Operations Director – Logistics Zimbabwe

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement the company's operational strategy aligned with overall business objectives.
• Provide executive leadership across all logistics operations within Zimbabwe.
• Identify growth opportunities and drive continuous operational improvement initiatives.
• Develop long-term operational plans to support expansion and increased profitability.
• Participate in executive management meetings and contribute to overall business strategy.
• Establish operational KPIs and monitor business performance.
• Drive a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Logistics & Supply Chain Management

Oversee and optimise:

• Transport Operations
• Fleet Management
• Warehousing
• Distribution
• Inventory Management
• Cross-border Logistics
• Supply Chain Planning
• Route Optimisation
• Last Mile Delivery
• Customer Service Operations

Transport Operations

• Manage national and cross-border transport operations.
• Ensure optimal fleet utilisation.
• Improve vehicle productivity and asset performance.
• Monitor delivery performance and turnaround times.
• Develop transport optimisation strategies.
• Reduce transport costs without compromising service.
• Ensure compliance with transport legislation.
• Manage third-party transport providers where applicable.

Fleet Management

Responsible for the overall performance of the fleet including:

• Fleet utilisation
• Vehicle maintenance
• Fuel management
• Driver performance
• Accident management
• Fleet replacement planning
• Vehicle tracking systems
• Preventative maintenance programmes
• Cost optimisation

Warehouse Operations

Provide strategic oversight of warehouse operations including:

• Inventory accuracy
• Warehouse productivity
• Stock control
• Goods receiving
• Dispatch operations
• Picking and packing
• Warehouse layout optimisation
• Labour productivity
• Equipment utilisation

Supply Chain Optimisation

• Analyse current supply chain performance.
• Identify process improvements.
• Reduce operational waste.
• Improve inventory turns.
• Improve customer service levels.
• Enhance supplier performance.
• Improve demand planning.
• Optimise procurement support processes.

Financial Management

Responsible for the operational financial performance including:

• Budget preparation
• Operational forecasting
• Cost management
• Profitability improvement
• CAPEX planning
• OPEX management
• Financial reporting
• Cost reduction initiatives
• Resource allocation

Customer Relationship Management

• Maintain strong relationships with key customers.
• Ensure service level agreements (SLAs) are achieved.
• Resolve major customer escalations.
• Drive customer satisfaction initiatives.
• Improve service delivery performance.
• Support business development through operational excellence.

People Leadership

Lead and manage large operational teams including:

• Regional Managers
• Operations Managers
• Transport Managers
• Warehouse Managers
• Fleet Managers
• Distribution Managers
• Supervisors
• Administration Teams

• Performance management
• Leadership development
• Succession planning
• Recruitment
• Coaching and mentoring
• Employee engagement
• Workforce planning

Health, Safety & Compliance

Ensure full compliance with:

• Zimbabwe Labour Laws
• Road Transport Regulations
• Occupational Health & Safety legislation
• Environmental standards
• Company policies
• Customer compliance requirements
• Quality management systems

Risk Management

• Identify operational risks.
• Develop mitigation strategies.
• Implement business continuity plans.
• Reduce operational disruptions.
• Manage insurance-related operational risks.
• Ensure disaster recovery readiness.

Operational Performance

Monitor and improve:

• On-time delivery performance
• Fleet utilisation
• Warehouse productivity
• Cost per kilometre
• Cost per delivery
• Fuel consumption
• Customer satisfaction
• Inventory accuracy
• Delivery turnaround times
• Vehicle downtime
• Labour productivity
• Operational profitability

Continuous Improvement

Drive Lean and continuous improvement initiatives including:

• Process optimisation
• Automation opportunities
• Technology implementation
• KPI reporting
• Business intelligence
• Operational innovation

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Transport Management, Business Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• A postgraduate qualification (MBA or Master's Degree) will be highly advantageous.
• Professional logistics or supply chain certifications are advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum 10-15 years' senior logistics management experience.
• At least 5 years in an executive leadership role.
• Extensive experience managing large transport operations.
• Strong warehousing and distribution management experience.
• Experience managing multi-site operations.
• Cross-border logistics experience within Southern Africa.
• Proven leadership of large operational teams.
• Demonstrated success in driving operational improvements and profitability.

Technical Skills

Strong knowledge of:

• Fleet Management Systems
• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
• Transport Management Systems (TMS)
• ERP Systems (SAP, Oracle, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics or similar)
• Route optimisation software
• Supply Chain Analytics
• Microsoft Office (Advanced Excel, Power BI advantageous)
• KPI reporting and dashboard management

Leadership Competencies

• Executive leadership
• Strategic thinking
• Commercial acumen
• Business development awareness
• Financial management
• Decision making
• Change management
• Stakeholder management
• Negotiation skills
• Conflict resolution
• Team development
• High emotional intelligence

Personal Attributes

• Highly organised and results-oriented.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Resilient and able to perform under pressure.
• Customer-focused with a commitment to service excellence.
• Ethical, professional, and accountable.
• Innovative mindset with a passion for continuous improvement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The successful candidate will be measured against:

• Operational profitability
• Budget adherence
• Fleet utilisation
• Warehouse productivity
• Customer satisfaction
• On-time delivery performance
• Inventory accuracy
• Cost reduction initiatives
• Staff retention and engagement
• Health & Safety compliance
• SLA performance
• Operational efficiency improvements
• Business growth support
• Cross-border operational performance