UK Operations Manager

UK Operations Manager

Full time permanent

Derby

The role

We are seeking a highly capable and strategic UK Operations Manager to lead operations across multiple sites throughout the UK. This role is central to shaping and scaling Uniphar’s UK operational footprint, with responsibility for end-to-end planning, staffing, and the implementation of lean, compliant warehouse processes that prioritise efficiency, safety, and scalability.

The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership, deep supply chain expertise, and a proven track record in managing complex warehouse operations. They will be instrumental in driving innovation and continuous improvement across logistics, facilities, and operational systems—delivering a focused and high-performing warehouse-as-a-service model across all UK locations.

A key aspect of the role includes ensuring robust Health & Safety policies are in place and consistently adhered to across all sites.

This position sits within Uniphar Group’s Global Operations team and will actively contribute to strategic initiatives both within the UK and across the wider organisation, requiring close collaboration with cross-functional teams globally.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Drive the development and implementation of operational strategies to improve efficiency, quality, and output across all business units.
• Set and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure targets are met and operational performance is continuously improved and report regularly to stakeholders.
• Drive operational cost reductions through process improvement and vendor management.
• Optimize use of existing systems, improve reporting capabilities, and ensure operational readiness for future growth.
• Manage and control budgets, overseeing financial forecasting and ensuring cost-effectiveness across UK operations. This includes optimising the allocation of staff, equipment, and materials. (CapEx, transport, payroll, energy, and facility costs).
• Develop training programs and ensure adherence at site level.
• Recruit, train and manage a cross-functional team.
• Lead, motivate, and mentor a team of department and site-level operations managers, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety and continuous improvement.
• Develop a strong, empowered, and dynamic team by fostering an environment of continuous learning and innovation by supporting training and new approaches to problem solving.
• Ensure all sites remain ‘Audit Ready’ by remaining compliant with regulatory requirements including but not limited GDP/GMP (MHRA), Home Office, HSE, ISO.
• Act as company representative during client and regulatory audits.
• Be the SME and champion of our Warehouse Management System (WMS), Transport Management System (TMS) and other operational software platforms.
• Champion sustainability and ESG initiatives within the depot.
• Identify system and process gaps; lead initiatives to enhance efficiency and sustainability.

 Health & Safety & Facilities

• Update and maintain Health & Safety procedures and the organization’s Safety Statement in compliance with UK and EU regulatory requirements.
• Conduct Health & Safety audits to ensure compliance.
• Stay current on Health & Safety legislation and industry developments affecting operations.
• Lead the maintenance and operation of all company properties, including offices, depots, warehouses, and other assets. Responsibilities include overseeing maintenance schedules, renovations, security, and cleaning services. Implement preventative maintenances schedule which ensures compliance with all regulatory bodies.
• Ensure that sites are maintained to a high standard In both cleanliness and state of repair.
• Proactively review costs for site services ensuring lean running costs.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Identify system and process gaps; lead initiatives to enhance efficiency and sustainability.
• Optimize use of existing systems, improve reporting capabilities, and ensure operational readiness for future growth.
• Champion sustainability and ESG initiatives within the depot.
• Support compliance with GDP, GMP, and other relevant regulations.
• Drive initiatives for cost reduction and service enhancement across business units.

Transition Management

As the business is relocating from London to Derbyshire there will be a period of transition during which there will be additional requirements for this role. These include but are not limited to the following.

• Develop and execute a detailed transition plan for moving operations from London to the new Derbyshire depot with minimal disruption.
• Oversee inventory transfer, systems migration, and operational readiness activities.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders (commercial, quality, IT, regulatory) to align timelines, roles, and responsibilities.
• Oversee the physical move of stock, equipment, and key assets while maintaining service continuity.
• Provide regular transition progress updates to senior management and escalate risks as needed.

Key Skills & Experience

• Degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, or a related field (preferred).
• 5–10 years of experience in a similar role within a fast-paced, highly regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of GDP, GMP, and European quality standards.
• Proven leadership ability, with experience managing multi-site or transition projects.
• Demonstrated success in driving operational transformation and managing complexity.
• Strong financial acumen for budgeting and cost control.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a focus on innovation and process improvement.

How we’d like to work together

Given the critical outcomes expected from this role, it will be primarily based at our new Derbyshire depot. This is not a traditional “9-to-5” position; it requires adaptability to meet operational demands, particularly during the transition period.

In return for your flexibility, you’ll join an organization that values work-life integration and understands the realities of balancing both. We offer a supportive and progressive working environment designed to provide flexibility where possible, while ensuring the delivery of outstanding results.

If you believe that you meet most of the criteria above, we encourage you to apply. We are an equal opportunities employer and will ensure any reasonable accommodations are implemented as part of the recruitment and selection process.

Uniphar – Who we are

With a workforce of more than 3000 employees spread across Ireland, United Kingdom, Mainland Europe, MENA, and the USA, Uniphar is a trusted global partner to pharma and MedTech manufacturers, working to improve patient access to medicines around the world. Uniphar provides outsourced and specialised services to its clients, leveraging the strong relationships with 200+ of the world’s best known pharmaco-medical manufacturers across multiple geographies, enabled by our cutting-edge digital technology and our highly expert teams.  Uniphar is organised into three key divisions: Supply Chain Retail & On Demand, Uniphar Med Tech and Uniphar Pharma.

Supply Chain & Retail

Supply Chain Services provides both pre-wholesale and wholesale distribution of pharmaceutical, healthcare and animal health products to pharmacies and hospital nationwide. The business supports a diverse customer base through the provision of strong service levels coupled with innovative commercial initiatives. In addition, the business provides services and supports that help independent community pharmacy to compete more effectively in an increasingly difficult environment and runs a network of Uniphar-owned pharmacies under the Life, Allcare, McCauleys and Hickeys symbol brands.

Pharma – On Demand

The On-Demand business is a specialist medical supply business that sources and distributes pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and consumable supplies to healthcare professionals in over 160 countries worldwide. We have offices in Ireland, UK, Europe, USA and New Zealand. The company’s main divisions encompass everything from International Sales through Sales to NGO’s and Charities, Clinical Trials Supply, Imported (Unlicensed Medicines), Sexual Health Supplies, and the storage and distribution of medical products and devices for third parties.

Click here to find out more: About Us - Who we are | Uniphar

Culture at Uniphar

Uniphar is a combination of many businesses each with its own identity, culture, values, and ways of working.  Our overarching culture narrative is inclusive of each of these stores. Uniphar lives and breathes four key pillars which unpin and support our culture.

We have a people first approach - we do the right thing. We support entrepreneurial spirit where adaptability, commitment & resilience is embodied in our way of working. We have a Common Purpose that connects our diversified businesses and people. Finally, Trust is at the heart of how we operate.

Everything Uniphar does is enabled by our people and as we continue to grow domestically and internationally, we become more diverse.  This diversity fuels our business and culture. 

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the core of what we do and is deeply embedded in our business strategy. We want to contribute positively to the people and the world around us. Running our business in a sustainable way ensures that Uniphar will continue to prosper in the long-term. We are focused on ensuring that each of the five pillars of our sustainability strategy are a fundamental part of our decision-making process