Distribution Controller

Tiger Brands; Rustenburg; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Tiger Brands is seeking a dynamic Driver Sales Manager in South Africa to lead a Driver Sales team, ensuring on-time and complete deliveries while optimizing routes and distribution networks. The role emphasizes stock control, wage management, and strong interaction with trade customers and distributors.

Responsibilities include supervising driver performance, ensuring vehicle safety, and driving sales growth through new markets and effective trade relations.

Qualifications

• Matric or equivalent is required.
• Minimum of 3 years FMCG sales experience.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Prepared to work long hours, weekends and public holidays.
• Willing to work in informal and formal trade sectors.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Driver Sales team to ensure deliveries are on time, in full and according to agreed schedule and volumes.
• Identify and implement best fit route optimization model and systems.
• Safe and responsible use of the vehicle.
• Account for stock and money; manage driver orders and stock on truck.
• Staff management: control of weekly wages, leave roster, attendance, discipline, and relievers.
• Distributor management: balance distributors and highlight order changes.
• Truck management: understand capacities and adjustments as required.
• On-time delivery: manage departure times and emergency deliveries.
• Sales support: develop new markets and build trade relationships.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Decision making

Problem solving

Numerical orientation

Attention to detail

Team player

Resilience under pressure

Education

Matric or equivalent qualification

National Diploma/3 year Degree in Sales & Marketing preferred

Job description

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!

Manage the Driver Sales team to ensure deliveries are on time, in full and according to agreed schedule and volumes. Manage the effective distribution of products. Identify and implement best fit route optimization model and systems. Implement bakery's operational plans to optimize distribution channels and penetrate the market.

What You Will Do

Safe and responsible use of the vehicle

• Vehicle defect management
• Liaise with distribution on kilometers

Account for stock and money

• Manage driver orders
• Manage outgoing stock versus route sheets
• Manage driver balances
• Manage returns
• Manage stock on truck

Staff management

• Control of weekly wages
• Implement a leave roster
• Manage crew attendance
• Manage pipeline time
• Do on-the-route coaching
• Ensure that drivers maintain a tidy, professional appearance at all times
• Attend to disciplinary issues

Distributor management

• Balance distributors
• Highlight order changes

Truck Management

• Understand truck capacities and make adjustments where required

On time delivery

• Manage departure times
• Manage emergency / second round deliveries

Positive basket flow

• Manage baskets

Crew Supervision

• Manage discipline (late-coming, absenteeism, etc)
• Ensure transport has been arranged for Driver Salesman & Van Assistants
• Ensure that drivers receive all invoices and that it balances back to stock on truck
• Manage departure times & on-time delivery
• Manage leave rosters & ensure leave relievers are in place
• Manage day off rosters and ensures the reliever is in place
• Induct new driver salesman & van assistants into Albanys way of working (Driver & Van Assistant Job profile) Ensure understanding

Induction

• Standardize induction for Driver Salesman which covers Job profile and all the requirements of the job/paperwork to be completed, etc.

Sales

• Support Sales team to develop new markets through delivering to new outlets and drive business development with existing customers.
• Build excellent relations with the trade (customers) and truck crews (Drivers & Van Assistants)
• Conduct daily driver debriefs to review route performance, utilising the debrief form
• Consistent monitoring of the distribution network (Route viability and Performance).
• Manage returns and stock on truck
• Liaise with Telesales
• Fill in as a relief Distribution Controller where required
• Meet daily, weekly and monthly sales targets

In-trade Execution

• Credit returns minimized as per Bakery policy
• Baskets Management- Baskets’ Movement, Basket Counts and control

Customer relations

• Open new accounts (Cash/Credit account customers in General Trade)
• Ensure outstanding monies are collected daily
• Ensure special deliveries made and customer queries handled
• Ensure that the customer data is reviewed and updated regularly

Quality

• Understand the requirements of product quality
• Learn how to deal with customer complaints
• Report consumer complaints to Sales Manager
• Manage market incidents
• Understand and manage the withdrawal/recall process
• Understand the logistics process

Trade Marketing

• Support customer and route plans
• Support plan and implement competitive sales plans to bring about a substantial volume growth
• Understand applicable Channel Strategies
• Understand the Customer Management process
• Understand Pricing Strategies

What You Will Bring To The Table

• Excellent communication skills – written and oral
• Good interpersonal skills
• Decision making ability
• Problem solving ability
• Figures orientation
• Detail orientation
• Personal Effectiveness – Analytical and problem solving skills;; ability to work under pressure; assertive, proactive and decisive; customer service orientation, detail oriented; excellent verbal and written communication skills, team player

Experience

• Matric or equivalent qualification
• National Diploma/3 year Degree in Sales & Marketing preferred
• Minimum of 3 years sales experience in a FMCG environment
• Valid drivers' license
• Prepared to work long hours when required
• Prepared to work weekends and public holidays
• Prepared to work in informal and formal trade sector

In accordance with the employment equity plan of Tiger Brands and its employment equity goals and targets, preference may be given, but is not limited, to candidates from under-represented designated groups.