The Warehouse Supervisor is responsible for supervising the day-to-day warehouse operations of the Pedros Sauce Plant, including the receiving, storage, issuing and dispatch of raw materials, packaging materials and finished goods. The role ensures that ingredients and packaging are available to Production when required, that finished sauces are stored and dispatched accurately and on time, and that stock records remain accurate. The Warehouse Supervisor leads the warehouse team and upholds food-safety, traceability, safety and quality standards in line with HACCP, GMP and FSSC 22000 requirements.
Duties And Responsibilities
- Supervise daily warehouse operations, including the receiving, storage, issuing and dispatch of raw materials, packaging materials and finished goods.
- Oversee the receiving of goods against purchase orders and delivery documentation, checking quantities, condition, batch/lot numbers and expiry dates.
- Ensure incoming raw materials and packaging are placed on hold until released by Quality Control, and that rejected or non-conforming stock is quarantined and clearly identified.
- Ensure all stock is stored correctly by type, including allergen segregation, temperature requirements and separation of chemicals from food products.
- Enforce FIFO / FEFO rotation and monitor short-dated, expired, damaged and slow-moving stock.
- Issue raw materials and packaging to Pre-Weighing and Production according to production plans and approved requisitions, ensuring accurate system capturing.
- Coordinate with Production and Planning to ensure materials are available before production runs and to prevent line stoppages caused by stock shortages.
- Receive palletised finished goods from Production, check quantities and batch codes, and store finished goods correctly for dispatch.
- Coordinate the picking, checking, loading and dispatch of finished goods to the Distribution Centres and other customers, ensuring orders are complete, accurate and on time.
- Maintain full batch/lot traceability of raw materials, packaging and finished goods from receipt through to dispatch.
- Implement and monitor inventory control processes, including stock tracking, cycle counts, month-end stock takes and reconciliations.
- Maintain accurate records of stock levels, stock movements and inventory adjustments, and investigate and report stock variances.
- Monitor stock levels of raw materials and packaging and alert Procurement / Planning to low stock and reorder requirements.
- Optimise warehouse space, layout, racking and bin locations to improve storage capacity, access and stock flow.
- Supervise, coach and manage warehouse staff, including forklift drivers, receiving and dispatch clerks and general assistants.
- Allocate daily tasks, manage shifts, attendance and overtime, and monitor team productivity and performance.
- Conduct training, performance management and disciplinary procedures in line with company policy, and maintain staff training records.
- Ensure forklifts and material-handling equipment are inspected daily, used only by licensed and authorised operators, and reported for maintenance when faulty.
- Ensure compliance with SOPs, Health & Safety requirements, PPE, safe stacking and racking safety standards.
- Maintain warehouse hygiene, housekeeping, pest control and cleaning schedules to food-safety standards and keep the warehouse audit-ready.
- Support internal and external audits and ensure audit findings in the warehouse are corrected within agreed timeframes.
- Maintain accurate operational and administrative records, including receiving and dispatch documentation, checklists and reports.
- Monitor and report on warehouse KPIs, productivity, stock accuracy and operational performance to management.
- Identify and implement improvements to warehouse processes to increase efficiency, accuracy and cost control.
Requirements
- Matric (Grade 12) - essential.
- Diploma or certificate in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Warehouse Management or a related field - preferred.
- Minimum 3 years’ warehouse experience, including at least 1-2 years in a supervisory or team-leader role.
- Experience in a food manufacturing, FMCG or distribution warehouse environment - strongly preferred.
- Sound knowledge of FIFO / FEFO, stock control, cycle counts and stock reconciliation.