Hiring Now: Area Manager Near You – Apply Today!

Your Next Area Manager Job Starts Here – Apply Now!

Area Manager

Job Posted: 2 days ago

Salary: £ Competitive
Job Type: Permanent
Location: Stevenage

Expire in: a month

Job Description

A senior leadership role with full commercial and operational ownership. If you are an experienced manager ready to lead a multi-site business unit for one of the UK's most respected fuel suppliers, Watson Fuels wants to hear from you.

Niche Recruitment is proud to be partnering with Watson Fuels to recruit an Area Manager covering a cluster of depot locations across Stevenage, Theale, West London, and Copthorne. This is a significant leadership role with genuine breadth, combining commercial accountability, operational oversight, and people leadership across a busy and important region for the business.

This is a field-based role suited to someone who is equally comfortable driving sales performance and managing day-to-day depot operations. You will lead a team of six, comprising three Account Executives, one Key Account Manager, and two Operations Supervisors, taking full ownership of the commercial and operational performance of your business unit.

With almost 70 years of history and over 200 red tankers on the road, Watson Fuels has built its reputation as one of the UK's most determined and supportive fuel suppliers. The culture is one where strong leaders are trusted to run their patch, supported by a business that genuinely invests in its people and takes long-term development seriously.

What the role involves

Taking full P&L ownership for the business unit, managing volume, margin, cost, and profitability across multiple depot sites
	
Leading and developing a high-performing team of Account Executives, a Key Account Manager, and Operations Supervisors to exceed sales and operational targets
	
Driving sales performance through customer retention, new business growth, and margin optimisation across the region
	
Overseeing day-to-day depot operations across Stevenage, Theale, West London, and Copthorne, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient delivery
	
Overseeing planning, scheduling, and resource deployment to maximise driver and asset utilisation
	
Acting as a visible leader and advocate for HSSEQ standards, promoting a safety-first culture across all sites
	
Ensuring full compliance with driver hours, vehicle standards, transport regulations, and company policies
	
Managing high-profile customer relationships and supporting cross-selling across the product and service portfolio
	
Driving continuous improvement in service, cost, and operational performance
	
Supporting succession planning, team development, and a culture of accountability and collaboration
	
Working closely with regional, supply, finance, and HSSEQ teams to deliver against business objectives

What Watson Fuels is looking for

A proven background in sales management, with experience leading and developing field-based sales teams to exceed targets and KPIs
	
Operational experience in a depot-based or logistics environment, with an understanding of planning, driver management, and compliance requirements
	
Experience managing high-profile customer accounts and driving commercial performance at a senior level
	
Full P&L accountability and confidence managing budgets, costs, and margin in a fast-paced environment
	
Strong people leadership skills with the ability to inspire, develop, and hold a diverse team accountable
	
A safety-first mindset and working knowledge of HSSEQ standards and transport regulations
	
Experience handling investigations, disciplinaries, and performance management
	
Fuel, distribution, or logistics industry experience is strongly preferred, as is familiarity with regulatory bodies such as HMRC, VOSA, and the Environment Agency

What's on offer

Competitive salary
	
Performance-related bonus
	
Car allowance
	
25 days holiday plus bank holidays
	
Matched pension contributions
	
Private medical and dental cover, with single cover paid by Watson Fuels
	
Employee Assistance Programme
	
Perkbox rewards, savings, and wellbeing perks
	
Cycle to Work and Home and Tech schemes
	
Free annual flu jab and eye care
	
Long service awards

Why this role could be your next step

This is a rare opportunity to take genuine ownership of a multi-site business unit within a well-established, growing business that has the scale to offer real career progression. If you are a commercially driven leader with the operational credibility to manage people, performance, and delivery across a busy region, and you are ready for a role where your impact will be visible and your contribution genuinely valued, we would love to hear from you.

Apply now with your up-to-date CV and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss next steps

Before You Apply

Do not include the following in your job application, CV, or cover letter:

Bank details.
National Insurance number.
Date of birth.

You should not be asked for payment or irrelevant information. If you have concerns about a job advert or employer, seek guidance on how to proceed.

Looking for your next career move? Join a top company hiring Area Manager job near me in Stevenage! This is your chance to work on exciting projects, grow professionally, and enjoy a rewarding career with competitive pay and excellent benefits. Whether you're an experienced professional or looking to take the next step, this role offers the perfect opportunity to enhance your skills and make an impact. Don’t miss out—apply today via Vita CV and take your career to the next level!