Distribution Supervisor

Role Overview

You will be the operational bridge between customer orders and the delivery trucks that fulfil them, making sure every order arrives on time, complete, and without errors. Day to day, you will juggle order approvals, vehicle availability, maintenance schedules, and special or cross-border shipments while keeping sales, customer service, warehouse, and transport partners aligned. Your work directly protects revenue through strong proof-of-delivery controls and keeps plant and mill operations running smoothly by preventing logistics bottlenecks.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with sales and customer service to confirm order details, product availability, and delivery windows; review and approve orders, then schedule deliveries to meet agreed timelines.
• Plan daily dispatch for company-owned and hired trucks, matching capacity to order volumes and ensuring special product and cross-border shipments have clear information and goods flow.
• Own the proof-of-delivery process from start to finish, closing documentation gaps that could result in lost revenue.
• Coordinate market returns from trade and interplant stock transfers, balancing inventory across both plant sites and keeping by-product logistics moving so mill operations are not interrupted by a full by-product store.
• Manage fleet maintenance and third-party transporter relationships, enforcing roadworthy standards, maintenance schedules, inspections, and insurance compliance for all distribution trucks.
• Track and improve fleet performance measures such as truck capacity utilisation, fuel consumption, and repair and maintenance costs for both owned and hired vehicles.
• Ensure distribution licences, product permits, and statutory requirements are current across every county in the delivery footprint, and enforce road discipline among distribution assistants.
• Lead, coach, and review the distribution team through monthly performance reviews, face-to-face sessions, timely action closure, personal development plans with the HRBP, and skill-gap training using TWI methods.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a business-related discipline, supply chain management, logistics management, procurement, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years’ experience in warehouse, fleet operations, and logistics management, with at least three years at supervisory or managerial level.
• Strong working knowledge of warehouse operations, logistics, and distribution management.
• Computer proficiency, especially with Microsoft Excel.
• Good presentation skills plus administrative writing and reporting skills.
• Experience using an ERP system is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to manage owned and hired fleets, maintenance schedules, and compliance documentation.
• People leadership capability, including coaching, performance review, and employee development.