Automation and Facilities Manager

• Competitive salary dependent on experience
• 37.50 hours per week worked over 5 days from 7

Employee Benefits

• Full-time employees receive 28 days of annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays), increasing to 33 days after 5 years of service. Annual leave is pro-rated for part-time or alternative working arrangements.
• Contributable company pension scheme
• 10% store discount at all our retail stores
• Onsite subsidised Health and Fitness Centre
• Onsite canteen
• MyHB colleague benefits platform with access to:
  • Discounts UK wide on retail, leisure, hospitality venues
  • Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 confidential counselling and advice line
  • Low cost voluntary insured health cash plans and cancer cover

Job Introduction

We're looking for a highly capable and forward-thinking Automation and Facilities Manager to lead the 24/7 Automation and Facilities function at our Axis Distribution Centre and Head Office in Liverpool. This is a key leadership role with wide-reaching responsibility, reporting to the Head of Automation & Engineering and overseeing a large team supporting automation performance, facilities standards, and operational continuity.

You will be responsible for delivering a proactive, high-performing engineering and facilities function that ensures all infrastructure, cleaning, automation systems, and maintenance activities run safely, efficiently, and to standard. Working collaboratively with internal teams and third-party providers, you will take ownership of strategic planning, resource allocation, continuous improvement, and full compliance with HSE and regulatory requirements.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior professional with the experience, technical knowledge, and leadership capability to shape automation and facilities performance in a modern, fast-paced, and technology-driven logistics environment.

Job Overview

• Leadership & People Management
  Lead and develop the onsite Automation and Facilities team, embedding a high-performance and safety-first culture through coaching, performance reviews, and team empowerment.
• Operational Excellence
  Transition the department from reactive to proactive maintenance, managing PPM schedules and ensuring compliance through CMMS and CAFM systems.
• Facilities Management
  Oversee cleaning, infrastructure, utilities, and site-wide services to support business continuity and statutory compliance, while leading emergency response planning and environmental controls.
• Automation Systems Management
  Monitor automation asset lifecycle, plan upgrades, and coordinate technical support to optimise uptime and system reliability.
• Health & Safety Compliance
  Champion health, safety, and environmental best practice, ensure SOPs are implemented, and drive adherence to legislative and internal standards.
• Stakeholder & Contractor Engagement
  Manage relationships with third-party suppliers and collaborate across departments including Procurement, Property, PMO, and Operations.
• Strategic Reporting & Decision Making
  Track KPIs, report on performance, make informed decisions on resource deployment, and lead projects that drive engineering and operational excellence.
• Procurement & Budget Ownership
  Manage the £5M+ annual spend across Opex, labour, and service support. Oversee procurement processes to maintain critical stock and materials availability.
• HNC/HND or equivalent experience in Engineering or Facilities Management.
• Proven leadership of multi-skilled Engineering and Facilities teams within a warehouse or FMCG environment.
• Strong working knowledge of automation systems (SCADA, PLC), infrastructure, and facilities operations.
• Experience with CMMS, CAFM, and BMS tools and software.
• IOSH/NEBOSH or equivalent Health & Safety qualification.
• Deep understanding of UK building compliance, environmental laws, and safety regulations.
• Experience managing budgets, contracts, and service providers.
• Effective communicator with strong influencing and decision-making skills.
• Proactive, organised, and capable of driving cultural and operational change.