National Optimisation and Automation Manager

Our client is a well-established, family-owned Australian business operating across 11 sites nationally. With a strong reputation for customer service, product availability and fast fulfilment, the business continues to invest in improving its supply chain capabilities and operational performance. With a national distribution network handling approximately 30,000 SKUs, the business is looking to appoint a National Optimisation & Automation Manager to identify opportunities to improve productivity, maximise capacity and drive sustainable cost savings across its warehouse and transport operations.

The role of National Optimisation and Automation Manager is a hands-on, national role focused on optimising warehouse processes, labour utilisation and automation performance across the distribution network. Working closely with site leadership and cross-functional teams, you will identify operational inefficiencies, develop practical solutions and lead initiatives that deliver measurable commercial outcomes.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Analyse end-to-end warehouse processes across inbound, putaway, replenishment, picking, packing and dispatch to identify opportunities to improve productivity and reduce costs.
• Develop labour planning models, workload forecasts and productivity standards to better align labour requirements with operational demand, reducing overtime, agency labour and unproductive time.
• Conduct time-and-motion studies, operational observations and root-cause analysis to identify bottlenecks, improve workflow and maximise throughput.
• Optimise the interaction between people, processes, WMS/WCS systems, conveyors and automation to improve utilisation and overall operational performance.
• Build operational models to assess line rates, capacity constraints, labour requirements and workflow efficiency across multiple sites.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives from initial analysis and business case development through to implementation, stakeholder engagement and sustained results.
• Identify and deliver cost-saving opportunities across warehouse and transport operations, with clear accountability for measuring and validating financial benefits.
• Partner with DC Managers and operational leaders to embed improved processes and drive change through collaboration, rather than a top-down approach.
• Support the optimisation of the Melbourne distribution centre ahead of its planned relocation in 2027, alongside broader national improvement initiatives.

We're looking for a commercially minded, analytical and hands-on improvement professional who understands how distribution centres operate and can translate operational insights into practical, measurable results.

You'll ideally bring:

• Experience in warehouse operations, operational excellence, continuous improvement or supply chain optimisation, preferably across a multi-site distribution network.
• A strong track record of delivering measurable productivity improvements through process analysis, time-and-motion studies, labour modelling and workflow optimisation.
• Practical experience across manual, RF-directed and semi-automated warehouse environments, with the ability to optimise processes without relying solely on major technology investments.
• An understanding of WMS, WCS, conveyor systems and warehouse automation, including how people, systems and equipment interact to influence throughput and performance.
• Strong analytical and modelling capabilities, with advanced Excel skills and experience using operational data to identify constraints, develop solutions and build business cases.
• Commercial acumen and the ability to quantify savings, track benefits and demonstrate a clear return on investment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence DC Managers and operational teams without direct reporting authority.
• A practical, collaborative approach to change, with the credibility to work on the warehouse floor and the confidence to challenge existing processes constructively.

What's on offer

• A competitive base salary + superannuation, with a performance bonus of up to 10%.
• A genuine opportunity to influence operational performance and deliver meaningful savings across a national distribution network.
• A high-impact role with direct exposure to senior leadership and clear accountability for commercial outcomes.
• The opportunity to shape national continuous improvement initiatives, optimise warehouse automation and contribute to a major DC relocation project.
• A hybrid working arrangement, with three days on-site and two days working remotely.
• National exposure, with travel across the business's distribution network as required.

Please click APPLY NOW or to find out more, reach out to Conor Hayden on 0483 950 245 or at conorh@sde.com.au

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