Interim operations and turnaround.
When systems, processes and people have drifted out of step, I step in as interim Operations Director, restructure what is not working, and leave the business running better than I found it. Where it helps, I stay on as a non-executive director.
Also known asInterim Operations DirectorNon-Executive Director
When the operation cannot keep up.
Orders cannot keep up.
Demand is there, but fulfilment, picking or production is the bottleneck and customers are noticing.
Costs rising, margins falling.
Headcount, waste and supplier costs have crept up, and profitability has gone with them.
Errors in the warehouse.
Goods are hard to find, slow to put away, and picking and packing mistakes are costing money and reputation.
Team problems.
Structure, roles and morale have slipped, and the business is carrying people and processes that hold it back.
Systems that do not fit.
The eCommerce, warehouse and back-office systems no longer match how the business really works.
The owner is stretched too thin.
Everything runs through one person, and there is no time to step back and fix the operation properly.
A fast, practical turnaround.
Rapid operational review
Find the real bottlenecks in days, not months, by working on the floor alongside the team.
Process and warehouse redesign
Storage, bin locations and pick paths reorganised, with barcode scanning to cut errors.
Systems that support the work
eCommerce, warehouse and back-office systems set up to match the process, not the other way round.
Team restructuring
Clear roles and structure, underperforming roles addressed, and senior management reallocated where needed.
Suppliers and brand
New contracts for packaging and print, and supplier terms that fit the business.
Remote management and handover
Cameras and reporting for remote oversight, a clean handover, and an ongoing non-executive role if useful.
Where I have done this before.
Real Food Source
Interim Operations Director
Turned around an online food business in three months. Reorganised more than 6,000 bin locations across multiple stores and introduced a barcode-scanned, quickest-path picking system to cut errors. Daily order capacity and food production more than doubled, with fewer staff.
Real Food Source
Systems consultant since 2016
Built the hosting on AWS, moved it to Azure, and in 2024 migrated the store to Shopify. Look after IT operations, security, maintenance and upgrades for a business with more than 100,000 customers.
Pollen Street Capital
Head of IT Infrastructure
Took over all infrastructure from an exiting IT unit in two weeks, across three offices while onboarding a fourth. Led the technology for a move to new offices, including leased lines, the comms room and structured cabling. Cut Azure and Office 365 costs by around 30% and advised on IT due diligence for acquisitions.
Three simple steps.
- 01
A free conversation
30 minutes to tell me what is going on. We work out whether I am the right person to help.
- 02
A short review
I look at your systems, team, suppliers and plans, and give you a clear written view with priorities. For smaller businesses, this is the fixed-price Independent IT Review.
- 03
The right engagement
An advisory retainer, a few days a month, a defined project, or interim cover. Whatever the review shows you need.
Where I am not the right fit.
Being clear about this up front saves us both time.
- Day-to-day IT support. Fixing individual laptops, printers or passwords. Your IT support company is better placed for that, and I can help you get more from them.
- A developer by the day. Hands-on work, yes, but as part of owning the outcome, not as an extra pair of hands without the senior responsibility.
- Equity-only roles. Work paid only in shares. I am happy to talk about how an engagement is structured, but partial ownership is a long-term route, not a consulting one.
- Rubber-stamping. Signing off a decision that has already been made. If I think it is the wrong call, I will say so.
- Technology for its own sake. AI, a rebuild or a new platform where a simpler, cheaper option would do the job just as well.
Common questions.
Do you need to be on site?
For a turnaround, yes, for the intensive period. At Real Food Source I worked on site for three months to reorganise the company.
What happens once the turnaround is done?
A clean handover to the management team, with clear processes and reporting. If it helps, I stay on as a non-executive director, as I have at Real Food Source.
Is this only for eCommerce businesses?
No. The approach applies to any operation with stock, processes and people. My experience covers eCommerce, food production, FMCG and logistics.
How quickly do results show?
At Real Food Source, daily order capacity and food production more than doubled with fewer staff, and the restructure was done within three months.
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Tell me what you’re working on.
A few lines is enough. I’ll reply personally, and if I’m not the right fit I’ll tell you, and point you to someone who is, if I can. The first 30-minute conversation is free.
Prefer a call? Leave your number in the form and I’ll ring you back.