Warehouse Lead Operator

Department: Logistics

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Duiven, Netherlands

Reporting To: Warehouse Team Lead Operations

Description

• Stock keeps moving at pace, with your own hands-on work completed to the standard of accuracy and care expected of an experienced Operator.
•  Colleagues have a clear, approachable point of contact for questions, problems or when priorities shift during the shift.
• Cover during the Warehouse Team Lead’s absence is smooth, with people allocated sensibly and stock flow maintained.
• New and less experienced colleagues are guided and supported so they build confidence and capability. 
• Issues, blockages, damage or discrepancies are spotted early and either resolved on the spot or escalated appropriately.
• Handovers to the Warehouse Team Lead are clear and accurate, covering what happened, what’s outstanding and what needs attention.
•  Warehouse, storage and working areas remain clean, organised and safe.
• The Warehouse Team Lead can rely on you to represent their priorities and standards when they’re not on the floor.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out the same core Warehouse/ Logistics activities as the rest of the team – receiving, scanning, storing, packing, moving and dispatching stock – to the standard expected of an experienced Operator.
• Move between activities and areas as priorities change, helping keep stock flowing wherever it’s needed most. 
• Handle a wide variety of pre-loved items carefully, setting the standard of care and accuracy others can follow.
• Store stock in the correct designated locations and follow agreed processes for retrieving and moving it when required.

• Act as the first point of contact for colleagues’ day-to-day questions, helping them find the right process or work through a problem.
• Step in to lead the team and coordinate shift priorities when the Warehouse Team Lead is absent or unavailable.
• Allocate colleagues to activities and areas during cover periods, based on stock volumes and operational priorities.
• Help new starters and less experienced colleagues learn processes, build confidence and settle into the team.
• Model consistent, accurate ways of working that others can learn from.
• Keep the Warehouse Team Lead informed of anything they need to know, and provide a clear handover after periods of cover.
• Encourage colleagues to raise questions, concerns and ideas, and pass these on to the Warehouse Team Lead where appropriate.

• Help the team stay on track against agreed productivity, accuracy and safety expectations, stepping in when things start to build up or slip.
• Support consistent scanning and stock-movement practices across the team so records remain reliable.
• Identify damaged items, discrepancies, stock-flow issues or recurring problems and either resolve them directly or raise them with the Warehouse Team Lead.
• Respond quickly when boxes, cages or items begin to build up in particular areas, redirecting support as needed.

• Work closely with the Warehouse Team Lead to understand priorities, plans and any areas that need extra attention.
• Build strong working relationships across Warehouse/  Logistics and with Appraisals, Marketplace and other operational teams.
• Support clear handovers between shifts, making sure outstanding issues and priorities are understood.
• Represent the team constructively when working with other areas of the operation.

• Share practical ideas for improving stock flow, organisation or ways of working, drawing on your day-to-day experience.
• Help introduce and embed new processes, systems or layouts, and feed back on how they work in practice. 
• Flag recurring issues or patterns to the Warehouse Team Lead so they can be addressed at source.

• Follow all stock-handling, manual-handling and workplace safety procedures, and encourage others to do the same.
• Help make sure walkways, storage areas and working spaces remain clear, organised and safe.
• Respond appropriately to hazards, incidents, near misses or safety concerns, and know when to escalate to the Warehouse Team Lead.
• Support accurate completion of any required checks or records during periods of cover.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Experience as a Warehouse Operator or in a similar hands-on Logistics role, with a strong track record of accuracy, pace and reliability.
• Confidence guiding, coaching or supporting colleagues informally, even without formal line-management experience.
• Ability to stay calm and organised when priorities change quickly or when stepping in to cover for the Warehouse Team Lead.
• Good communication skills, with the ability to give clear, practical direction to colleagues.
• A proactive approach to spotting and resolving problems before they affect the wider team.
• Ability to balance your own hands-on workload with keeping an eye on the team around you.
• Confidence using, or willingness to learn, digital systems and scanning equipment, and a willingness to help others learn them.
• Ability to carry out the practical requirements of the role, including regular movement around the site and frequent handling and movement of boxes, cages, pallets and stock.
• Ability to work the agreed shift pattern for your location.

• Previous experience informally leading, buddying or training colleagues in a warehouse, logistics or other fast-paced operational environment.
• Interest in progressing towards a future Warehouse Team Lead role.
• Experience working with warehouse or stock-management systems.
• Experience working with cages, pallets, conveyors, trolleys or similar operational equipment.
• Experience contributing to process or continuous-improvement activity.

• Handle every box and item with care and respect, recognising the value in the products our customers send us.
• Take ownership of accurate scanning and stock movement so items reach the right place and problems are raised quickly.
• Stay curious about how the operation works and build your understanding of how stock moves between different teams.
• Work as one team, moving to where support is most needed and helping colleagues keep stock flowing through the operation.
• Take pride in maintaining good standards of accuracy, productivity, organisation and safety.
• Speak up when you see a recurring problem or something that could be made safer, simpler or more efficient.