Logistics Manager

The Logistics Manager owns the end-to-end supply chain — from incoming stock at the supplier interface through to final delivery, whether that is a local client drop or a foreign export shipment. This role is responsible for selecting and managing the optimal transport mode (road, sea, or air freight) for every movement, ensuring cost efficiency, delivery reliability, and full compliance with the company's stock movement and quality release procedures across the South Africa Distribution Hub, Zanzibar Warehouse, and all export corridors — including Tanzania mainland, Europe and the Indian Ocean Islands (Zanzibar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, and Réunion, as applicable to current trade lanes).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Inbound Logistics & Supplier Coordination

• Manage incoming stock movements from bulk suppliers through to the Distribution Hub, ensuring alignment with agreed lead times and delivery windows.
• Liaise directly with suppliers and freight forwarders to track shipment status and proactively flag delays before they impact client commitments.
• Ensure incoming stock is received, quarantined, and quality-released in line with existing receiving and QA procedures before entering distribution flow.

Outbound Logistics - Local & Export

• Plan and manage local client deliveries, ensuring on-time, in-full (OTIF) performance.
• Manage foreign export shipments across all active corridors — Tanzanian mainland, Zanzibar and other Indian Ocean Island destinations (Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, Réunion) and Europe-bound freight — coordinating customs documentation, freight bookings, and delivery confirmation.
• Understand and apply the distinct compliance, documentation, and routing requirements of each corridor — e.g., regional/island freight consolidation and transshipment options for the Indian Ocean Islands vs. long-haul road, sea or air freight and EU import/customs requirements for Europe.
• Own client-facing communication on delivery timelines, proactively updating clients and internal stakeholders when schedules shift — no client should be caught off guard by a freight delay, regardless of destination.

Transport Mode Optimization

• Evaluate and select the optimal freight mode (road, sea, or air) for each shipment based on cost, urgency, shipment size, route reliability, destination, and client SLA requirements.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of freight rates, transit times, and provider performance across all three modes and across all trade lanes — domestic South Africa, Indian Ocean Island routes, and Europe.
• Understand the practical trade-offs between modes by corridor: e.g., air freight for time-critical Indian Ocean Island or European shipments vs. sea freight for cost-efficient bulk export volumes; road freight for regional/cross-border distribution.
• Build and manage relationships with road hauliers, shipping lines, air freight providers, and freight forwarders/customs brokers with established Europe and Indian Ocean Island networks; hold providers accountable to agreed service levels and escalate non-performance.
• Maintain contingency plans for high-risk or time-critical shipments (e.g., mode-switching when a provider fails to deliver on schedule, or when island/European connections face capacity or seasonal disruptions).

Team Leadership

• Directly manage and develop the Warehouse Stock Controller and Logistics Supervisor, setting clear performance expectations and reviewing output regularly.
• Ensure the team operates according to established SOPs (stock movement, quality receiving, dispatch) and drive corrective action where gaps are found.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with warehouse, sales, and quality teams to ensure logistics plans support broader operational and client commitments.

Process, Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure all stock movements are properly documented (STNs, Issue Slips, dispatch records) and that documentation reflects actual physical movement in real time.
• Maintain visibility over the full chain of custody from supplier to end client, across the SA–Zanzibar corridor and all export lanes.
• Track and report on key logistics KPIs: on-time delivery rate, freight cost per shipment, transit time by mode, and delay/exception incidents.
• Own root-cause investigation and corrective action for any delivery failures, freight provider non-performance, or documentation gaps.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Diploma or Degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, or related field.
• 5–7 years' experience in logistics/supply chain management, with demonstrated experience across road, sea, and air freight.
• Experience within the FMCG and Cosmetics industries in supply chain management.
• Proven experience managing international/export shipments and customs documentation, ideally including Indian Ocean Island and European trade lanes.
• Familiarity with EU import requirements and regional/island freight consolidation practices is an advantage.
• Experience managing direct reports in a warehouse or logistics environment.
• Working knowledge of stock movement and quality control processes (SOP-driven environments strongly preferred).

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Strong commercial understanding of freight cost structures and transit trade-offs across transport modes.
• Excellent client-facing communication — proactive, direct, and accountability-driven.
• Sound crisis management skills; able to make fast decisions when shipments are delayed or providers under-deliver.
• Strong documentation discipline and comfort working within structured SOPs and tracking systems (Excel-based trackers, dashboards).
• Effective people manager — able to set expectations, coach, and hold direct reports accountable.

To Apply

Please send your CV, a motivational cover letter, and at least three contactable references to:

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