At Picnic, we’re transforming the way people buy groceries, combining advanced automation with a people-first approach. To strengthen our fulfilment operations, we’re looking for an experienced Site Lead to take full responsibility for one of our automated warehouses in Utrecht.
In this key leadership role, you’ll oversee a large and diverse team of 500-1000 colleagues in a high-throughput, automated fulfilment center that processes around 100k weekly deliveries. You’ll lead operations supported by advanced material-handling systems and data-driven processes, with a strong focus on developing people, building capable teams, and shaping a mature, high-performing site that supports sustainable growth.
Tricks of the trade- Lead, coach, and develop a team of supervisors, operations managers, value stream leads, and support functions: enabling large and diverse teams to reach their full potential.
- Drive a culture of execution, where every day counts, complacency has no place, and the site is treated as your own kitchen: clean, organized, and running efficiently.
- Set the direction for day-to-day operations, building operational maturity and ensuring performance, safety, and quality standards are met, while owning business continuity and crisis management.
- Create a culture of ownership and accountability, where people take pride in delivering results and supporting one another.
- Drive continuous improvement, applying Lean principles and using data, experience, and team insights to identify opportunities and implement effective solutions.
- Collaborate closely with the last-mile teams, central operations, analysts, and colleagues at other sites in Germany and France to ensure seamless end-to-end performance.
- Lead by example on the floor: visible, approachable, and focused on long-term operational maturity.
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in logistics, engineering, business, or a related field
- 10+ years of experience in operations, including 3–5 years leading large, multi-shift teams of 300+ FTEs
- Hands-on leadership experience in high-volume, automated or semi-automated fulfilment or production environments, managing high SKU complexity
- Proven hands-on leader with a calm, pragmatic style, able to build engagement, trust, accountability, and inspire confidence and cooperation
- A results-driven mindset with clear ownership and a strong bias for action in fast-paced environments
- Demonstrated success in lean operations and continuous improvement, bringing structure and stability, while maintaining agility and focus on daily improvement
- A data-driven, comfortable using KPIs and insights to guide strategical decisions.
- Excellent communication skills in Dutch and English, with the ability to align and inspire both leadership and operational teams
- A calm, pragmatic, and hands-on leadership style that inspires confidence and cooperation.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in logistics, engineering, business, or a related field
- 10+ years of experience in operations, including 3-5 years leading large, multi-shift teams of 300+ FTEs
- Hands-on leadership experience in high-volume, automated or semi-automated fulfilment or production environments
- Proven hands-on leader with a calm, pragmatic style
- A results-driven mindset with a strong bias for action
- Demonstrated success in lean operations and continuous improvement
- Excellent communication skills in Dutch and English
What We Do
At Picnic, we’re revolutionizing the way people buy groceries. Our affordable and sustainable service is made possible by our passionate people, cutting-edge technology, efficient planning, and, of course, our fleet of iconic electric vehicles! It’s why our customer base is growing rapidly across the Netherlands, Germany, and France. One of the things that makes Picnic different is that we handle almost everything in-house: forecasting, developing our first automated warehouse and new electric Picnic vehicles, internal and customer-facing applications—the list goes on. It gives us more freedom when it comes to trying out new and innovative ideas, which is something we do a lot! We love to challenge ourselves and learn new things. Our teams have access to various meetups, language classes, ‘Lunch & Learn’ sessions, our very own Tech Academy, and tailored soft-skills training. Professional development is as important to us as the service we provide to our customers. As a diverse team made up of over 80 nationalities, there are always plenty of activities to get involved with, whether you’re into sports, board games, charitable causes, dancing (at our legendary Picnic festival), or licorice tasting—yes, even that! Our scale-up culture means you get to own your role and bring fresh ideas to the table. So, if you’re looking for an opportunity to make a real difference, get in touch—we’d love to hear from you.
