Lee Dillow

Experience

• 

  Central Co-op

  Jan 1999 - Sept 2024

  Reporting into the Chief Operations Officer, managed £39.1m in operational costs and oversaw a £2.95m capital budget, including product protection equipment, CCTV upgrades, Bretby Crematorium roof replacement, capital maintenance, and refrigeration upgrades. Responsible for a team of 20.• Restructured the team, introduced Facilities Operations Manager, enhancing internal relationships, service delivery, and cost-effectiveness.• Introduced a Maintenance Assistant role, saving £8k through in-house maintenance across 50 projects.• Delivered internal audits on statutory compliance and strategic reviews of fuel retailing and contractor services, including roofing and security.• Led a Health and Safety Awareness initiative, improving facilities management standards and compliance.• Rolled out the Asset Collection Project to create a critical asset inventory and identify capital replacement needs.• Transitioned to third-party Fire Risk Assessments to ensure consistency and reduce risk across trading sites.• Delivered energy-saving solutions, reducing LUX levels by 70%, and began a solar panel installation across 45 sites, expected to save 1.84 million kWh annually.• Restructured the Loss Prevention team, saving £483k through the rollout of the Watch Me Now (WMN) system across 149 stores.• Became a member of NBCS and led the Offenders to Recovery initiative, supporting ex-offenders in Birmingham and Nottingham.• Facilitated 37 high-profile visits in support of the Criminal Justice Bill Campaign for retail shop workers, which contributed to a standalone criminal offence for assaulting retail workers.• Delivered Aggression/De-escalation training for retail and funeral colleagues, improving workplace safety.• Relocated the Support Centre (Head Office) and onboarded tenants in a multi-tenant facility, ensuring seamless operations.• Implemented a green fleet strategy, introducing electric vehicles for ceremonial and company use, aligning with environmental goals. Show less Reported into the Head of Funeral, accountable for delivering profitable operations within the Crematorium, Floral, Masonry & Coffin Factory with £12.85M in annual sales and £2.05M profit, as well as overseeing all project activity within the funeral business. Responsible for a team of 120.• Implemented a sustainable fleet strategy that transitions current fossil fuel fleet to fully EV vehicles in 8 years, while consolidating fleet management from 3 to 1 third party. • Restructured funeral operations from 6 to 4 operating areas and introduced a new role, resulting in £700k savings in personnel costs. • Simplified procedures for improved customer and colleague journeys, delivering a central procedure portal and new communication framework. • Introduced colleague welfare screening and recruited mental health champions to support colleagues across the business. • Led 4 ongoing restructure projects for operational and cost benefits, with presentations and executive approvals expected in the next 4-8 weeks. Show less Reported into the Head of Funeral Operations, accountable for the cost-effective delivery of the operations model for all associated assets (people and vehicles) and property estate across the Funeral business, monitoring the ongoing contribution per home or funeral services.• Collaborated with Business Development and Finance to implement value-maximising changes. • Oversaw Funeral workload planner, maintaining efficient scheduling. • Led implementation of Funeral process requirements as directed by Head of Operations. • Played an active role in successfully delivering CMA regulations in September 2021, mitigating the risks to the Funeral Business and promoting transparency and consistency across the industry. Show less During this period, I was seconded over to work as Learning and Development Lead from October 2019 – January 2020.• Implemented an organisational design restructure introducing a 24/7 model identifying colleague requirement for each operational centre location co-ordinating and managing all 1-1 consultations and the associated selection process. Resulted in a reduction to payroll expenditure and improved efficiency.• Increased colleague engagement survey score in 2019.• Achieved budgeted contribution level in Financial Years of 2018/19 and 2019/20. • Increased area community activity whilst reducing cost incurred through rationalising expenditure and engaging the team to assess their return on investment of all community related activities.• Led area through coronavirus pandemic. Adapted to arrangement volume doubling by ensuring workforce compliment was sufficient and structured to achieve required output. Engaged with property team to source additional capital requirements.• Identified high potential colleague, established development plan incorporating mentoring and coaching with other Society contacts, colleague since promoted to Senior Funeral Director. Show less Lead a team of over 40 colleagues across 12 sites.• Embedded ways of working and associated policies and procedures across all sites, ensuring compliance was maintained at all times.• Owned client complaint investigations and agreed resolutions.• Developed leaders and developed a talent pipeline. Developed six colleagues to Funeral Director appointments.• Maintained effective business plans to deliver results including the management of controllable costs.• Lead manager within area, deputised for Area Manager.• Direct report awarded Society’s Leader of The Year 2017.• Operational team awarded Society’s Trading team of The Year Winner 2018.• Increased Society Membership participation through engagement with community groups and in store activity. Show less

  • Head of Trading Support

    Aug 2023 - Sept 2024

  • Senior Funeral Productivity & Change Manager

    Sept 2022 - Aug 2023

  • Funeral Logistics Manager

    Aug 2020 - Sept 2022

  • Funeral Area Manager

    Aug 2017 - Jul 2020

  • Senior Funeral Director

    May 2016 - Sept 2017

  • Funeral Director

    Sept 2015 - May 2016

  • Retail Manager

    Jan 1999 - Sept 2015
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  The Air Ambulance Service

  Jan 2025 - now

  Facilities & Property Manager