People Curated

Distribution Manager

📍 Durban, South Africa

💼 full-time

💰 ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000 / year

Distribution Manager Purpose of the Role To apply sound judgement, a high level of drive and positive influence so as to enable the distribution teams at the bakery and at the depots to manage the distribution facilities and resources to meet the required customer service level and sales volumes within the operational budget. To ensure that the distribution processes are executed in accordance with strict safety,health, environment, food safety, governance and risk requirements. To work closely with the finance/commercial, sales and transport functions, in a connected manner, to enable the sales and distribution processes to work efficiently and effectively. To drive continuous improvement and effective communication. To ensure that employee and labour relations are healthy. Main Responsibilities Distribution Strategy Work with Bakery Manager on new distribution strategies to optimise the distribution costs and capitalise on information technology and industry innovation. Receiving, storage, transfer and management of product Maintain the effective and efficient use of distribution resources, procedures and controls to minimise losses, maximise customer service levels and maintain product integrity in all of the following processes at the bakery and depots; receiving of product from production storage and management of stock in despatch Distribution of product from despatch to the trade Transfer of stock to depots Receiving of stock from other bakeries in despatch Receiving of returned stock from trade Storage and management of stock in receiving Transfer of saleable stock from receiving to despatch. (3) Management of loading and off-loading of product Ensure trucks are loaded in full and on time and depart on time Ensure that despatch and depot teams maintain prescribed records of goods received and despatched Ensuring that there is sufficient distribution/despatch resource in place daily (4)Route planning and optimisation Conduct regular route profitability reviews and operate with the most cost effective cents per kilometre. (5)Use of Enterprise System Make effective use of the Syspro environment to drive financial controls. (6)Communication Maintain effective communication with financial/commercial, sales and operations teams. (7)Debrief processes To manage the daily debrief processes at the bakery and depots to undertake a full review of all of the following per route - daily sales, service level (On-Time and In- Full), customer service level (customers visited vs customers plotted), short-loads, short-dated stock, total returns (stock in van), return write-off's (coded and classified), driver shorts, crate shorts, kilometres travelled, standard route kilometres, vehicle utilisation and action planning. To ensure integrity and availability of the information to enable the sales function to maintain the highest possible customer service levels. (8)Reconciliations Ensuring that the despatch recon document is completed daily and balances, any variances to be investigated. (9)Fleet Management To work with the Transport Manager to ensure optimal service levels at the lowest cost. (10) Crate management To manage bread crates on a daily basis to minimise the replacement of crates and to ensure that the crate pool is sufficient to maintain order and service level fulfilment at the lowest possible cost. (11) Driver and Outsourced Distributor Management To manage drivers and distributors to perform their duty effectively; to work in accordance with the company rules and legislation relating to the safe and cost effective operation of vehicles. to work in accordance with the company rules relating to the handling of cash and maintaining a zero cash balance and a nil crate balance for each driver every week. To take action in a consistent manner (i) against drivers when the cash shorts are in excess of the allowable limit and (ii) to follow up and resolve other aspects of the cash balances that are not driver specific to maintain a clean balance with limited write-offs. • To work in accordance with the company rules relating to handling of the product. Manage driver behaviour and adherence to Company rules and legislation. (12) Returns Management To manage the process by which product returns are received; verification of the quantity and classification of the returned product by the sales team, Allocation, quantification and effective storage of the returned product for resale (stock-in-van). Allocation, quantification and effective handling of the retuned product to be written off Reconciliation of product returns to routes, driver stock balances and driver financial status Variance reporting and returns trending to facilitate management of returns to a minimum. (13) Continuous Improvement Key metrics will be determined to drive business performance. Labour and cost metrics will also form part of the continuous improvement system. Robust score-carding will be used to map and close the distribution and human resource performance gaps and to optimise resources. Benchmarking will also be undertaken. Visual performance management will be in place so that the performance of the distribution entity is available to all employees. Regular and relevant communication will be undertaken as part of the continuous improvement process and this will encompass all staff at the bakery and all the depots. (14) Safety, Health and the Environment and Risk Management Business Continuity Planning and risk management practices will be undertaken to manage the distribution risks. Matters of Safety, Health and the Environment will be an area of focus and will be managed in such a manner that compliance is achieved and continuous improvement programmes identify ongoing opportunities. (15) Food Safety and Quality Management Support Support the Food Safety and Quality Management Systems at the bakery and depots. Rigorous auditing and action planning will be required. (16) Human Resource Management To effectively maintain the appropriate human resource levels by the careful selection, retention and performance-based management of staff. To inspire team members and staff to work in accordance with the Standards of Leadership and Our Way by personal adoption of these leadership standards and behaviours with a deliberate and intense effort to improve the overall business performance by focusing on these standards and behaviours. To use the performance development processes to provide relevant key performance areas and indicators. To measure and hold reports accountable for the effective delivery of the various goals and to support reports with personal development. A work place skills development programme will be used to drive people development and statutory training. A healthy labour relations environment and work climate will be maintained by regular and open communication with the staff members that ordinarily constitute an interest group and with general staff and management. To ensure that disciplinary procedures are followed according to the Disciplinary Code of Conduct. (17) Product Innovation Support Support the demand team to develop and launch new products and support the management of the projects through various stakeholder gates. (18) Project Management Effectively utilise resources to deliver distribution strategy by using sound project management practises and tools. (19) Financial/Commercial Management, Reporting and Governance Maintain an effective budgeting and cost control process. •Study monthly actual versus budget and work with team members to address areas of non conformance or concern proactively and timeously Authorises expenses within level of authority Monitor spending activity within team to ensure compliance to financial and ethical standards. Report all non-conformances and governance shortfalls. Audit all distribution processes on a regular basis and take remedial action when non-conformances are highlighted (20) Contract Management Contracts will be managed through the proper use of written and approved contracts with well defined service level agreements for fixed periods. Regular reviews will be undertaken to ensure that services are professionally rendered at an optimised cost and in accordance with the service level agreements and that contracts are renewed timeously and in accordance with business needs.