Job Title: Logistics Systems Improvement Technician

Business Function: Supply Chain

Location: Port Sunlight

JOB PURPOSE

The role of the Logistics System Improvement Tech is to drive value creation across the distribution network by identifying and delivering cost-saving and efficiency opportunities within the DC. This is achieved through the optimisation of dispatch planning, system capability, and operational processes to support outstanding customer operations and operational performance.

Within this role, you will lead the governance and continuous improvement of trailer utilisation, shunting activities, and yard flow management to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations. You will be responsible for removing non-value-added activity through the optimisation of DC systems, including WMS, YMS, SAP, planning, and dispatch processes.

You will also act as the key link between Marula DC, the Logistics and Customer Operations network, and the Port Sunlight Supply Unit, ensuring alignment, sharing of best practices, and the delivery of sustainable operational improvements across the end-to-end supply chain.

Responsibilities

HSE

As Logistics System Improvement Tech, you will reduce safety losses via logistics optimisation. Within this role you will:

• Ensure company safety policy, rules, and procedures are understood and followed at all times, encouraging everyone to behave safely and challenging unsafe behaviour. Coach and developing team members to meet these requirements.
• Role model & actively contribute to a safety culture and safe working environment by identifying and reporting health or safety hazards and dangerous situations involving Unilever personnel, site contractors, and visitors.
• Perform regular inspections/audits for good housekeeping and area safety, ensuring agreed actions are completed.
• Ensure tasks are completed in line with Risk assessments. Review existing and new RAs, create RAs where none exist, & support other team members to do the same.
• Identify & close gaps within current risk assessment procedures, performing dynamic RAs when the situation requires.
• Ensure immediate and appropriate actions to rectify safety issues, lead investigations into challenges which occur on their allocated shift.

Quality

Ensure Quality policies, procedures and standards are understood and adhered to at all times. Coaching and developing team members to meet these requirements.

• Ensure the timely and accurate recording of all quality data as required and any non-conformance following Consumer Relevant Quality Standards procedures.
• Ensure immediate and appropriate actions to rectify quality issues following quality procedures.
• Lead investigations into non-conformances; ensure zero quality defects by analysing and eliminating all defects.
• Identify quality critical control points, ensuring they are monitored and maintained.

Customer Service

The impact of the Logistics System Improvement Tech decisions will be immediate; therefore, an immediate response is required to address any issues which may arise.

• Continually review performance against targets, taking appropriate corrective action if required to maintain high customer service and avoid missed deliveries & demurrage.
• Anticipate and react quickly to problems in order to avoid impact to customer service.
• Work with stakeholders to identify and loss streams
• Govern and deliver Logistics value creation projects
• Optimise Marula throughput from a system and planning perspective

Cost

Lead improvements to reduce nonvalue added activity in order to reduce Cost, Waste and Energy.

KPIs include may include inventory targets and primary/secondary logistics waste such as demurrage, cancellations & spots, and/or reduction in NVAA

Run to Standard

As Logistics System Improvement Tech, your role will be to embed any improvements within the DC RTS structure. This includes, ensuing framework, processes and documentation are optimised. Coaching others in the tasks, tools and processes implemented is essential.

Training and Development

Input to the DC operational and technical training matrix, identifying and closing training gaps

Take ownership of your own knowledge to continually learn

Actively seek feedback from others to further development of own skills and behaviour.

Problem Solving

Inefficiencies within the distribution centre have the potential to stop PSL factories and customer deliveries. A proactive response to problem solving and decisive decision making is essential to avoid losses and ensure general smooth running within the distribution centre. In this role, you will need to create balance sort term resolutions with longer term sustainable solutions. Embedding self-sustaining solutions through process and governance is essential.

Change

In this role you will need a proactive and collaborative attitude to change. The ideal candidate will:

• Lead & prioritise improvement opportunities, funding through capex proposals where applicable.
• Drive best practices in safety & quality assurance by implementing efficient processes and collaborating with colleagues.
• Utilise project management tools & techniques to ensure the efficient use of resources

Communication & Collaboration

Effective communication and collaboration are essential skills for this role. You will regularly interact with personnel from various departments within the distribution centre, other DCs, Unilever SUs, hauliers, and third-party teams. A good understanding of end-to-end supply chain and departmental interdependencies is essential.

This diverse group requires excellent written and oral communication skills for clear and patient interactions. You will need to promote the development of a highly effective team through strong communication, leading by example whilst keeping focused on goals and targets.

ABOUT YOU

The ideal candidate for this role displays the 4 Unilever behaviours in their work:

• Focus on what counts: Prioritize tasks that directly impact the safety & efficiency of the distribution process. Take personal accountability for DC successes & pitfalls. Inspire others by consistently focusing on what matters most.
• Deliver with excellence: Strive for high standards in every aspect of your work. Ensure operationally critical systems are self-sustaining and not built around key users. Demonstrate responsibility by owning the quality of DC performance.
• Stay 3 steps ahead: Anticipate potential issues before they arise. Be proactive in creating value and balancing short terms vs long term gain.
• Care deeply: Show genuine concern for the well-being of colleagues and the satisfaction of customers. This might involve maintaining a safe and clean working environment, supporting team members, developing yourself and others, and ensuring that customer orders are handled with care.

Qualifications

• Experience of dispatch planning and outbound logistics
• Proficient in DC systems such as WMS, YMS and SAP
• Experience with delivering against service metrics
• Problem solving & continue improvement experience
• A passion for automated systems & learning new things
• FMCG Logistics Background

NOTES

What We Offer

Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, subsidised gym membership, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self. To find out more, including about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Unilever | Unilever.

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