Warehouse Manager (Industrial Engineer)

Introduction

Our client is an established South African engineering and manufacturing company with a growing factory operation. They are looking for an emerging Industrial Engineer to take ownership of their factory warehouse and stores, and to grow into a broader manufacturing leadership role over the next two to five years.

Duties & Responsibilities

To lead and continuously improve the warehouse, stores, kitting and material flow functions so that materials are received, recorded, stored, planned, picked, kitted and issued safely, accurately and on time. The role aligns inventory, processes, systems and people to support efficient production, inventory accuracy and operational excellence.

As an emerging Industrial Engineer, you will apply analytical, planning and process improvement principles to optimise material flow and warehouse operations. The position is a development pathway into wider manufacturing, supply chain and production management as the business grows.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. 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, and keep improving inventory accuracy.

2. 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 to cut delays and non-value-added activity.

• Track and improve kit completeness, issue accuracy, lead times and material availability.

3. Process improvement and operational excellence

• 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 initiatives in inventory optimisation, space utilisation, productivity, waste reduction and material flow.

4. Warehouse layout, systems and capacity

• Design and maintain warehouse layouts, storage strategies and material handling processes that support growth.

• Assess capacity, resource needs and process constraints, and recommend improvements.

• Ensure staging areas, storage locations and material movements are safe, efficient and scalable.

• Drive housekeeping and visual management standards.

5. Safety, quality and compliance

• Ensure compliance with company policy, legislation, quality standards and safe working practices.

• Build a safety culture through risk identification, corrective actions and toolbox talks.

• Support investigations into incidents, stock variances, quality failures and non-conformances, and implement corrective and preventive actions.

• Ensure material handling and storage protect product quality and traceability.

6. Leadership and manufacturing integration

• Lead and develop the warehouse team through coaching, training, performance management and clear work allocation.

• Build team capability in process discipline, systems use and continuous improvement.

• Work closely with Procurement, Planning, Production and Engineering to improve end-to-end manufacturing performance.

• Progressively take on manufacturing planning, process engineering and capacity optimisation responsibilities.

Desired Experience & Qualification

Qualifications

• BEng, BTech or Advanced Diploma in Industrial Engineering, or an equivalent engineering qualification (essential)

• Valid driver's licence (essential)

• Training in Lean Manufacturing, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management or Continuous Improvement (advantageous)

• Forklift licence (advantageous, 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

• Demonstrated exposure to process improvement, material flow, production planning, inventory management or operational excellence

• ERP experience; SYSPRO is advantageous

• Analysing operational data, developing KPIs and implementing improvements (advantageous)

Skills and attributes

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and continuous improvement mindset, with systems thinking

• Able to read engineering, manufacturing and assembly drawings

• Strong numerical ability and attention to detail; proficient in ERP, data analysis and Excel

• Sound planning, organising and prioritisation across competing operational demands

• Clear communicator who can manage stakeholders across warehouse, procurement, planning and production

• Leadership potential: able to influence, coach and develop others

• High accountability, initiative, integrity and ownership

• Comfortable on the factory floor and with data and systems; keen to take on broader responsibilities

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

• Factory-based role with regular time on the floor; prescribed PPE required

• Overtime when needed for operational demands, stocktakes and improvement projects