Warehouse Manager / Industrial Engineer at Afrique Connection Consultancy

About the role

• Our client, an established South African engineering and manufacturing company with a growing factory operation, is looking for an emerging Industrial Engineer to take ownership of its factory warehouse and stores.
• You’ll lead receiving, stores, kitting and material flow, improve processes and inventory accuracy, and grow into a broader manufacturing leadership role over the next two to five years.

Reporting lines

• Reports to the Purchasing Manager.
• Direct reports: Team Leader Assembly, Team Leader Fabrication and Stores Administrator.
• Indirect reports: 12 storemen and assistants.
• Works closely with Purchasing, Factory Planning, Production, Assembly, Fabrication, Quality, Finance and suppliers.

Inbound materials and inventory control

• Plan and coordinate inbound receipts so material availability matches production and inventory needs.
• Oversee receiving, inspection, identification, barcoding, GRN processing and inventory transactions in SYSPRO.
• Investigate, resolve and communicate discrepancies, shortages and non-conformances.
• Maintain accurate inventory records, traceability and bin integrity.

Production support, kitting and material flow

• Coordinate picking, kitting and material issues in line with production schedules and priorities.
• Flag material shortages, availability risks and supply constraints early.
• Improve material flow between Stores, Fabrication, Assembly and external service providers.
• Track and improve kit completeness, issue accuracy, lead times and material availability.

Process improvement and warehouse layout

• Analyse warehouse and manufacturing support processes for efficiency, quality and cost improvements.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, work instructions, process controls and KPIs.
• Lead continuous improvement in inventory optimisation, space utilisation, productivity and waste reduction.
• Design warehouse layouts, storage strategies and material handling processes that support growth, and assess capacity and resource needs.

Safety, quality and leadership

• Ensure compliance with company policy, legislation, quality standards and safe working practices, and drive housekeeping and visual management.
• Support investigations into incidents, stock variances and non-conformances, and implement corrective actions.
• Lead and develop the warehouse team through coaching, training and performance management.
• Progressively take on manufacturing planning, process engineering and capacity optimisation responsibilities.

Key performance measures

• Dock-to-stock time of 2 working days or less.
• 98%+ picking, kitting and cycle-count accuracy.
• 95%+ of production kits released complete and on time.
• Zero lost-time injuries and full compliance in safety and quality audits.

Qualifications

• BEng, BTech or Advanced Diploma in Industrial Engineering, or an equivalent engineering qualification.
• Valid driver’s licence.
• Training in Lean Manufacturing, Operations Management, Supply Chain or Continuous Improvement is advantageous.
• Forklift licence is advantageous but not essential.

Experience

• 3 to 5 years in a manufacturing, production, supply chain, logistics or warehouse environment.
• Exposure to warehouse, stores, kitting, production support or manufacturing operations.
• Exposure to process improvement, material flow, production planning or inventory management.
• ERP experience; SYSPRO is advantageous.
• Experience analysing operational data and developing KPIs is advantageous.

Competencies

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and continuous improvement mindset.
• Able to read engineering, manufacturing and assembly drawings.
• Strong numerical ability, attention to detail and Excel skills.
• Good planning, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Leadership potential, accountability and initiative.
• Comfortable on the factory floor (PPE required) and available for overtime when needed.

Remuneration

• Market related, depending on experience.