Area Operations Manager

ShopriteX; India; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

ShopriteX in India seeks an Area Operations Manager to lead regional operations, manage assets and costs, and ensure performance targets are met. You will oversee OTLs, drivers, and contractors while upholding safety, compliance, and excellent service levels.

Strong leadership, budgeting, and risk management skills are essential for sustaining peak performance. The role requires a degree in BCommerce or related field and 5+ years in retail ops management, with advanced Excel and MS Office

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in BCommerce or related field.
• 5+ years in retail operations management, preferably in on-demand service delivery.
• Proficiency in MS Office and Advanced Excel.
• Knowledge of logistics, project and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Manage performance outputs of Operations Team Leads and direct reports across geographic areas.
• Ensure weekly resource requirements and assess contractor quality against criteria.
• Maintain compliance, conduct monthly audits, and address abuse or deviations.
• Oversee asset reconciliations, branding and uniform details per driver requirements.
• Foster area presence, communication, and alignment with business objectives.
• Maintain stakeholder relations and flag local delivery challenges for action.
• Prioritize driver network health and position the team as the network of choice.
• Ensure resourcing and timely recruitment to meet operational needs.
• Lead training and development, mentoring, and track progress.
• Report risk and implement mitigation with risk teams as needed.
• Support regional operations in driving continuous improvements.
• Provide area budgeting inputs and monitor costs and variances.

Skills

Retail operations management

Advanced Excel

MS Office

Logistics knowledge

Risk management

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in BCommerce or related field

Tools

MS Office

Excel

Job description

The Area Operations Manager is responsible and accountable for managing the functional operational outputs, assets, costs, and performance of all direct & indirect reports in a specific geographic region or area to ensure the attainment of divisional performance targets whilst optimizing operational efficiencies and productivity and ensuring engagement and high performance of workforce.

What you'll do

• Manage the key performance outputs and targets of all Operations Team Leads (OTL’s) and direct reports operating within different geographic areas. Apply corrective or remedial actions as and when required.
• Ensure weekly resource requirements are met and review quality of contractors provided by CMC and feedback on their suitability or not in terms of the stipulated criteria, reject unsuitable contractors. (Review in terms of being able to meet the requirements for the role, fit the culture of Pingo and customer service and safety orientation.)
• Maintain compliance standards with policies and practices & use of company assets & allowances by conducting monthly audits and checks. Identify possible abuse and take corrective actions. Identify trends to take corrective actions to reduce incident and accident rate.
• Complete reconciliations on asset, branding and uniform details as per contracted driver requirement.
• Ensure availability, visibility and presence in area and lead by example.
• Promote effective communication and ensure that OTL’s & contracted drivers are aware of how their role contributes to the success of the operation.
• Maintain local relations with all stakeholders and proactively highlight local trends or delivery challenges to the business to ensure focus for continued positive service delivery.
• Responsible for driver network health and overarching goal to become driver network of choice. Raise issues timeously & propose solutions which may resolve or accelerate the competitive advantage of the business.
• Ensure all areas of responsibility is resourced appropriately and vacancies are filled timeously to deliver against operational requirements for business continuity.
• Accountable and responsible for implementing training & development plans and to lead, motivate, coach and mentor direct/indirect reports and track monthly progress.
• Pro-actively report on risk related matters to all stakeholders, consult and involve risk teams where necessary to support the local operation. Drive & implement risk mitigation & conflict resolution practices when responding to issues and complaints.
• Assist the regional operations manager to drive continuous improvements.
• Provide area specific budgeting requirements to regional manager during budgeting planning cycle. Track and manage costs and variances.

What you bring

• Bachelor’s Degree in BCommerce or a related field - (essential).
• +5 year’s experience in retail operations management, preferably in an on-demand service delivery industry - (essential).
• Membership to industry related business forums e.g Sapics - (preferred).
• Proficiency in MS Office (Advanced Excel skills) and other business-related software - (essential).
• Knowledge of the logistics industry, project and risk management - (essential).

Key Competencies and Work Ethic:

• Self-motivated, takes ownership, provides practical, innovative operational solutions, dedicated and committed to operational excellence.
• Systematic and rule orientated in gathering, reviewing, evaluating, and visualising data from a variety of perspectives and work with precision and highlight inconsistencies and report these for further investigation or action.
• Target and sales driven individual with good energy and drive. Passion for selling with a strong client orientation and commitment to providing exceptional customer service.
• Management skills – Actively sources, retains, and nurtures a high performing team. Creates a positive team morale while training and mentoring the team to ensure they are enabled to deliver on their objectives.
• Relationship building skills – Develops strong relationships with internal stakeholders, agencies, communities, and influencers. Strong networker with the ability to adopt a range of styles to engage with others, and deal with conflict or challenges and influence a situation.
• Confident and credible communication skills – Strong written and verbal communication skills. Is engaging and communicates effectively to a variety of audiences. Expresses self in a compelling way while able to articulate product strategy, rationale and ideas in a way that engages, inspires confidence, and builds trust.
• Problem solving skills – Explores and analyses various sources of information to come to rational conclusions. Makes sound decisions to influence the success of their portfolio in a competitive shopper landscape.
• Business acumen – Proactively explores opportunities and applies sound business principles and standards to drive performance and deliver sales targets. Mobilises sales activations.
• Planning and organising - Plans, coordinates, and executes functions, practices, and procedures to realise business goals and objectives. Manages time well while tracking, monitoring, and reporting on sales targets and performance.
• Resilient and adaptable - Able to work under pressure, prioritise and balance multiple demands in a high-pressured environment. Achieve consistency in a continuously changing business area.
• Results and quality focused, setting stretch goals for self and others, while remaining focused and working tenaciously toward meeting and exceeding expectations within quality standards.

Our Group and all its operating companies is committed to creating, embracing, and preserving a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organisation. A place where everyone matters and feels included.

We are committed to Employment Equity when recruiting internally and externally.

Please take note that by responding to this application and providing your personal information, you confirm your express and informed consent for Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd and all its subsidiaries and affiliates companies to process your personal information for the Company to consider your application for this position. All Personal Information which you provide to the Company will be used and/or retained only for the purposes for which it is collected, whereafter it will be permanently destroyed. Your information is only retained if it is required by law or where you have given consent to us to retain such information for an extended period.

If you don’t hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful. Any personal information collected as part of your application will be destroyed, securely, in accordance with South African legislation.