Operations Support Executive

First Mile is a leading UK sustainability services provider and certified B Corp, delivering waste management and recycling solutions to more than 40,000 business customers nationwide. Operating across retail, hospitality, commercial offices and mixed-use estates, the business combines technology-enabled services with established recycling infrastructure to drive high recycling rates, transparent reporting and measurable environmental impact.

Backed by Warren Equity Partners, First Mile has ambitious plans for both organic and acquisitive growth and is actively pursuing opportunities to strengthen its market position through strategic acquisitions — including the recent addition of Greenzone Facilities Management to the Group. It's an exciting, fast-moving environment where our people play a central role in supporting growth, integration and delivering an exceptional service to our customers.

About the Role

As an Operations Support Executive (OSE), you will play a key role in supporting First Mile’s day-to-day collection and delivery operation.

Working closely with drivers, supervisors and other operational teams, you will help ensure that routes are dispatched effectively, operational issues are resolved quickly and accurate information is maintained across our systems.

This is a fast-paced, hands-on operational role where priorities can change throughout the shift. You’ll need to be organised, confident communicating with drivers and colleagues, comfortable using multiple systems and able to make practical decisions when things don’t go according to plan.

As a PM OSE, you will also play an important role in maintaining control of the operation overnight and ensuring that outstanding issues and key information are clearly handed over to the following shift. The existing OSE training programme covers dispatch, operational systems, missed collections, planning, night operations and shift handovers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the dispatch of drivers and ensure drivers, vehicles, loaders and routes are correctly allocated.
• Monitor collection and delivery rounds throughout the shift and respond to operational issues as they arise.
• Maintain accurate operational information in Salesforce and other operational systems.
• Investigate and reallocate missed collections, urgent collections, extras and new service requirements.
• Communicate regularly with drivers regarding route changes, priority collections, access issues and other operational requirements.
• Monitor priority customers and collections to help ensure important services are completed.
• Support fleet management during the shift, including vehicle changes, availability and operational issues.
• Carry out appropriate yard checks and ensure relevant operational checks are completed.
• Support loader checks and other requirements specific to the PM/night operation.
• Prepare Detrack phones and delivery documentation where required.
• Monitor relevant vehicle maintenance information and escalate issues appropriately.
• Work closely with Customer Service, Account Management, Transport and other operational teams to resolve service issues.
• Record driver and collection issues clearly and accurately so relevant teams have the information required to take action.
• Maintain effective communication throughout the shift using systems including Salesforce, Connected, Detrack, Teams and other operational communication channels.
• Produce a clear and comprehensive end-of-shift handover, including outstanding collections, vehicle changes, incidents, priority issues and anything requiring action from the next team.

These responsibilities align with the existing OSE training programme, which covers dispatch, Salesforce updates, missed-collection investigation, driver communication, planning and scheduling, fleet management and night-operation activities.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Highly organised and able to manage several priorities at the same time.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced operational environment where plans can change quickly.
• Confident communicating with drivers and able to build positive working relationships with the driving team.
• Calm under pressure and able to find practical solutions to operational problems.
• Confident using technology and able to learn new systems quickly.
• Accurate when recording and communicating operational information.
• Comfortable working independently while also being part of a wider Operations team.
• Able to prioritise urgent work and understand the impact operational decisions have on customers.
• A strong communicator who can provide clear information between shifts and departments.
• Flexible and comfortable working across the two PM/night shift patterns when agreeing the rota.

Organisation, completing priorities within a shift, cross-department communication and establishing effective relationships with drivers are also key areas covered in the existing OSE interview guide.

Shift & Working Pattern

This position is based at our Minerva Road, NW10 operation and works a 4 days on / 2 days off shift pattern.

The PM/night operation has two shift patterns:

• 6:00pm – 4:00am
• 8:00pm – 6:00am

The final working pattern will be confirmed as part of the rota and may consist of one of these shift times or a combination of both. For example, a four-day working block may include two 6:00pm–4:00am shifts and two 8:00pm–6:00am shifts.

Once the rota and shift pattern have been agreed, the employee will work to those scheduled hours rather than being expected to change start times at short notice.

Flexibility to work across the two PM/night shift patterns is therefore required when agreeing the rota.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Operations Support Executive helps deliver a controlled, organised and efficient shift. Drivers have the information and support they need, operational issues are dealt with quickly, systems remain accurate and outstanding actions are clearly communicated to the next shift.

The OSE acts as an important link between drivers, supervisors and the wider business, helping keep the operation moving and maintaining service levels when circumstances or priorities change

• Outstanding communication skills – able to inform, help and advise.
• Organisational skills – able to juggle multiple duties and pro-actively manage the fleet and dispatch
• Able to adapt effectively to changing priorities
• Excellent understanding of the Microsoft Office package including Outlook, Work and Excel
• Ability to stay calm under pressure

• Enhanced maternity/paternity scheme
• Regular company parties and events
• Employee recognition at our monthly town hall event
• Company pension

• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays) as well as an extra day for each complete year of service.
• A monthly allowance to spend on you. If you want a gym membership, loads of cookies, to pamper yourself or to pay for a flight it is totally up to you.
• But most importantly, a fun, positive, collaborate workplace in which you can learn, working for a rapidly growing, multi award-winning business in a sector that has never been more important.

We are an equal opportunities employer. What this means to us is that we value diversity and understand the significant benefits of having a diverse workforce, so we welcome all to apply.