Senior Distribution Center Manager

Job Description

Key Accountabilities: Reporting to the General Manager - Operations, the position is directly responsible for management within the Warehouse & Transportation operations, ensuring performance and development plans for each manager are provided, together with succession plans for each direct report manager position. It is expected the Distribution Manager will develop and maintain relationships with Customer, Suppliers and Linfox colleagues at a 1st line manager level and with Transport Contractors at a fleet owner and 1st line manager level, with primary responsibility of relationship development and maintenance, and liaison regarding service expectations and delivery, long-term business planning which impacts on Warehouse Operations human resource, transport, and materials handling equipment needs.

Internal:

• National Distribution Manager and General Operation Manager – budget approval; performance reporting; contract authorization; and business planning

• Other Stream and Regional Site Managers – operational management issues

• BoF, Site/Shift Managers – day to day operational matters

• Commercial Manager – information on P&L and accounts payable & receivable

• IT Manager – IT system support, functionality, data capture and reporting

• HR Manager – HR management issues and Payroll related matters

• Projects Teams – Support with direct project management and/or operational information

• Linfox Regional teams – for anything related to the DC and its operations

External:

Customer Organisation:

- Customers Logistics Team.

- Customers Warehouse & Distribution Manager.

- Customers Export Manager.

- Customers Factory Manager & Supervisor.

- Customers Safety and Security Manager.

- Customers Audit team.

- Customers IT team.

Supplier Organisations:

- Transport Contractor Fleet Owners,

- Transport Contractor Operations Managers,

- MHE Supplier Managers

- 3rd Party service provider management

Labor Hire service provider managers & supervisors

Safety, Health & Environment

• Ensure safety is a first agenda item for all meetings

• Ensure all incidents reported within 1 hour

• Ensure all appropriate actions are taken to implement the Occupational Health and Safety Policy, health and safety procedures and legislative requirements

• Monitor and supervise the environment, health and safety through formal participation in Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control Planning, workplace inspections, pre-purchase evaluations etc and informally through work site visits and discussions with staff

• Review all LTI, MTI, MVA accidents/incidents and corrective action reports

• Review any health, work environment and safety related reports and take appropriate action also initiate actions to improve health and safety

• Communicate regularly on relevant OH&S matters and review the health and safety performance of direct reports

• Ensure all employees/contractors are inducted and receive regular training required to perform their job safely

• Allocate adequate time and resources for the Health an Safety program to be established

• Maintain Environment , Health and Safety documentation and records in accordance with Linfox Safety System requirements

Process

• Develops and recommends improvements to warehouse & distribution systems, processes and practices, including new technology support, which will improve operational efficiency and productivity in particular safety, environment and quality.

• Contributes to achieving the strategic business plan for the FMCG Stream by aligning operations objectives and outcomes with those of the Stream.

• Ensure all processes and activities comply with the law and company regulations

Customer

• Establishes, maintains and enhances positive relationships with customer as measured by customer feedback and surveys.

• Supports the activities of Warehouse and Transport Managers at all sites to ensure service delivery standards and customer expectations are met as measured by KPI.

• Delivers Linfox services to customer in a manner that achieves agreed outcomes with respect to budgets and business plan forecasts.

Finance

• Ensures agreed measures for cost budget and service Key Performance Indicators for customer sites are met.

• Appropriately utilizes subcontracted workforce to minimize cost, maximize flexibility and efficiency of operations.

• Ensures maximum utilization of staff, equipment and facilities by appropriate prioritization and resourcing as per agreed cost budgets.

People

• Works with Warehouse and Transport Managers to implement strategies that resolve operational, industrial or other personnel issues and problems in a manner that minimizes disruption to the operations.

• Ensures sufficient levels of adequately trained and developed staff to meet the needs of the business.

Key Behaviours

Leadership

• Leading Others – creates, communicates and contributes to a vision of the future, sets direction and inspires achievement and commitment from others

• Developing Others – Improves skills and effectiveness through clear feedback, mentoring, coaching, the provision of development opportunities and identification of potential in others

• Innovation and Change – recognizes and/or generates imaginative and creative solutions, challenges the status quo and identifies opportunities for improvement

Business

• Planning and Organizing – plans and schedules effectively and maintains effective controls and attention to detail to ensure timely delivery of outcomes

• Customer Focus – identifies and responds to customers’ needs and ensures quality of service standards are met

• Relating and Networking – establishes effective long term relationships and develops and maintains a network of contacts

• Specialist Knowledge - Applies, maintains and improves on in-depth specialist knowledge

Personal

• Teamwork and Diversity – works toward common goals in an open and collaborative and inclusive manner

• Adaptability and Resilience – adapts own position in response to changes and deals effectively with disappointments and setbacks

• Outcome Orientation – sets and meets challenging objectives, initiates action and commits to clear outcomes

Job Requirement

Qualifications and Experience

• Detailed knowledge of logistics management, gained through at least five years of operational experience.

• A knowledge of environmental issues.

• Well developed customer service skills and focus.

• Ability to communicate effectively across a range of organizational levels, from senior managers to warehouse operatives and drivers

• An understanding of the relevant union and general industrial/employee relations

• An understanding of basic financial planning, accounting and reporting practices

• Sound written communication and report preparation skills.

• Understanding of basic computing applications, including word processing and spread sheets

• Effective time management skills

• Experience in managing multi-site operations

Measures of Results

• Achieve cost budget targets, to ensure that the costs are kept in line with the Budget as agreed with customers.

• Customer satisfaction with service standards, reliability, timeliness, etc as measured by KPI.

• Achievement of agreed Project outcomes

• PDP’s for direct reports established and reviewed

• Succession Plans established and maintained