Store Shift Supervisor: Leadership, Growth & Service

Old Khaki; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Old Khaki is seeking a hands-on Shift Supervisor for our Distribution Centre. Lead warehouse and cold-store teams, manage staffing and schedules, and ensure strict adherence to food safety, hygiene and health and safety procedures.

You will monitor cold-chain integrity, oversee loading/dispatch activities, and drive housekeeping standards to support efficient, compliant operations in a fast-paced FMCG environment.

Qualifications

• Grade 12 or equivalent is required.
• Valid Forklift License is required.
• Basic Supervisory Qualification is required.
• 1 year experience in FMCG warehouse environments is required.
• 3+ years in a supervisory role is required.
• Computer literate.
• Experience with warehouse management/warehouse systems is required.
• Ability to supervise employees in a busy warehouse and distribution environment.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and supervise warehouse and cold-store personnel across the shift.
• Plan staffing requirements for normal operations, weekends and public holidays.
• Manage staff schedules, attendance, timekeeping and registers.
• Monitor staffing costs and ensure wages remain within approved budgets.
• Allocate responsibilities and ensure employees perform their roles.
• Train and develop staff to create a flexible, multi-skilled team.
• Conduct performance assessments in line with procedures.
• Ensure adherence to HR policies and inductions covering safety and hygiene.
• Monitor temperature controls and maintain cold-chain integrity.

Skills

Supervisory skills

Stock control

Food safety awareness

Education

Basic Supervisory Qualification

Grade 12 or equivalent

Valid Forklift License

Tools

Warehouse management system (WMS)

Job description

Shift Supervisor - Distribution / Cold Store

• Coordinate and supervise warehouse and cold-store personnel across the shift.
• Plan staffing requirements for normal operations, weekends and public holidays.
• Manage staff schedules, attendance, timekeeping and registers.
• Monitor staffing costs and ensure wages remain within approved budgets.
• Allocate responsibilities and ensure employees perform according to their respective roles.
• Train and develop staff to create a flexible, multi-skilled team.
• Conduct performance assessments in line with company procedures.
• Ensure adherence to disciplinary procedures and HR policies.
• Ensure employees receive the required departmental inductions covering food safety, hygiene, quality, and health and safety.

Cold Store & Stock Control

• Supervise all cold-store activities to minimise theft, damage, shrinkage and stock losses.
• Ensure correct product stacking, storage and handling.
• Maintain effective stock rotation to ensure older stock is dispatched before newer stock.
• Identify short-dated stock promptly to reduce wastage.
• Verify expiry dates of picked products.
• Account for stock wastage and breakages.
• Conduct regular spot checks on stock handling and storage practices.
• Ensure cold stores remain organised, clean and ready for the following shift.

Cold Chain Management

• Monitor and record cold-store temperatures throughout the day in accordance with required procedures.
• Ensure cold-store temperatures are maintained between 4°C and 7°C .
• Inspect vehicle refrigeration units before loading and ensure units are operating correctly and set at approximately 2°C .
• Prevent vehicles from being loaded where refrigeration systems are not functioning correctly.
• Ensure chilled products remain within the required temperature-controlled environment.
• Conduct random temperature checks on products after vehicle loading.

Loading & Dispatch

• Supervise the accurate and efficient loading of delivery vehicles.
• Ensure vehicles are loaded according to picking lists, route schedules and customer orders.
• Ensure correct products, quantities and product dates are loaded.
• Prevent damaged stock from being dispatched.
• Ensure vehicles are loaded within required timelines while protecting the cold chain.
• Ensure vehicles are not overloaded and loads remain within legal limits.
• Verify loading documentation and required signatures before vehicles are secured.
• Ensure loaded vehicles are parked correctly and refrigeration units are connected to an electrical supply where available.

Housekeeping, Hygiene & Food Safety

• Drive a strong clean-as-you-go culture throughout the Distribution Centre.
• Maintain high housekeeping standards in the cold store and loading yard.
• Ensure cleaning checklists are completed daily.
• Maintain required hygiene standards in accordance with company policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, quality and hygiene procedures.
• Complete all relevant records, reports and documentation accurately and timeously.
• Participate in internal audits and ensure corrective actions are implemented.

Health & Safety

• Ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and applicable company procedures.
• Identify and report unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.
• Report workplace incidents according to prescribed procedures.
• Ensure employees receive appropriate health and safety induction and training.
• Assist in maintaining required departmental safety performance standards.

Minimum Requirements

• Grade 12 or equivalent
• Valid Forklift License
• Basic Supervisory Qualification
• Minimum 1 years experience within an FMCG warehouse environment
• Minimum 3 years' experience in a supervisory capacity
• Computer literate
• Experience working with warehouse management / warehouse systems
• Ability to supervise employees within a busy warehouse and distribution environment

Ideal Candidate

You will suit this position if you are a practical, hands-on supervisor who understands the importance of stock accuracy, cold-chain integrity, productivity, food safety, housekeeping and disciplined staff management .

Experience working in a fast-paced FMCG distribution, refrigerated warehousing or food environment will be particularly relevant.