Job Description: Depot / Branch Manager
Company: Frimax Foods (Pty) Ltd
Job Title: Depot / Branch Manager
Location:
Reporting to: Head Office / Directors (Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal)
Direct Reports: (Sales, Warehousing, Logistics, and Administrative Staff)
Role Overview
As the Depot Manager, you are the most senior executive on-site and the face of Frimax Foods in your region. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, you will be entirely responsible for the profitability, operational efficiency, and commercial growth of your branch.
This is a heavily hands-on leadership role. We are looking for an entrepreneurial leader who can seamlessly shift between discussing operational budgets with the Tongaat Head Office, resolving localized labour matters, and negotiating delivery schedules with local cash-and-carry wholesalers.
Key Performance Areas (KPAs) & Responsibilities
Commercial Leadership & Sales Execution
· Drive Regional Revenue: Actively grow the Frimax footprint across formal retail, independent wholesalers, and the booming informal market (spaza shops, street vendors, and independent distributors).
· Relationship Management: Build and nurture strong relationships with high-volume cash-and-carry managers and local distribution partners.
· Market Intelligence: Monitor sales daily using ERP data to identify fast-moving SKUs, track competitor activities, and provide actionable feedback to the Tongaat commercial team.
· Team Oversight: Direct regional sales reps and merchandisers to ensure our unique selling propositions (like our foil-packed freshness and specific flavour cuts) are highly visible.
Warehouse Operations & Inventory Integrity
· Stock Control: Take full, non-delegable accountability for the depot’s inventory. You will oversee daily cycle counts, manage stock reconciliations, and aggressively investigate any variances or shrinkage.
· Quality & Safety: Enforce absolute adherence to First-In, First-Out (FIFO) stock rotation and strict FSSC 22000 food safety standards.
· Facility Management: Optimize warehouse layouts for maximum storage capacity, ensure 5S housekeeping standards, and maintain an uninterrupted flow of inbound finished goods and outbound orders.
Outbound Logistics & Fleet Management
· Delivery Efficiency: Coordinate complex delivery schedules to ensure On-Time, In-Full (OTIF) deliveries to a wide variety of retail nodes, navigating local infrastructure challenges effectively.
· Fleet Maintenance: Oversee the roadworthiness of all delivery vehicles to minimize breakdowns, reduce fuel consumption, and optimize route density.
· Product Care: Enforce strict material handling protocols to protect our specialized foil packaging from crushing or damage during transit.
HR & IR
· Team Leadership: Lead, motivate, and develop a diverse workforce of 100 to 150 employees across administration, sales, and warehouse operations.
· Labour Relations: Apply a strong working knowledge of the LRA and BCEA to manage absenteeism, control overtime, and maintain discipline. You will handle grievance procedures and disciplinary inquiries, including matters that require the presence and engagement of union shop stewards.
· Security & Continuity: Establish robust shift handovers to mirror the Tongaat plant’s continuous output, and ensure the physical security of the facility, staff, and cash assets during industrial action or local disruptions.
SYSPRO ERP & Financial Administration
· System Custodianship: Act as the primary administrator of the SYSPRO ERP system at the branch level, ensuring all physical stock movements perfectly mirror digital transactions.
· Warehouse Management System (WMS): Oversee mobile scanning, multi-bin tracking, and picking processes to ensure 100% data accuracy.
· Inter-Branch Transfers (IBTs): Meticulously manage inbound stock transfers from the Tongaat plant, tracking Goods in Transit (GIT) to ensure Head Office has real-time visibility into your stock-on-hand.
· Counter Sales & Cash Handling: Manage the SYSPRO Counter Sales module for independent hawkers and traders making direct branch purchases. This includes facilitating walk-up cash and on-account sales, and ensuring strict security during end-of-day cash drawer financial reconciliations.
· Lot Traceability: Utilize SYSPRO’s tracking modules to manage expiration dates and rapidly isolate specific product batches in the event of a quality recall.
Qualifications & Experience Requirements
Category Requirements
Education
· Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business Administration, or a related field.
· Post-graduate certifications in Warehouse/Financial Management are advantageous.
Experience
· 5–8 years of deep operational experience in a high-volume FMCG, food manufacturing, or distribution environment.
· 3–5 years in a senior management/branch leadership role overseeing large teams (100+ staff).
· Proven track record of driving regional sales and navigating the informal retail market.
Technical Skills
· Expert proficiency in Tier-1 ERP systems (SYSPRO experience is highly preferred and advantageous).
· Advanced MS Excel skills for financial reporting to Head Office.
· Experience with WMS barcode tracking and mobile scanning hardware.
Statutory Knowledge
· Deep understanding of South African Labour Law (LRA, BCEA) and experience with union negotiations/CCMA structures.
· Knowledge of OHS regulations and food safety standards (FSSC 22000).
Behavioural Profile
· Resilient & Adaptable: Thrives in a high-pressure, rapidly shifting environment and can navigate supply chain shocks or local infrastructure challenges.
· Commercially Astute: Naturally balances operational cost controls with aggressive revenue generation.
· Authoritative Leader: Inspires accountability, imposes fair discipline, and drives performance across a multi-tiered workforce.
· Highly Analytical: Possesses an uncompromising attention to detail regarding stock variances, financial cash-ups, and ERP data integrity.
Work Location: In person
