At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over seven million GCSEs and A-levels each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Logistics Operations Manager

Permanent

Milton Keynes

£40,000 - £47,000

Hybrid working with an increased presence onsite during active examination series.

Are you a manager of managers who focuses on customer experience and process improvement?

Do you have a quality assurance and / or logistics background and want to be able to build and shape a new team and deliver exceptional results?

With your experience in coordinating operations involving multiple processes, stakeholders and moving parts, you will play a pivotal role in students being able to have their exam papers marked and ready for results day.

What’s in it for you?

• This role will put you at the heart of our business driving quality and productivity whilst building and shaping a new team.
• A real and tangible impact on the lives of students and teachers across the UK.
• A focus on personal and professional growth and development.
• Access to an enhanced Contributory pension scheme which could you see you paying in 7% and AQA contributing 11.5% (Other options available)
• Life Assurance, BUPA PMI, Health cash plan, 35 hour working week, 25 days holiday + Bank Holidays + Christmas off increasing with services.
• The ability to unwind and focus on self-care through the full Headspace App and our Employee assistance and wellbeing programmes.

Purpose

If you think this is a classic logistics role you would be mistaken! Where we are physically moving material (exam and assessment papers) on a smaller scale than you may be used to , this is about the fast flow and accuracy of the work. Your team engage directly with education centres across the UK , working to build and influence relationships with key customers and stakeholders to ensure the reverse logistics of managing the journey of up to 30000 thousand manual exam and assessment papers to ensure each and every one is collected, marked and processed. This is a very people centric role.

Set vision, direction and clarity while building and developing a high performing team. Interpret and implement Management Information to deliver data driven and customer enhancing improvements to a logistics process with a difference.

What you will do

• You will manage 2 permanent Team Leaders and a large number of seasonal employees to deliver to the highest standards, ensuring quality and governance in all of our manual and automated processes.
• Crafting highly regulated processes to fit across a new location, joining at a time where you will be involved from inception in process review and improvement initiatives.
• Take accountability for the development of quality assurance and compliance by working collaboratively across AQA to develop metrics and procedures that will support the operations in Milton Keynes.
• You will play a key role at leadership level meetings, providing regular progress reports and ensuring robust escalation and BAU action plans are in place to manage quality and exceptions.
• and for day to day activities where required. The team purpose is to provide excellent customer service to centres, candidates, associates and internal customers with a focus on operational excellence.
• Build exceptional relationships with our internal and external customers, Associates and Third party print and logistic suppliers providing guidance to consistently deliver a world class service that meets our customers’ needs.
• Clear understanding of our compliance against conditions of recognition and assurance of quality across all P+L South teams.
• Gather and analyse quality performance data across the end-to-end process to identify trends in order to drive continuous operational improvement in the P&L process.
• Be accountable for a budget which is in excess of £500k. Monitor spend, analyse variances and initiate actions to keep it on track with a continual eye on improvement.

What you’ll need to succeed

• The ability to influence and the resilience to have challenging conversations upwards and outwards to ensure 100% of the exam papers are processed.
• Communicate at all levels to ensure the smooth running of the department and to aid and support the wider team.
• Coach and develop your team to ensure a focus on personal and process development is at the heart of what they do.
• Ability to project manage, plan, implement and evaluate a range of quality improvements and operational process activities.
• Enable operational excellence through enhanced productivity, CI and change activity, collaboration and accountability.

What next?

Apply highlighting your transferable skills and motivation for applying via our website.

We are closing for applications on Wednesday 4 October 2023.

Interviews will involve a phone call with one of our recruiters and once qualified a one stage process week commencing 16 October 2023

Recruitment Agencies

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.

Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.

Full Job Description

Summary

Purpose:
This role will primarily be responsible for the day to day management of all reverse logistics, script management and post results processes within Production and Logistics. These processes ensure that physical material and correctly handled, meaning that our candidates receive the mark they deserve.
This role also chairs the weekly departmental governance meeting as part of our wider governance and regulatory structure
The team purpose is to provide excellent customer service to centres, candidates, associates and internal customers with a focus on operational excellence.

Landscape:
This role is based in our Milton Keynes scanning centre office, and is a key member of the Production and Logistics Leadership team, reporting to the Head of Production and Logistics, along with 6 other managers.
The role includes line manager responsibility for 2 team leaders, and indirectly 50 temporary resources throughout the summer series.

Activities:
Builds exceptional relationships with our associate team, associates and centres
Builds strong processes that ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and provide exceptional customer experiences.
Gather and analyse quality performance data across the end-to-end process to identify trends in order to drive continuous operational improvement in the P&L process.
Development of quality and performance standards.
Supports the reduction of errors and associated costs.
With the department head build, control and report on the reverse logistics and script management budget.
Monitor spend against budget, analyse variances and initiate actions to keep it on track, incorporating feedback and recommendations for improvement.
Identify and implement CI process and quality initiatives that increase operational efficiency.
Suggests service enhancing improvements across P&L and uses sound knowledge and reasoning to influence and initiate positive changes to process.
Provides regular progress reports and ensures action plans are in place to manage quality and process triggers and exceptions.
Monitor the safe retrieval of all packets (350k) from centres and associates and provide effective handling, storage and filing of all materials handled within the site for both domestic and International products.
Develop and maintain robust reporting across all teams that provides clarity and builds understanding.
To model leadership behaviours with confidence and to get the very best from key stake holders and teams by providing clarity, feedback, coaching and development, while continuously seeking to enhance behaviours in line with business objectives.
To identify training needs and support the planning and delivery of training for individuals and/or groups to help embed improvements to quality over time.

To be successful in this role, you will need to know:
What good robust operational processes look like with the ability to challenge and implement change where needed
How to establish and maintain an environment of continual improvement
What it takes to inspire, develop and build a successful team across multiple processes
How to manage and motive teams in a high stake environment
How to interpatre MI and create plans to ensure operational delivery of our exam series relating to reverse logistics and script management
What good customer service looks like, to be able to coach and mentor teams to service our centres and associates to the highest of levels.