Operations Supervisor

University of Fort Hare; Durban; On-site; ZAR 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Fort Hare in Durban seeks an experienced Operations Supervisor to oversee daily activities in a busy cold storage, poultry, production and distribution centre. You will manage a large team, ensure safety standards, and drive efficiency across receiving, storage, picking, packing and dispatch.

Role requires strong supervisory background in FMCG, food production or warehousing, with a focus on quality, productivity and compliance in a high-volume environment.

Qualifications

• Matric / Grade 12 is required.
• 3–5 years of supervisory experience in a similar environment.
• Experience in cold storage, poultry, FMCG, warehousing, logistics or distribution centre operations.
• Proven experience managing a large workforce.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and coordinate daily operations within the warehouse, cold storage, production and dispatch areas.
• Manage employee allocation across receiving, picking, packing, production lines, loading and dispatch functions.
• Monitor daily productivity and workflow to meet deadlines.
• Identify operational issues and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with SOPs and client requirements.
• Oversee receiving, storage, picking, packing, loading and dispatch processes.
• Monitor stock movement, variances, damages and losses.
• Ensure FIFO/FEFO principles where applicable.
• Supervise cold-room operations and maintain temperature controls.
• Ensure food safety, hygiene and PPE compliance.
• Monitor poultry and food handling processes to uphold quality.
• Supervise production activities and meet daily targets.
• Track wastage and downtime, report incidents.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Communication

Problem-solving

Decision making

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Excel

WMS experience

Education

Matric / Grade 12

Operations/Logistics qualification

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Warehouse Management System (WMS)

Job description

A client leading in Distribution & Warehousing is seeking for an experienced and hands-on Operations Supervisor to oversee daily operations within a fast-paced cold storage, poultry, production and distribution centre environment in Pinetown, Durban. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing operational activities, supervising employees, ensuring productivity targets are achieved, maintaining food safety standards, and ensuring efficient warehouse and production processes. The ideal candidate must have strong supervisory experience within cold storage, poultry processing, FMCG, food production, warehousing, logistics or distribution centre operations and must be able to manage a large workforce while maintaining high standards of quality, safety and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supervise and coordinate daily operations within the warehouse, cold storage, production and dispatch areas.
• Manage employee allocation across receiving, picking, packing, production lines, loading and dispatch functions.
• Monitor daily productivity, operational targets and workflow to ensure deadlines are achieved.
• Identify operational challenges and implement corrective action to improve efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with company procedures, SOPs and client requirements.
• Oversee receiving, storage, picking, packing, loading and dispatch processes.
• Ensure stock is accurately handled, labelled and stored according to requirements.
• Monitor stock movement, stock variances, damages and product losses.
• Ensure FIFO/FEFO principles are followed where applicable.
• Supervise cold-room operations and ensure temperature controls and cold chain procedures are maintained.
• Ensure employees comply with food safety, hygiene and PPE requirements.
• Monitor poultry and food handling processes to ensure product quality standards are maintained.
• Supervise production activities and ensure daily production targets are achieved.
• Monitor wastage, downtime and production inefficiencies.
• Conduct daily operational briefings and communicate work expectations to employees.
• Manage employee attendance, timekeeping, performance and discipline.
• Coach and motivate employees to achieve operational goals.
• Ensure health and safety procedures are followed at all times.
• Conduct workplace inspections and report unsafe conditions or incidents.
• Complete operational reports including attendance, productivity, production, dispatch, stock and incident reports.

Minimum Requirements:

• Matric / Grade 12 required.
• Relevant qualification in Operations Management, Logistics, Supply Chain, Warehouse Management, Production or related field will be advantageous.
• Minimum 3 – 5 years supervisory experience within a similar operational environment.
• Previous experience in cold storage, poultry, FMCG, food production, warehousing, logistics or distribution centres is essential.
• Proven experience managing a large workforce in a high-volume environment.
• Experience with receiving, dispatch, stock control, picking, packing and production processes.
• Experience managing employee performance, attendance and discipline.
• Strong understanding of food safety, hygiene and health & safety requirements.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Ability to lead, motivate and manage a diverse workforce.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and reporting skills.
• Strong organisational skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to identify operational issues and implement solutions.
• Computer literate with Microsoft Excel experience advantageous.
• Experience with warehouse management systems will be beneficial.

Advantageous Experience:

• Poultry processing experience.
• FMCG or food manufacturing experience.
• Cold chain management experience.
• HACCP / food safety environment experience.
• WMS systems experience.
• Experience within large-scale distribution centres.
• Experience managing labour-intensive operations.

Working Hours:

Monday – Friday: 07:00 – 17:00
Saturday: 07:00 – 13:00

Candidate Profile:

The successful candidate must be a hands-on, reliable and disciplined operational leader who is comfortable working in cold storage, production and warehouse environments. The candidate must have the ability to manage employees effectively, enforce company standards and ensure operational targets are consistently achieved.