations: Visit Next warehousing complexes and third-party carrier sites across the UK to understand workflows, investigate bottlenecks, and address operational issues first-hand.
• Deliver continuous improvement: Review end-to-end distribution data to identify operational strengths and weaknesses, recommending and supporting corrective actions where needed.
• Support network projects: Apply your day-to-day operational insight and carrier knowledge to help successfully deliver new project rollouts across our evolving network.
• Collaborate across teams: Build effective partnerships with internal distribution teams, senior managers, and external logistics partners to keep operations running smoothly.

What you’ll bring

• Strong data skills: Confidence working with figures and reports, working closely with the data team to spot key trends, extract insights, and turn this into actionable tasks and process improvements
• A problem-solving, inquisitive mindset: Naturally curious and ready to challenge the status quo, asking the right questions to find better ways of doing things.
• Clear, positive communication: The ability to build genuine, productive working relationships with people at all levels, both inside Next and across our third-party carrier network.
• Organisational focus: Exceptional attention to detail and a methodical approach to managing priorities, reports, and site visits in a fast-moving setting.
• Adaptability and a can-do mindset: A flexible, self-motivated attitude towards operational demands, including an openness to occasional unsociable hours when the operation requires it. You’ll also need a full, clean driving licence.
• Relevant background: Previous exposure to a warehousing, distribution, logistics, or supply chain environment is beneficial, alongside a proactive approach to solving problems.
• AI and process improvement: Any practical experience using AI tools or technologies to streamline workflows and improve processes would be a strong plus.

You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!