Hiring a general manager in Southampton? We look at the P&L they have run and the teams they have built before anything else.
The right operations leader changes a site's culture in months. The wrong one does it in weeks.
Southampton is one of the UK's largest container and cruise ports, anchoring a major cluster of port logistics and forwarding on the Solent. We recruit the general managers and operations directors who lead those operations.
We ask candidates about the turnover, margin, headcount and service levels they have been responsible for, then about what they changed.
Across Hampshire & the Solent, operations and general managers are hired by Channel-port and customs operators, chilled grocery distribution, aerospace supply chains and regional carriers.
Operations roles for contract logistics, retail distribution, parcel networks and manufacturing.
We ask candidates about the budget, margin and costs they have owned before anything else.
Contract logistics, retail distribution, parcel or manufacturing: we match leaders to the model they have run.
For a new contract or site we can recruit the general manager and the senior team, timed to go-live.
Indicative permanent salaries in Southampton run from around £45k for operations managers up to £100k+ for operations directors.
General managers of large or complex sites usually earn more than those running smaller operations, though local competition can move either figure. Figures are indicative, not a guarantee.
We map the leaders running comparable operations within a realistic commute or relocation.
Proven leaders are approached discreetly, with the facts that would make a move worth considering.
We arrange interviews, presentations and site visits, then brief each candidate beforehand.
An empty leadership seat is expensive: overtime climbs, clients lose patience and the team stops improving.
Strong leaders value the authority to make decisions, investment in the site and a board that keeps its promises.
A strong operations brief covers:
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Operations and general managers, site and regional operations managers, operations directors, heads of operations, contract managers, continuous improvement managers and mobilisation managers.
Yes. Senior searches can be run discreetly, including when the current post holder is still in place.
Yes. We recruit general managers and contract managers who run client contracts for third-party logistics providers.
Yes. We cover operations across the South East and search beyond it for relocating candidates when the role needs it.
Upload your CV and tell us the size of operation, the sector and the location you want. We will contact you, discreetly, when a permanent role fits.
Operations management recruitment elsewhere in the South East:
Other specialisms in Southampton:
See our national Operations Management Recruitment page, or all logistics recruitment in Southampton.
Tell us what the next leader must fix and we will find people who have fixed it before.