Warehouse Manager

Omnia (Pty) Ltd; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fertilizer company in South Africa is seeking a Warehouse Manager to oversee operations at their warehouse in Nigel. The ideal candidate will ensure quality and efficiency in managing receiving, storing, picking, and packing activities. Strong experience in inventory management and a background in the chemical industry would be advantageous. The role requires excellent problem-solving and organizational skills, with a focus on customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years post qualification experience in materials management environment.
• Experience in a chemical industry environment would be an added advantage.

Responsibilities

• Plan the production requirements for the region, based on average and current forecast.
• Manage inventory and logistics, ensuring accuracy and quality standards.
• Supervise, organise, and train warehouse staff.

Skills

Knowledge of Computerised Inventory Management Systems

Knowledge of Safety, Health, Risk, Environment & Quality Systems

Problem solving skills

Organisational skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Diploma in Supply Chain / Materials Management or similar

Job description

Overview

As one of the leading fertilizer companies, Omnia Fertilizer relies on the efficiency of its distribution warehouses. We consider every distribution warehouse to be a well‑oiled machine that operates with a customer‑centric mentality. To deliver on our promise to customers, we rely on exceptionally talented, bright, and committed people. Currently, we're seeking a warehouse manager to oversee operations at our warehouse sites in Nigel. This skilled multitasker will manage the receiving, handling, storing, picking, and packing activities of the warehouse, ensuring that quality standards are met or exceeded. The Warehouse Manager must achieve inventory accuracy, coordinate order fulfilment, and track shipping times for thousands of tons of product orders every year. The ideal candidate must be exceptionally detail‑oriented and able to manage multiple facets of warehouse operations simultaneously.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Supply Chain / Materials Management or similar
• Experience
• Knowledge of Computerised Inventory Management Systems
• Knowledge of Safety, Health, Risk, Environment & Quality Systems
• At least 5 years post qualification experience in materials management environment
• Experience in a chemical industry environment would be an added advantage

Duties

Production Planning:

• Plan the production requirements for the region, based on the average and the current forecast.
• Utilizing experience and "gut feel" to interpret the current weather conditions, forecast, and order bank, to come to the demand.
• Communicate the production plan and demand with the distribution manager.
• Production planning and demand requests to for Blends.
• Plan for the procurement of raw material for products outside of Omnia.
• Communicate and train staff on speciality requirements and manage the process for allocated regions to ensure product availability, when required.
• Ensure that the warehouse operates at peak efficiency — with customer satisfaction the primary goal — by supervising, organising, and training warehouse staff and establishing, monitoring, and managing operational goals.
• Develop warehouse operations systems by determining product handling and storage requirements, equipment utilisation, inventory, gate processes, and shipping methods.
• Train and manage the warehouse team to solve day‑to‑day operational issues and reach short‑ and long‑term performance goals.
• Oversee daily operations while controlling and managing inventory and logistics.
• Review and prepare workflows, staffing requirements, space allocations, equipment requirements, and action plans that meet company standards for productivity, quality, and customer service.
• Maintain a safe and healthy work environment by establishing and enforcing standards and procedures and by complying with legal and safety policies and regulations.

Scheduling:

• Schedule product for Sasolburg to clients.
• Schedule products out of Nigel to clients and depots.
• Schedule trucks out of Nigel to pile products from other facilities where necessary to ensure supply to customers from the Nigel region.
• Schedule all products.

Contractor Management:

• Ensure trucking contractors packs are up to date and according to Omnia standards.
• Ensure enough trucks with the contractors to be able to deliver and ensure a good service level to customers.
• Ensure together with scheduler that contractors at the sites are also within Omnia procedures and policies.

Transport recoveries:

• Ensure that the transport payment to contractors is done on time.
• Negotiate rates with contractors.
• Calculate and communicate to Sales manager the recovery rates and implement with the admin department.

Stock Responsibilities:

• Responsible for all products to goes to any client, out of any depot.
• Escalate queries timeously to relevant stakeholders.
• Stock journals and recons that goes with stock takes, re‑bagging or whatever challenge there might be stock related.
• Always ensure stock accuracy.

Other items of work:

• Ensure the caretaking of all personnel queries.
• Organise training for personnel, i.e. Firefighting, working at heights, safe loading, staging, and storage.
• Oversee all operations at the warehouse.
• SHEQ files, and safety in the warehouse together with the Warehouse Coordinator.
• AX/D part of the implementation team.
• Address any queries on scheduling, warehousing etc.
• Daily communication to Sales agents and customers on deliveries, timing etc.
• Take on a Demand planner forecasting role for the region.
• Do planning with agents and ensure Forecast at customer level is more realistic.
• Be part of the business strategy with the Sales Manager, and agents in each area, understand the microeconomics in each area and focus points, as well as understanding customer needs and priorities.
• Liaise more with SSB, the planners, the production plan and understand the changes and impact and pre‑empt potential challenges and communicate upfront.
• Better product management and better service level to customers, and potential savings on transport if the process would be more efficient.
• Be proactive in the management of the transport expense in the regions to better the delivery and service and potentially savings for Omnia.
• Potentially proactively planning the growth plans for the areas to ensure we can deliver on the growth plans and not try and figure it out when we get there : i.e. Speciality deliveries, smaller deliveries to customers, possibly animal feeds deliveries.

Job Competencies

• Self‑motivated and customer focused
• Highly developed interpersonal skills
• Good problem solving and organisational skills
• Must be able to work under pressure
• Must be willing to work additional hours as and when required

General