Job Description

Ensuring that our re-commerce Fulfilment Centre operates with consistency, efficiency and scalability in a fast-growing, technology-enabled logistics environment. This role is key to delivering operational stability during growth, maintaining customer excellence and strengthening the leadership structure for long-term success.



At World of Books, we're on a mission to become the Planet's Bookstore. Our business was founded in 2002 with the purpose of encouraging recycling, minimising waste and fostering sustainability by giving books a second life. Since then, we've grown into the world's largest seller of used books, providing millions of customers with an affordable way to discover, purchase and enjoy books sustainably.



Role Purpose



Reporting to the Fulfilment Centre Manager, you'll play a pivotal role in leading the day-to-day operational performance of a high-volume, semi-automated fulfilment centre, supporting both B2C and B2B logistics operations.



You'll also be responsible for operational planning and coordination of operational activities ensuring all pick, pack and receive functions are executed efficiently, safely and in line within budget and service-level expectations.



As the Operations Manager, you'll lead the tactical delivery of site performance managing labour deployment, throughput planning, KPI execution and cross-shift coordination to maintain consistent reliable operations. You will also coach and develop our Team Managers while driving continuous improvement to strengthen efficiency, safety and engagement.



Working closely with the Fulfilment Centre Manager, you'll ensure operational plans are executed effectively, teams are enabled to perform at a high level, and the fulfilment centre continues to improve across all core processes.

Key responsibilities will include:

Operational & People Leadership



Lead end-to-end fulfilment operations (pick, pack, dispatch, receive) across multi-shift, 500+ workforce, ensuring SLA, productivity, quality and safety targets are met. Drive daily performance using KPIs, labour planning and effective coaching of Team Managers to maintain a high-performance, inclusive and drive safety-first culture.

Performance, Improvement & Automation



Monitor KPIs, act on variances quickly, and provide clear reporting to senior leadership. Execute continuous improvement and automation initiatives to boost efficiency, reduce cost and enhance service reliability, delivering pre-determined Operational Excellence activities and identifying new opportunities while ensuring SOP compliance and best-practice adoption.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Change



Collaborate with Engineering, Inventory Control, Logistics, Safety, Admin, Supply, Product and Customer service teams to resolve issues and maintain smooth end-to-end operations. Support transformation projects and ensure seamless rollout of new technologies, workflows, process changes and site expansion initiatives.

Budget, Governance & Compliance



Manage labour planning, resource allocation, and cost-control opportunities in line with financial targets. Support budgeting and forecasting, maintain audit-ready documentation, and uphold strong operational discipline and safety compliance.

Experience & Qualifications



Proven experience managing operations in a large-scale fulfilment or logistics centre (B2C and/or B2B). Track record of managing teams of over 500 operatives through Team Managers and multi-shift structures in a site leadership role. In-depth understanding of pick, pack, dispatch and receive operations in semi-automated environments. Experience implementing Lean/Continuous Improvement and process optimisation projects. Strong leadership and people-management capability able to inspire, coach and develop diverse teams. Commercial awareness with ability to manage operational costs and drive efficiency. Excellent communication, analytical and problem-solving skills with data analytics capability (e.g., Tableau or similar tools) considered highly beneficial. High degree of resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced evolving business environment. A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt qualification, relevant undergraduate degree and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook) would also be useful.

Please note:

The fulfilment centre operates seven days a week, including night shifts from Monday to Thursday. As a result, flexibility in working hours will be required to support operational needs and cross-shift leadership.



Company Overview

We have offices in the UK, US and Hungary, with over 1,000 employees dedicated to continuing to do good, protect the environment and support charities - as reflected in our certified B-Corp status.

Our lines of business:

World of Books:

The UK's largest online retailer of used (and new!) books, reaching customers in over 190 countries through direct-to-consumer channels, marketplaces (e.g. Amazon and eBay) and wholesale partners. In the UK, >50% of sales are through the direct-to-consumer channel, which is also growing at pace in the US.

World of Rare Books:

Specialists in rare, vintage and first edition books, providing one of Europe's largest collections of pre-ISBN and decorative vintage books.

Sell Your Books (SYB):

An innovative app-based service enabling customers to scan barcodes or tap ISBN codes from their books for instant valuations and hassle-free resale.

World of Books Enterprise:

A SaaS product capable of scanning products on an industrial level, enabling organisations such as national charities to sell their books, generate additional revenue for good causes and enable more items to be reused.



Our business model is underpinned by a combination of proprietary and off-the-shelf technology, which enables us to dynamically select and price items. This means we're able to offer customers a unique range of products across a range of channels and at prices that cannot be found elsewhere.