Main purpose of the role

A key operational member of the Logistics management team, managing the flow of International pick and delivery (out of UK & EU DC) to all markets.

Identify and implement supply chain process improvements that benefit International as a whole. This will include close liaison with Commercial, Merchandising and Store Operations teams in Houndsditch and out in stores in order to identify opportunities and deliver beneficial solutions.

Manage the relationship with K+N, NIC and Franchise Partners ensuring both day-to-day operational issues are resolved and that service improvements are delivered over time.

This role will initially report to the Head of Transport and will have 2 direct reports.

What you will be doing:

• Improving service to stores through the Dunstable DC and K+N process flows, influencing delivery service requirements and determining seasonal service plans.
• Ensuring that both Dunstable DC and the K+N EU DC receive optimised store demand/orders in a timely manner to expected picking days and store transport schedules, including managing ad-hoc requests for additional deliveries.
• Optimise the delivery lead times to stores for stock dispatched via the K+N / NIC transport networks
• Ongoing review and assessment of logistics productivity opportunities driven by product parameters, including pick multiples, pick frequency, buying multiples, supplier ordering frequency and best before dates.
• Working with Finance to ensure that International is charged fair and appropriate rates for the logistics activity in Dunstable DC, EU DC and K+N x-dock hub.
• Contribute to International logistics budgeting process.
• Working with Merchandising to define and constantly review Inventory management best practise and non-conformance into the EU DC.
• Working with Commercial to ensure that new products are set-up with all correct product attributes (both physical and tax/customs requirements) to ensure a smooth flow of stock through the International supply chain and specifically ensuring that gaps in HS tariff / commodity codes are filled on the product file database and an understanding of Meursing Code requirements is gained.
• Logistics management reporting for International, producing effective communication to all groups including a board level audience.
• Involved in future network thinking to develop International logistics solutions that can confidently satisfy planned growth and maintain service levels.
• Establish reporting visibility of all Franchise shipments and harmonise process flows for all existing (and future) business.
• Maintain an ongoing relationship with Group Tax to ensure that any supply chain hold ups due to import/export border controls are effectively resolved in a timely manner.
• Further Develop the EU DC strategy including non-ITR products.
• Assist in International forecasting, especially the impacts of short-term requirements, and ensuring that this is effectively communicated in a timely manner to DCs and K+N to enable appropriate staffing levels for reforecast volumes.
• Ensure DC forecasts include all activity required to align the Logistics activity to the company trading plans.
• Lead cross functional meetings with Merchandising, Commercial, Store Operations, K+N and UK DC teams to review operational performance and ensure lessons are learned when issues arise.
• Develop & produce monthly & weekly management reports.
• Primary point of contact within the Logistics function for International store openings and closures.
• Work closely with Commercial to manage the onboarding of new suppliers/products, and with Tax/Finance where these suppliers are supplying from outside of the EU
• Manage the Service Class exception list of stores, ensuring good communication to Merchandising and the business more widely when products are being switched from Dunstable to EU Hub (and vice versa by exception)
• Store order optimisation to balance K+N warehousing costs with stock levels and availability
• Balancing transport cost savings with service for stores – including comparison of planned pallets to actual pallets, use of ½ size euro pallets and full UK pallets for different stores
• Managing all partner invoice reconciliation.
• Ensuring SKU (pallet config, case dimensions, weights, commodity tariff coding (UK & EU), measuring codes and COO) data is accurate and updated as appropriate.
• Understanding non-EU store requirements and ensuring that the logistical requirements are specifically dealt with.

What we are looking for:

• Strong numeracy and PC skills.
• Tenacious in approach and structured thinking essential.
• Ability to communicate cross functionally with clarity and at all levels.
• Ideally a background from within a Logistics Planning, Merchandising or Retail role.
• Experience of WHSmith processes and ways of working an advantage.
• Project planning and development orientated
• Ability to visit partner operations in UK, Netherlands, ROI and International stores across Europe.
• Flexible working with expectation to attend regular meetings in DCs and Houndsditch.

WHSmith have occupied our place in our customers’ hearts for over two decades. You’ll find our stores and our family of brands in airports, hospitals, railway stations, on high streets and in shopping centres – as well as right across the world! We are an ambitious team that thrives on pace, collaboration and innovation resulting in a real entrepreneurial culture. Celebrating 230 years, we’re proud to have grown and evolved into a globally recognised brand present in over 30 countries around the world, and we’re proud to be that air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey, both in life and through life. As a diverse group of over 12,000 colleagues, we are all on the same journey to a better business through our commitments to our planet, people and the communities we serve. WHSmith are proud to be an inclusive employer, we want our colleagues to feel welcome, and free to be themselves with us.