Job Introduction
About Us:
It takes a whole lot of passion to be at the centre of what makes a house feel like home — and that’s just what we do at DFS. We’re the leading sofa retail specialist in the UK, helping people find a comfy seat on their great quality sofas since 1969.
About the role:
The Dispatch Team Leader is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day running of the dispatch department, ensuring customer orders are accurately prepared, loaded and dispatched on time. Leading by example, the role is focused on maintaining high standards of quality, safety and efficiency, while motivating the team to achieve operational targets and deliver an excellent service to customers.
Here’s what we offer: The Highlights
Competitive Pay & Work-Life Balance: With a great pay rate of £37,142 per year and a reliable schedule
Location - Somercotes , Alfreton DE55 4QQ
Working hours : 39 hrs per week
Monday to Thursday 6:00 am – 1:50 pm , Friday 6:00 am – 2:05 pm
Growth and Training: Learn new skills and develop your career with us.
There’s more…
Generous holiday allowance – the time you need to rest and relax and the longer you’re with us, the more time you’ll get.
Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave: to give you the time you need to settle in with your new family member.
Discounts: Get 30% off DFS and Sofology products for yourself, plus discounts for friends and family – and savings at big brands like Sainsbury’s, ASOS, and IKEA.
Wellbeing Perks: Access healthcare services, an Employee Assistance Programme, and discounted gym memberships.
Pension and Savings: Join our Group Pension and Sharesave schemes.
Life Assurance & Sick Pay: Peace of mind with Life Assurance and Company Sick Pay.
What you'll be doing:
Leading, motivating and developing the Dispatch team to consistently achieve daily operational and delivery targets.
Planning, organising and prioritising workloads to ensure customer orders are dispatched accurately, efficiently and on time.
Overseeing the safe loading of vehicles, ensuring all products are handled with care and protected from damage during transit.
Checking that all customer orders are complete, correctly labelled and supported by accurate dispatch documentation before leaving the site.
Carrying out final quality checks to ensure all products meet company standards prior to dispatch.
Working closely with Production, Planning, Upholstery teams to ensure the smooth flow of products and on-time deliveries.
Monitoring daily dispatch performance, identifying potential issues and implementing solutions to minimise delays and maintain service levels.
Maintaining accurate dispatch records, delivery documentation and stock movement information.
Promoting and maintaining high standards of Health & Safety, housekeeping and safe working practices throughout the department.
Managing team attendance, performance and productivity, providing coaching, guidance and support to maximise performance.
Training and developing team members, supporting new starters and encouraging continuous improvement and up skilling.
Investigating dispatch discrepancies, product damage and delivery issues, implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Ensuring all vehicles are loaded safely, efficiently and in compliance with legal weight limits and transport regulations.
Identifying opportunities to improve dispatch processes, increase efficiency and reduce waste.
Leading by example, fostering a positive, collaborative and accountable team culture.
The role is for you if you have …
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Experience in a supervisory or team leader role within a dispatch, warehouse or manufacturing environment.
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Experience of Lean methodologies
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Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operation.
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Excellent attention to detail, ensuring customer orders are dispatched accurately and without error.
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Experience coordinating dispatch activities and meeting strict delivery deadlines.
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Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, coach and develop a team.
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You have a proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.
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Good communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across departments.
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A strong understanding of Health & Safety and safe manual handling practices.
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Experience using warehouse or dispatch management systems would be advantageous.
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A forklift truck licence (or willingness to be trained) would be beneficial, depending on operational requirements.
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Flexibility to adapt to changing business priorities and operational demands.
Our Commitment to Inclusion:
We’re committed to a culture where everyone feels welcome, valued, and can thrive at work. We celebrate diverse voices, champion inclusion, and support each other through our growing colleague networks. We invest in partnerships that drive change, from introducing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and supporting Doncaster Pride, to partnering with Carers UK and developing leaders with Diversity in Retail.
We're proud to be an equal opportunities employer, committed to building a workplace that reflects the communities we serve. So, if your experience doesn't quite match the specification, we'd still really love to hear from you.
(All roles are subject to satisfactory DBS checks.)
