Work Type
Full TimeLocation Preference
On-SiteRemoteHybridLocation: Manchester, MANLiverpool, LIVStoke-on-Trent, STEBirmingham, BIRChester, CHW
Open to relocation: No
Alexandra Louise Newham
Senior Logistics & Distribution Leader
Chester
Work Preference
Summary
Accomplished senior logistics and distribution leader with extensive experience at DPD and Royal Mail, managing major distribution centres and multi-site operations. Currently overseeing a £13m annual budget, 350 personnel including 15 managers, 8 million parcels annually and a fleet capacity of 300 vans. Proven record of operational transformation, improving service performance from below 97% to 99.80% within 12 months and securing a top-three national depot ranking. Skilled in developing high-performing management teams, nurturing future leaders and driving sustained improvements in efficiency, service quality and workforce performance.
Overview
2
2
Certifications
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Distribution Centre Manager
DPD UK
02.2023 - Current
- Strategic Operational Leadership: Lead a major DPD distribution centre handling approximately 8 million parcels annually, with accountability for a £13m operating budget, a workforce of 350 including 15 managers, and a fleet capacity of 300 vans.
- Operational Transformation: Delivered a significant performance turnaround, improving service levels from below 97% to 99.80% within 12 months and establishing the depot among the top three nationally for monthly service performance.
- Financial & Resource Management: Oversee operational expenditure, workforce planning and resource allocation, balancing cost efficiency with demanding service targets and delivery commitments.
- Performance & Service Excellence: Direct end-to-end warehouse, distribution and fleet operations, driving performance against key operational indicators, productivity targets and service standards.
- People Leadership & Succession Planning: Develop and mentor management teams, establishing succession pathways that have resulted in promotions into Operations Manager, Quality Manager and Shift Manager positions, including successful graduate development.
- Health, Safety & Compliance: Maintain operational governance across a high-volume distribution environment, ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements, transport regulations and internal operational standards.
General Manager
DPD UK
04.2020 - 02.2023
- Multi-Site Operational Leadership: Held overall responsibility for operational performance across three DPD depots (Abergele, Deeside and Newtown), overseeing budgets, workforce planning, service delivery and stakeholder relationships.
- Operational Excellence & Standardisation: Implemented consistent operational practices across the cluster, improving efficiency, strengthening management accountability and driving continuous improvement against key performance indicators.
- Performance & Service Achievement: Led Abergele to multiple Christmas peak-season service competition victories, achieving leading performance across operational KPIs during the network's busiest trading periods.
- Leadership Development & Succession Planning: Identified and developed internal talent across the cluster, supporting progression from frontline positions into Shift Manager and Operations Manager roles and strengthening long-term management capability.
Depot Manager
DPD UK
06.2018 - 04.2020
- Depot Operations & Performance: Held responsibility for daily depot operations, driving performance against key safety, service, efficiency and people KPIs while maintaining consistent operational standards.
- Distribution & Resource Management: Oversaw parcel sorting, dispatch, route planning and driver scheduling, coordinating workforce resources to meet delivery commitments and operational targets.
- People Leadership & Development: Led and coached frontline teams, identifying and developing talent for progression into supervisory and management positions, strengthening team capability and succession planning.
Operations Manager
DPD UK
12.2017 - 06.2018
- Operational Leadership: Led and managed Shift Managers within a high-volume parcel distribution operation, maintaining oversight of sorting, loading and dispatch activities to ensure service standards, operational KPIs and delivery deadlines were consistently met.
- Workforce Planning & Peak Performance: Directed Shift Managers in coordinating staffing, resource allocation and shift coverage, ensuring operational resilience, efficient performance and service continuity during periods of increased parcel volumes.
- Management Development & Accountability: Set clear performance expectations for Shift Managers, providing coaching, guidance and performance oversight while supporting the identification and development of future supervisory and management talent.
Delivery Office Manager
Royal Mail
09.2014 - 12.2017
- Operational & Financial Management: Held responsibility for a £1m annual operating budget, a fleet of 25 vehicles and a workforce of 51 frontline employees, supported by an Assistant Manager.
- Employee Engagement & Performance: Improved staff engagement scores from 24 to 46 over two years through effective leadership, coaching and initiatives focused on workforce development.
- Industrial Relations & Resource Planning: Worked collaboratively with trade union representatives to manage workforce requirements, analyse delivery volumes and implement demand-led resourcing strategies.
- Talent Development & Succession Planning: Identified, coached and mentored frontline colleagues, supporting progression into supervisory and deputy management positions.
Delivery Line Manager
Royal Mail
09.2013 - 09.2014
- Operational & Service Management: Managed daily mail delivery operations, overseeing service quality, workload allocation and resource planning to maintain performance standards within budgeted hours.
- Workforce & Performance Management: Coordinated staffing, shift coverage and attendance management, addressing conduct and performance issues while maintaining operational efficiency.
- Customer Service Improvement: Developed and implemented a targeted improvement initiative, coaching employees with recurring service issues and achieving six consecutive weeks without customer complaints among the participating team members.Coordinated team rotas, workload allocation, and shift cover to support operational demand.
Sustainability Officer & Sales Coordinator
Bischof & Klein
03.2012 - 09.2013
- Commercial & Operational Coordination: Managed UK and international customer accounts, sales reporting and communication between commercial and production teams, supporting effective planning and customer service.
- Environmental Management & Compliance: Designed and implemented an Environmental Management System for the UK manufacturing facility, coordinating with the German parent company in preparation for ISO 14001 accreditation.
Education
Master of Science - Environmental Management
Liverpool Hope University
Liverpool, United Kingdom 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
University of Liverpool
Liverpool, United Kingdom 04.2001 -
Skills
Distribution centre operations
Multi-site leadership
Budget and cost management
Service improvement and KPI delivery
Industrial relations
Fleet and transport compliance
Transportation management
Health and safety
Team supervision
Workforce planning
Succession planning and coaching
Certification
Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)
Accomplishments
- Professional Qualification: Achieved the Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) in International Road Haulage, demonstrating specialist knowledge of transport legislation, compliance and operational management.
- Career Progression: Progressed through successive management roles at DPD, from Operations Manager to Depot Manager, multi-site General Manager and Distribution Centre Manager, taking on increasing operational responsibility.
- Operational Excellence: Transformed DPD Stoke's service performance from below 97% to 99.80% within 12 months, achieving a top-three national depot ranking.
- Multi-Site Leadership: Led DPD's Welsh cluster across three depots, overseeing operational performance, budgets, workforce planning and service delivery.
- People Development: Supported colleagues' progression into management positions through coaching and mentoring, while previously improving employee engagement scores at Royal Mail from 24 to 46.
Timeline
Distribution Centre Manager
DPD UK
02.2023 - Current
General Manager
DPD UK
04.2020 - 02.2023
Depot Manager
DPD UK
06.2018 - 04.2020
Operations Manager
DPD UK
12.2017 - 06.2018
Delivery Office Manager
Royal Mail
09.2014 - 12.2017
Delivery Line Manager
Royal Mail
09.2013 - 09.2014
Sustainability Officer & Sales Coordinator
Bischof & Klein
03.2012 - 09.2013
Master of Science - Environmental Management
Liverpool Hope University
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
University of Liverpool
04.2001 -