New Site Leader appointed at Amazon in Rugby
Amazon has announced Sooraj Sitaram as Site Leader at its Rugby fulfilment centre, which he leads alongside Amazon’s site in Rugby.
In his role, Sooraj oversees day-to-day operations across both sites, supporting the teams who prepare and dispatch customer orders.
Sooraj, who lives in Rugby, joined Amazon in 2017 after moving to the UK from India to study for an MBA at Warwick Business School. Before that, he spent 14 years working in automotive manufacturing.
He joined Amazon through the Pathways programme and worked as an Area Manager across a range of functions. He then progressed to Operations Manager and Senior Operations Manager, working at several sites in the Midlands along the way. He has been part of three new site launches, including the opening of the Rugby site in 2019, as well as sites in Hinckley and Nottingham. He helped hire new associates and set up the processes that got each building running.
In 2019, Sooraj travelled to Seattle twice for a worldwide leadership development programme. He and his colleagues were given a global challenge to solve, then presented their solution to Amazon’s senior leadership team.
Speaking about what he enjoys most about his work, Sooraj said:
“My favourite part of the job is working with people. You meet so many different people and hear their stories. Everyone comes to work for the pay, of course, but there’s more to it than that. They want to be part of the wider journey, and they contribute so much through improvements and engagement.
"Typically, we have around 60 to 70 nationalities within a building. Everyone has a story, and that’s something that really motivates me.”
Sooraj is passionate about supporting colleagues to develop their careers and has seen people progress from associate roles all the way to Senior Operations Manager. His advice to anyone looking to progress at Amazon is:
“Every individual brings something unique to the table, and that’s why they’re here, so have confidence in that. Make the most of the resources available, such as apprenticeships and Career Choice, to upskill yourself. And always seek guidance if you’re in doubt. Mentoring sessions can really help you grow into the next stage of your career.”
Looking ahead, Sooraj’s focus is on helping both sites grow while improving the experience for the people who work there.
“There’s no limit to continuous improvement. I want to keep finding ways to engage our team members more and get better for them every day, while helping our buildings reach the next level of operational excellence. I’d also like to thank all of our team members for the brilliant work they do every day.”