Distribution Centre General Manager

Recruiter: OttoBauthentic

Job Ref: 452242

Date posted: Thursday, September 10, 2026

Location: Durban, South Africa

SUMMARY: POSITION INFO: The Role: The Distribution Centre General Manager is accountable for the overall strategic, operational, financial and people performance of the assigned Distribution Centre(s), ensuring reliable, efficient and cost-effective supply to the Group's corporate and franchise stores. The role leads the full DC value chain across Receiving, Production, Warehouse, Inventory, Logistics, Dispatch, Food Safety, Quality and operational support functions, translating national DC strategy into disciplined site-level execution and sustainable business performance. Provide overall leadership and accountability for assigned Distribution Centre operations, ensuring effective execution across Receiving, Production, Warehouse, Inventory, Logistics and Dispatch. Translate national Distribution Centre strategy, standards, SOPs and governance requirements into site-level operational plans, priorities and measurable performance outcomes. Monitor DC productivity, capacity, order fulfilment, inventory accuracy and store service; resolve cross-functional bottlenecks that affect product flow, availability and OTIF delivery. Maintain overall accountability for stock integrity, including stock counts, cycle counts, variance investigation, shrinkage, expiry, spoilage, damages and loss prevention. Ensure Production output, yield, quality and product specification standards are achieved while maintaining food safety, hygiene, HACCP and cold-chain compliance. Drive reliable store delivery performance by monitoring dispatch readiness, route performance, fleet utilisation, transport efficiency and significant delivery or service issues. Manage Distribution Centre operating costs and performance against approved budgets, including labour productivity, waste, stock loss, transport costs and sustainable cost-saving initiatives. Build and lead a high-performance management team, ensuring effective workforce planning, performance management, training, succession planning and employee accountability. Ensure compliance with Group policies, regulatory requirements, Food Safety, Health & Safety, quality, security and audit standards; ensure corrective actions are closed timeously. Maintain effective relationships with stores, franchisees, suppliers and service providers, escalating significant operational, financial, people and compliance risks to the National General Manager - Distribution Centres. Drive continuous improvement, process optimisation, technology adoption, WMS improvement, automation and operational innovation across the Distribution Centre. Assess site capacity, infrastructure and capital requirements and recommend significant investment, expansion, automation or structural changes to the National General Manager - Distribution Centres. Qualifications & Experience Required: Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering or a related field. Postgraduate qualification in Supply Chain, Logistics, Operations or Business Management / MBA advantageous. Minimum 5-7 years' experience in Distribution Centre, warehouse, logistics or related operations. Minimum 3-5 years' experience in a senior management role. Proven experience managing large-scale, high-volume Distribution Centre or warehouse operations and multi-functional operational teams. Strong experience in inventory and stock control, including stock accuracy, variance management, shrinkage and loss control. Experience managing operational budgets, costs, labour productivity and performance against financial targets. Experience within food, poultry, FMCG, retail or QSR distribution is strongly preferred. Demonstrated experience in food safety, cold-chain, operational compliance, WMS and continuous improvement. Technical Experience Required: End-to-end Distribution Centre operations across Receiving, Production, Warehouse, Inventory, Picking, Dispatch and Logistics. Inventory governance, stock accuracy, variance management, loss prevention, expiry, spoilage and waste control. Production performance, capacity, yield, quality, product specification and process efficiency. Transport and logistics performance, route management, fleet utilisation, dispatch readiness and OTIF delivery. Food Safety, HACCP, cold-chain management, quality, Health & Safety and audit compliance. Budget management, cost control, labour productivity, cost per case/unit and operational financial analysis. Warehouse Management Systems, operational software, KPI Reporting, dashboards and Microsoft Office. SOP implementation, root-cause analysis, continuous improvement, process optimisation and business-continuity management. Security, asset protection, maintenance/infrastructure coordination and supplier/vendor performance management. Additional Requirements: Valid Driver's License Willingness to travel to Distribution Centres, stores, suppliers and operational meetings as required. Flexibility to work extended hours and remain available during peak trading periods, audits and significant operational incidents. APICS / CPIM / CSCP, Lean / Six Sigma, HACCP / Food Safety, Project Management, Health & Safety or similar professional qualifications advantageous. Key Performance Areas: Overall Distribution Centre Productivity, Capacity Utilisation & SOP Compliance. On-Time-In-Full (OTIF), Delivery Accuracy, Store Service Levels & Transport Efficiency. Inventory Accuracy, Stock-Take Variance, Shrinkage, Stock Loss, Damage, Expiry & Availability. Production Output vs Plan, Yield, Efficiency, Product Specification & Production Waste. Food Safety / HACCP, Cold-Chain, Quality, Health & Safety, Audit & Corrective-Action Performance. DC Budget vs Actual, Operating Cost, Labour Productivity, Waste/Loss Cost & Realised Cost Savings. People Performance, Absenteeism, Turnover, Training, Employee Engagement & Succession Readiness. Continuous Improvement, Technology / WMS Optimisation, Automation & Operational Efficiency. Stakeholder Service, Operational Reporting, Governance, Risk Management & Business Continuity.