Logistics Stories

Every day as a Transport Team Manager is different, for Santa. Supporting the management of a team of drivers means dealing with duties as varied as reporting and managing vehicle defects, operating transport software, briefing and debriefing drivers and getting involved with recruitment and welfare.

Such variety can be challenging at times, Santa suggests:

“Working under pressure and time management skills are really important. Around Christmas time, when volume was extremely high, we were struggling for roll cages – so I spent hours contacting stores to explain the importance of getting cages returned to our depot so they could ensure stock was delivered in time for Christmas.”

But it’s not just the daily opportunities offered to learn on the job that motivates Santa. She’s also studying for a BSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, working on a placement year – the third year of her degree.

“I found myself captivated by the way goods and services are managed and how they impact businesses. Learning about logistics and supply chain management showed me the exciting opportunities and challenges in the field. It made me passionate about contributing to efficient operations and optimising supply chains.

I wanted to make a real impact, so I knew this was the right choice for me.”

Before getting stuck into the Wincanton Graduate Scheme, Adriana thought she knew what she wanted to do in logistics:
“My sole and main interest career wise was to become a project manager. But since starting the programme I’ve been introduced to a wide variety of intriguing roles in an ever-changing industry. Most importantly I’ve discovered a passion for working in operations and people management.”

Adriana’s journey has included stints in Darlington, Stockton and Lichfield working with brands such as Magnet, Morrisons and Screwfix. She’s been impressed by how well she and her fellow graduates have been developed in the workplace.

“I’ve seen how invested and dedicated the company is in regards to integrating new talent and graduates into the world of logistics, whatever your academic background. We’ve all been supported and encouraged to go for courses that’ll benefit our future within the company.”

And if Adriana had to share one bit of advice to someone considering a career in logistics?

“Get outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself!”

Rebecca worked in the soft drinks industry for over 17 years. However, living close to the Hinkley Point C construction project had piqued her interest, so when a role with Wincanton came up, which would be part of the project, she jumped at the chance to be involved.

“This is my first role in logistics but, as an Account Manager, all of my skills were transferable. So although there was a lot to learn, I knew I had the core skill set for the role.”

Rebecca’s role is to be part of the infrastructure team focused on energy, identifying new business opportunities, participating in tenders and working closely with the marketing team.

However, because she was new to the sector, Rebecca was keen to expand her knowledge, and took the opportunity to complete a BSC Hons apprenticeship in Supply Chain Leadership, which is a three and half year course.

“My short-term goal is to complete my degree apprenticeship and graduate in 2025, and then after that who knows? I love that I’ve been given the opportunity to further my career like this, and for me it shows I made the right decision to change careers when I did.”

“I lead Wincanton’s innovation programme, W2. It’s dedicated to advancing progress in the logistics sector by promoting collaboration with external partners, start-ups and internal colleagues, to develop digital technology-based products that enhance customer value in both the present and the future.”

As Head of Innovation, Claire also runs and develops Wincanton’s Innovation Centre, an inspiring hub that showcases technology solutions and hosts customers, partners, colleagues, investors and community groups. In its first 18 months, it welcomed over 3,500 visitors.

Claire joined the logistics sector as a graduate in 1998, and has worked in a variety of roles over the past 25 years, starting as a transport planner, then regional transport planner, before moving on to roles in business development, sales and solution design. Her wide experience, along with her thirst for new ideas and collaboration made her the perfect candidate to lead the innovation programme.

With no typical day in her role, Claire says its variety and people that keeps her enthusiastic. She relishes a role where she feels she can make a difference.
“I love the diversity and challenge of my role, I am a massive people person so I feel very fortunate to work with such talented colleagues across the Wincanton business as well as working with start-ups and suppliers from across the globe to create new solutions for our customers.”

Claire particularly enjoys working on innovation which she believes will transform the future of the sector, making people’s lives easier and the world a better place.

Opening Wincanton’s Innovation Centre has been a career highlight for Claire, having had the honour of leading the project for Wincanton all the way from concept to design to delivery.

“I managed to embrace everything from budgeting and project management, to video editing, to agreeing technical construction drawings, to storyboarding the city of the future, to choosing a coffee machine and paint colours!”

Luke’s career so far has been multi-disciplined, with some time spent in education, supply chain and now in Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ). His experience has helped him to build job and industry specific knowledge, as well as HSE capability and people skills.

In his current role as Group HSEQ & Compliance Director, Luke provides strategy and leadership for the national agenda in these specialist areas.

“This involves keeping abreast of emerging risks, and thought leadership. I challenge and influence internal and external stakeholders to apply human performance, to think differently about new ways of working in this space, both now and in the future.”

Luke was a member of NextGen, a high potential talent leadership programme at Wincanton, so when his current role was advertised internally he felt prepared and supported to go for it. And it’s with that same support from Wincanton leadership that he and his team feel able to really push the boundaries of what is possible within HSEQ.

“Wincanton is constantly innovating to bring growth opportunities to its customers, whether in productivity, efficiency, sustainability or in this case HSEQ. I knew innovation would be at the forefront of this new role and I had a clear strategy to take that growth and innovation platform forward for Wincanton.”

Luke is keen to recommend HSEQ to those looking to embark on a career in logistics, listing a degree level education, recognised HSE qualifications and some time in a relevant role as vital to finding growth opportunities, of which he’s found plenty during his time at Wincanton:

“There are a whole collection of highlights from my career so far – I feel spoiled in that respect, but being shortlisted at Wincanton for our NextGen leadership programme and then benefiting from senior leadership networking and mentoring has been very valuable.”

Darren first enrolled because he was looking for opportunities to progress. The apprenticeship programme allowed him to learn the skills needed to achieve that.

“Having the opportunity to learn the basics, from the ground up, was really valuable to me. My complete lack of experience was irrelevant, and I was taught everything that I needed to know straight from the start.”

He quickly realised that he got real satisfaction from the skills that he learned, especially knowing that the level of driving he was doing would be beyond a regular driver, and the progression he sought followed quickly.

“My apprenticeship has given me the steppingstone to enter the role that I’m in now, as a Transport Shift Manager.”

Darren’s advice for people considering a similar path is to not be daunted by the size of the trucks:

“Just take the jump and it will definitely be worth it. The confidence developed through my apprenticeship has helped me now – and having that HGV licence is something I can take with me throughout life.”

People are what make the logistics world turn, so the professionals who look after them, drive their progress and ensure their work is successful and fulfilling have a particularly relevant place in the industry.

Amanda’s role as Head of People in Group Operations & Transport at Wincanton is exactly that kind of role.

‘I contribute to the leadership, strategy and direction of the sector – supporting Directors and senior leaders in functional areas, whilst supporting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.’

Though Amanda’s role now feels like such a perfect fit, logistics wasn’t always on her radar.

‘I don’t think I realised I was suited to a role in logistics until I worked in logistics! But I previously worked for one of the big food retailers in a number of operational and leadership roles, so on reflection this was a great foundation.’

Transferable skills have made all the difference, then, as has her ambition and passion for people.

‘The best thing about my role is genuinely the people I get to work alongside! My peers, my people team, the operational teams or our colleagues in the centre.’

Sunnah came into logistics without really knowing what to expect; she hoped that the experience would be useful and she could build her confidence and capabilities along the way.

“My first impression of Wincanton was that everyone in the room is treated equally. It’s easy to feel intimidated when senior leaders are in the room, but it’s as easy to speak to the CEO as it is your line manager.”

The graduate scheme has seen Sunnah travel across the country, fulfilling her placement and getting a comprehensive introduction to the sector:

“I worked on an AGV project in Doncaster – which was a great experience for someone who hadn’t worked with robots before. My first placement was in Bristol as a transport manager for Howdens, then I went to Derby as a transport planner for Morrisons, and now I’m in the customer fulfilment centre for Waitrose in Greenford.”

Sunnah is revelling in the variety of the scheme and sees it as a potential positive for lots of other young people like her:

“My advice would be to not limit yourself when it comes to choosing placements, there will be many options to decide from but it’s good to go for roles that you would probably never go for!”

As Distribution Centre Manager, Emma’s role is vast and varied. Responsible for delivering safe, efficient and successful operations for key on-site customers, she also manages significant changes as they happen within the business, while leading and developing the Wincanton contract team, and developing growth in new areas of her customer’s business.

“My role requires me to be a leader, with an ability to engage with stakeholders and successfully implement and manage change. I work in partnership with the customer to build an established and talented contract team.”

Emma has gained many qualifications while working within the logistics industry, all of which she believes are fundamental in her success in carrying out her role, and have provided her with the foundation she needs to do the job to the best of her ability.

Starting as a Purchase Ledger Clerk, Emma went on to have successful spells in clerical roles within the transport team, before deciding to take a financial focus. Since 2016 she has developed her skills in people management and networking, attending master classes in Industrial relations, and carrying out grievance meetings, investigations and conciliation meetings to increase her skills in these areas.

After multiple secondments to support other depots, and an Ops Manager development programme, Emma’s desire to attain the DCM position full time was realised. She believes that her progress is down to her commitment, a positive outlook, calmness on the job and a determination to go further than anyone else.

Working with people to help them develop is one of her favourite parts of her job, and something she gets great satisfaction and fulfilment from.

“To support my move into an operational role, I developed my Accounts Clerk to fill the role of Finance Manager, which not only supported my journey but also encouraged her to look at her own development pathway.”

Emma strives to act as a role model within the industry, making herself available to others and always leading by example.

In her role as Early Careers Partner, Lucy manages and coordinates Early Careers and entry talent activities, the associated governance that comes along with it and employee experience, delivering a diverse pipeline of colleagues and entry talent into Wincanton.

Lucy was attracted to the role because she felt it was an area of talent acquisition where she could make a real difference. Her only knowledge of logistics came from her previous role as a retail manager, where she regularly dealt with deliveries and management of stock in a fast-paced warehouse environment with changing priorities. The skills she picked up there, such as communication, team work, problem-solving and people management have proven transferable and valuable within her role at Wincanton.

Lucy relishes the wide range of initiatives she’s able to work on within her role in Early Careers. To support her ongoing development, she was also able to complete a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship with Wincanton.

When asked what the best parts of her job are, Lucy says: “It is really exciting to be involved in new projects and programmes, and to support candidates through their recruitment journey with us. Seeing candidates succeed and join Wincanton is always very rewarding, for me as well as for them!”

Recognised by the managers in her team, including the Talent and Development Director, with a Managers’ Choice award, Lucy was praised for her work ethic and being a ‘go-to’ person in the team to support various projects and queries.

“It was great to know that I am making a difference to the wider team objectives.”

Responsibility and leadership are skills Laura Morrison can’t do without in her role as Operations Director at Wincanton. She’s accountable for eight sites, covering logistics for some of the biggest brands around – Co-op, Heinz, Weetabix and Nestle for example.

But for Laura, people always come first.

“I focus on first class health and safety, wellbeing, employee engagement, and the succession and development of every team and team member. Continuous improvement drives better operation performance, enabling our people to collaborate – all of which adds supply chain value.”

Recent qualifications in LEAD and NextGen build on comprehensive internal training and development which began when Laura joined the industry in 2004.

“As soon as I started, I knew I had found my place to be. I enjoyed the roles I had, I enjoyed the teams I worked with, and I was surrounded by great leadership teams. Logistics gave me opportunities to grow and took me out of my comfort zone.”

That sense of achievement is something we all search for in a career, but it’s not the only reward for Laura. In 2021 she also won an Every Woman award for Above and Beyond in Warehouse and Transport – a celebration of her progress and ability.

As an Engineering Graduate, Charlotte was looking for a position that offered her the perfect combination of development and experience across a wide field of application.

“With no prior experience, this role did exactly that. I’m learning and developing my engineering skills while being exposed to many fields of automation and robotics. Even better, the career progression was clear.”

Charlotte joined Wincanton in a temp HR role, but soon moved into a Data Analysis role, and then into the engineering position she has now.

“I’m responsible for supporting the design and implementation of various automations and mechanisation projects across the group. I’m working towards gaining my engineering chartership and longer term would like to become a Senior or Director Engineer.”

Despite her ambition, Charlotte never planned to be in logistics. In fact, it was never even on her radar.

“It was not something that was ever mentioned at careers events at university and college, so it never seemed like an option for me. But now that I have the experience I have, I can see the potential that similar graduates like me have in the sector.”  

She heartily recommends considering the sector to anyone making career decisions right now – especially because some of the pathways and skills required aren’t always obvious until you take a closer look.

“There are roles that you’d never imagine linking to logistics. It’s a massively growing industry so things are only going to get bigger.”

Tom’s dream job was to be a sweet taster. Logistics just wasn’t on his radar. But like so many, once he saw the scope and scale of the opportunities in the sector, he realised it was perfect for him.

“I knew very little before I joined – I kind of stumbled into it after applying for the graduate programme with TNT Logistics. I have not looked back in the last 17 years.”

Tom left university with a degree in science, but with the knowledge that it wasn’t something he wanted to pursue. He wanted something that exercised the technical part of his brain, but that was also people orientated. Which is why logistics felt like such a good fit.

“The key skills I learnt are mostly people skills: how to interact with people and how to build effective and developing relationships. This is a skill I continue to work on throughout my working life.”

He’s also embraced the opportunity to up-skill and learn as he progressed:

“I’ve done a variety of in-house training and development courses and talent programmes. Whilst working for CEVA I completed my ILM5 qualification. Even now, I’m continually learning, be it technology products and direction, organisation changes, new sectors and markets or new countries and cultures.”

As part of his role, Tom has worked across a number of strategically important projects for Wincanton. However, to him the best bit has been the knowledge he’s been able to pass on:

“I get a kick out of seeing individuals that I have worked with progressing to new roles, or growing their skills in an area they love.”

“I am the Managing Director of General Merchandise at Wincanton, responsible for online fulfilment, warehouse and transport logistics operations for well-known brands including B&Q, Screwfix, Halfords and Primark.”

Rachel has the honour of leading approximately 7,000 of Wincanton’s 20,000 colleagues, in her quest to deliver safe, efficient and low cost operations for Wincanton’s customers. Her team also drives and supports their customers’ growth through continuous improvement, collaboration, innovation and automation.

Rachel has worked in third-party logistics for the Retail and Consumer market for over 20 years, joining Wincanton as a graduate with a first-class degree in Economics. She progressed up the ranks, becoming a qualified CIMA Accountant within the first four years of joining the business. From there, she took on senior strategic commercial roles, most recently as Finance Director of the Retail and Consumer Sector.

“Having made the journey myself, I am a passionate sponsor of developing internal talent, both up the ranks and across business functions.”

She considers herself lucky to have landed in such a rich and varied industry as logistics, having been introduced to Wincanton by a General Manager who thought that the industry would be a great fit for her – she couldn’t have been more right!

“Logistics offers the variety to try different things. I worked my way through the finance and commercial career path before taking a complete change of path into operations. I haven’t looked back since!”

Rachel finds it hard to pick just one thing she loves most about her role, but the people take the biscuit.

“Nothing beats watching others flourish and develop, whether that be helping those with learning difficulties find employment, or promoting a senior manager to the next stage in their career.”