About the Role
We are seeking an Operations Manager to lead the Corrective Maintenance Team within a 24/7 automated, ambient-temperature warehouse operating in the food supply chain. Working closely together with our customer and warehouse operations teams, you will support service performance, system availability, and continuous improvement. You will ensure corrective maintenance activities are delivered safely and effectively, with a strong focus on root cause elimination and preventing recurrence of issues. This is an office-hours position and forms part of the wider site management team. Due to the nature of a 24/7 automated operation, a degree of flexibility is required to support the team and the operation when needed.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, coach, and develop the Corrective Maintenance Team operating across a 24/7 shift pattern
- Ensure fast, safe, and effective response to equipment faults and system breakdowns
- Drive a proactive corrective maintenance culture, focused on root cause analysis and permanent solutions
- Reduce repeating failures and unplanned downtime by preventing recurrence of issues
- Ensure high availability and performance of automated warehouse and material handling systems
- Promote and enforce a strong health & safety culture
- Analyse breakdown data, trends, and failure modes to identify improvement opportunities
- Work closely with warehouse operations to minimise disruption and support service continuity
- Collaborate with internal teams (site-based and headquarters) and our customer to resolve maintenance and operational challenges
- Manage contractors and service partners supporting corrective maintenance activities
- Monitor and improve maintenance KPIs including response times, MTTR, and system availability
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and reliability improvements
Required Skills
- Proactive Leadership & Safety Focus: Proactive ability to motivate, coach, and develop teams, fostering a safe working environment while driving ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement
- Customer Relationship Management: Proactively build trust and maintain strong working relationships with our supermarket customer, operating effectively in a dynamic, service-driven environment
- Analytical & Proactive Problem Solving: Strong capability to analyse data, identify trends, anticipate risks, and implement improvements; able to make effective decisions under pressure
- Project & Priority Management: Proactive approach to managing multiple priorities, initiatives, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Technical Understanding & Learning Mindset: Willingness and ability to learn and understand the complexity of a highly automated warehouse environment, including systems, processes, and interfaces
- Systems & Digital Skills: Confident user of Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Outlook, Word) and willing to learn, understand, and use customer-based software and systems
- Communication Skills: Clear, professional verbal and written communication skills in English and Dutch
- Flexibility & Resilience: Proactive, flexible, and adaptable, able to respond to operational needs outside normal office hours when required
What we offer
In this important and challenging role, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference in industry-leading projects and work closely with dedicated colleagues and customers.
We offer a professional, international, and informal workplace where personal development is encouraged. By joining our growing and successful company, you’ll be able to set ambitious goals and focus on building your future.
Salary & benefits
- Competitive salary: €5.400 – €6.400 gross per month (excluding 8% holiday allowance).
- 40 vacation days (20 statutory days plus a flexible budget worth 20 days).
- Health & Wellbeing budget (€300 per year).
- Commuting allowance, with full public transport reimbursement.
- Working from home allowance.
- Collective pension scheme and health insurance discount.
- Active Vanderlande Network communities and initiatives.
Your application
Interested in this role? Apply directly via our Workday vacancy link by submitting your resume and a short motivation.
For more information, you can contact Robin Overweel (Recruiter):
📞 +31 6-24924252
📧 [email protected]
⚠️ Please note: due to process requirements, we cannot accept applications via email. Make sure to apply through the vacancy link.
Diversity & Inclusion
At Vanderlande, we believe in equal opportunities for everyone. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds—regardless of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.
Top Skills
What We Do
Vanderlande is the global market leader for future-proof logistic process automation at airports. The company is also a leading supplier of process automation solutions for warehouses and in the parcel market.
Vanderlande’s baggage handling systems are capable of moving over 4 billion pieces of baggage around the world per year. Its systems are active in more than 600 airports including 12 of the world’s top 20. More than 52 million parcels are sorted by its systems every day, which have been installed for the world’s leading parcel companies. In addition, many of the largest global e-commerce players and retailers have confidence in Vanderlande’s efficient and reliable solutions.
The company focuses on the optimisation of its customers’ business processes and competitive positions. Through close cooperation, it strives for the improvement of their operational activities and the expansion of their logistical achievements. Vanderlande’s extensive portfolio of integrated solutions – innovative systems, intelligent software and life-cycle services – results in the realisation of fast, reliable and efficient automation technology.
Established in 1949, Vanderlande has more than 7,500 employees, all committed to moving its customers’ businesses forward at diverse locations on every continent. With a consistently increasing turnover of 1.8 billion euros, it has established a global reputation over the past seven decades as a highly reliable partner for future-proof logistic process automation.
Vanderlande was acquired in 2017 by Toyota Industries Corporation, which will help it to continue its sustainable profitable growth. The two companies have a strong strategic match, and the synergies include cross-selling, product innovations, and research and development.
