General Manager

SET Consulting SA; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

SET Consulting SA seeks an experienced General Manager to oversee a large Distribution Centre in Meadowview, Johannesburg. You will manage warehouse, transport, inventory and facilities, driving continuous improvement and customer-focused service across multiple departments.

The role requires strategic, hands-on leadership, robust risk and cost control, and alignment of HR and operational strategies to achieve high-performance results.

Qualifications

• Degree or Honours in Business Management or Supply Chain Management required.
• MBA will be an advantage.
• 8–10 years' senior management experience in a comparable field.
• Strong Excel skills and knowledge of planning/routing software.
• Experience with distribution centre operations and performance management.
• Knowledge of payroll processes and working with a unionized workforce.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all Distribution Centre operations including Warehouse, Transport, Inventory, Facilities and Fleet Management.
• Translate strategic objectives into operational plans and ensure execution.
• Drive KPIs, quality standards and cost efficiency across departments.
• Maintain inventory accuracy and optimal delivery scheduling to meet customer needs.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives and risk management.
• Present performance and improvement initiatives at management meetings.

Skills

Warehouse Mgmt

Inventory Mgmt

Transport Mgmt

Supply Chain Mgmt

Customer Service Mgmt

Project Mgmt

Health & Safety Mgmt

Facilities & Asset Mgmt

Fleet Mgmt

Contingency Planning

Continuous Improvement

Unionized Workforce Mgmt

Education

Degree or Honours in Business Management or Supply Chain Management

MBA (advantage)

Tools

Microsoft Great Plains

Planning & Routing Software

Job description

General Manager – Distribution Centre

Meadowview, Johannesburg

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced General Manager to oversee the overall operations of a large Distribution Centre in Meadowview, Johannesburg. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of all departments, optimising operational capacity and processes, and maintaining high standards of quality, service delivery and cost efficiency.

This pivotal role requires a strategic and hands‑on operational leader who can translate business strategy into operational excellence, drive continuous improvement, deliver a consistent customer experience, and foster a high-performance culture across the Distribution Centre. The role requires an individual with strong Warehouse, Transport, Inventory, Customer service, Risk, facility, and fleet operations. This is 22000 square with high volumes.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Management

• Oversee all Distribution Centre operations, including Warehouse, Transport, Inventory, Facilities and Fleet Management.
• Translate strategic objectives into effective operational plans and ensure execution across all departments.
• Drive operational performance against agreed KPIs, quality standards and business objectives.
• Ensure inventory accuracy, system integrity and optimal delivery scheduling to meet customer requirements and accommodate business growth.
• Identify and implement opportunities to streamline processes, improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, statutory requirements and quality standards.

Customer Service

• Ensure customer contractual service levels and service delivery expectations are consistently achieved.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, partners and stakeholders.
• Conduct regular customer business reviews to evaluate performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Engage customers strategically to understand changes in their operating environments and adapt service offerings accordingly.
• Resolve critical customer matters through effective negotiation and stakeholder management.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive operational excellence, people development and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Monitor industry trends and implement relevant best practices to enhance operational performance.

Reporting

• Present and explain Distribution Centre performance at monthly MANCO meetings.
• Prepare and deliver customer business review presentations, highlighting performance, challenges and improvement initiatives.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage operational budgets aligned with the company's financial strategy.
• Achieve budgeted cost-per-case targets for the Distribution Centre.
• Drive cost control, operational efficiency and financial sustainability.

Risk, Compliance and Food Safety

• Maintain and regularly update operational contingency plans.
• Identify, assess and mitigate operational risks and potential financial losses.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and quality protocols, including knowledge of FSSC 22000 requirements.
• Lead and support the Food Safety Team, ensuring relevant standards, improvements and changes are implemented.
• Take accountability for internal and external audits and ensure audit readiness.
• Ensure operational KPIs, regulatory requirements and risk management standards are consistently achieved.

People Management

• Ensure alignment with and execution of the HR strategy.
• Build and maintain a high-performance, safe and accountable workplace culture.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and maintain succession plans for team members.
• Drive employee training, development, coaching and mentoring.
• Facilitate monthly staff and union meetings and ensure appropriate records are maintained.
• Ensure staff maintain the required DQSP certification.
• Lead and develop high-performing, multidisciplinary teams capable of resolving complex operational challenges.
• Maintain a positive organisational culture and proactively manage industrial relations.
• Build constructive working relationships with elected union representatives.

Work Experience Required

• Senior Operational Management including but not limited to:
• Warehouse Management
• Inventory Management
• Transport Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Customer Service Management
• Project Management
• Health & Safety Management
• Facility & Asset Management
• Fleet Management
• Contingency Planning & Management
• Best Practice / Continuous Improvement Management
• Management of multi temperature stock items
• Management of complex, multi-site, multi-disciplinary, multi-culture organizations.
• Integrated strategy formulation and execution within large organizations of 400 plus employees.
• People Management including but not limited to:
• Probation Management
• Performance Management
• Time and Attendance Management
• Disciplinary Enquiries, including investigations, initiating and chairing.
• CCMA / Bargaining Council Exposure
• Sound knowledge of Payroll Processes
• Unionized Workforce Management
• Culture development.
• Organizational planning.
• Change Management

Minimum Requirements

• Grade 12 and a relevant tertiary qualification, preferably a Degree or Honours Degree in Business Management or Supply Chain Management.
• An MBA will be an advantage.
• 8–10 years' experience in a similar senior management role within a comparable field or industry.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, including intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency.
• Experience with Microsoft Great Plains accounting software.
• Knowledge of planning and routing software.
• Advanced working knowledge of distribution centre operations, supply chain processes and operational performance management.

• Food safety ISO and FSSC experience required