Head of Distribution

HEAD OF DISTRIBUTION - CAPE TOWN

The main purpose of the role:
The company is looking for a hands-on Head of Distribution to own and optimise our end-to-end last‑mile operations. This role is critical to ensuring the right product reaches the right customer, on time and at the lowest sustainable cost. You’ll lead teams, manage third‑party partners, and continuously improve routing, dispatch, and cost efficiency as the business scales.
Responsibilities:
People & Daily Execution

• Recruit, manage, and lead distribution, dispatch, driver, and merchandising teams.
• Oversee driver schedules, daily briefs, workloads, and SOP compliance.
• Ensure merchandising standards are met across all regions.
• Monitor daily delivery progress and proactively resolve delays or issues.
• Plan and support weekend deliveries, including routing and pre‑dispatch checks.

Routing & Delivery Performance

• Design and manage delivery routes based on customer tier, priority, and urgency.
• Act as super‑user of routing software, ensuring accurate order and status tracking.
• Manage last‑minute changes and urgent orders with minimal cost impact.
• Own and improve KPIs such as cost per delivery, kilometres per route, and driver productivity.
• Use data to identify inefficiencies and improve service quality while reducing costs.

Dispatch & Cold Chain

• Lead dispatch operations at Cape Town HQ and coordinate with regional depots and partners.
• Ensure accurate picking, packing, and dispatch of all orders.
• Maintain disciplined dispatch processes and protect cold‑chain integrity.

Problem Solving & Escalation

• Own real‑time resolution of delivery issues, including delays, customer complaints, route disruptions, stock discrepancies, and equipment failures.
• Escalate appropriately while maintaining a solutions‑focused mindset.

Costs, Third‑Party Providers & Distribution Structure

• Manage and negotiate performance, cost, and SLAs with third‑party providers.
• Track and optimise fleet utilisation, fuel spend, overtime, and route profitability.
• Optimise the company’s overall distribution structure across internal teams and external partners.
• Oversee tracking, maintenance, and management of 600+ freezer assets.
• Coordinate freezer procurement, repairs, and supplier relationships.
• Build scalable, efficient processes to support rapid growth.

Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in logistics, operations, or last‑mile delivery.
• Excel / Google Sheets
• At least 3 years’ experience leading teams (drivers or field teams advantageous).
• Experience in FMCG, e-commerce, last‑mile, or cold‑chain logistics preferred.
• Proven experience managing third‑party service providers or 3PLs.
• Engineering or commercial degree preferred.