Warehouse Manager - Polypropylene Unit (PPU)

Job Title: Warehouse Manager - Polypropylene Unit (PPU)

Reports To: Head, Logistics -PPU

Location: Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, Lagos.

Job Summary

The Warehouse Manager holds full ownership and strategic accountability for all warehousing, materials management, and logistics operations supporting the Polypropylene (PP) plant within the petrochemical refinery complex. The role ensures reliable, safe, and cost-efficient storage, handling, and movement of raw materials, catalysts, additives, packaging materials, spare parts, and finished PP product — safeguarding uninterrupted plant production, optimizing working capital tied up in inventory, and ensuring full compliance with HSE and process safety standards. The Warehouse Manager leads the warehouse organization, sets operational strategy, manages budgets, and drives continuous improvement across the end-to-end warehousing and logistics value chain.

Key Roles & Responsibilities:

Strategic Warehouse & Inventory Management

• Define and implement the warehousing and inventory management strategy in alignment with plant production plans and corporate supply chain objectives.
• Set inventory policies (min/max levels, safety stock, reorder points) for PP resin, additives, catalysts, packaging, and critical spares to balance service level against working capital.
• Own the annual warehouse operating and capital expenditure budgets; monitor spend and drive cost-efficiency initiatives.
• Oversee inventory valuation, slow-moving/obsolete stock management, and periodic write-off/disposal processes in coordination with Finance.
• Lead root-cause investigations into significant inventory variances, shortages, or dispatch failures and implement systemic corrective actions.

Operations & Logistics Leadership

• Direct end-to-end warehouse operations: receiving, storage, palletizing/bagging, silo management, picking, and dispatch of PP product and materials.
• Ensure dispatch and loading operations (truck, rail, bulk) meet customer commitments and internal SLAs, minimizing turnaround time and demurrage costs.
• Optimize warehouse layout, storage infrastructure, and material flow to maximize throughput and space utilization.
• Manage relationships and performance of third-party logistics providers, transporters, and contract warehousing partners where applicable.
• Drive automation and digitalization initiatives (WMS enhancements, barcode/RFID, automated storage/retrieval) to improve efficiency and accuracy.

People Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop the Warehouse Lead(s) and broader warehouse team, building bench strength and succession coverage for critical roles.
• Set performance objectives, conduct appraisals, and manage workforce planning (staffing levels, shift structures, contractor use) across the warehouse function.
• Foster a high-performance, safety-first culture with clear accountability and continuous improvement mindset.
• Ensure adequate training and competency development for warehouse personnel on SAP, equipment operation, and HSE procedures.

HSE, Risk & Regulatory Compliance

• Own overall HSE and process safety performance for warehouse, yard, and logistics operations, in line with refinery HSE management systems.
• Ensure compliance with hazardous materials storage regulations, permit-to-work systems, fire/explosion prevention standards, and environmental requirements.
• Lead or oversee investigation of significant incidents, near-misses, and audit findings; ensure timely closure of corrective/preventive actions.
• Ensure business continuity and emergency response readiness for warehouse operations, including contingency planning for supply disruptions.

Cross-Functional & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the key interface between warehousing/logistics and Production, Procurement, Planning, Quality, Finance, and Commercial/Sales teams.

• Align warehousing capacity and service levels with production schedules, sales/demand forecasts, and supplier delivery plans.

• Report warehouse performance, risks, and improvement initiatives to plant leadership and corporate supply chain stakeholders.

• Support customer-facing logistics requirements (delivery reliability, documentation, certificates of analysis) in coordination with Commercial teams.

• Champion continuous improvement, benchmarking, and best-practice adoption across the warehousing and logistics function.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Logistics, Industrial/Chemical Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field; a Master's degree (MBA or equivalent) is an advantage.
• Professional certification in Supply Chain/Logistics/Inventory Management (e.g., APICS/CPIM, CSCP, CILT, Six Sigma) strongly preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 10–12 years of progressive experience in warehousing, materials management, or supply chain operations, with significant exposure to petrochemical, polymer, or heavy industrial/refinery environments.

• At least 5 years in a managerial role leading multi-shift warehouse or logistics teams, including budget and P&L accountability.

• Proven experience managing bulk polymer/resin (PP, PE, or similar) storage, bagging/packaging operations, and finished-product dispatch logistics.

• Track record of leading process improvement, automation, or digitalization initiatives within a warehouse/logistics environment.

• Strong working knowledge of HSE and process safety management within a refinery or petrochemical operating context.

• Advanced, hands-on experience with SAP MM/WM/EWM or equivalent enterprise ERP/WMS platforms, including data governance and system integration.

• Functional Competencies

• Strategic inventory and working-capital management, including demand-driven replenishment and safety-stock optimization.

• Warehouse network design, capacity planning, and infrastructure investment planning.

• Logistics and transportation management, including bulk/rail/road dispatch planning and 3PL contract management.

• Deep knowledge of polymer/PP resin handling, storage sensitivities, and packaging/bagging operations. • Budgeting, cost control, and financial acumen for warehouse P&L management.

• HSE and process safety management within petrochemical/refinery operating environments. • Root cause analysis, risk management, and business continuity planning.

• Change management and continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, 5S).

• Behavioural Competencies

• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate plant and corporate objectives into actionable warehousing strategy.

• Strong, visible leadership with the ability to build, develop, and hold accountable a multi-layered warehouse organization.

• High integrity and sound judgment in managing inventory assets, budgets, and compliance obligations.

• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills across production, commercial, and corporate functions.

• Decisive and calm under pressure, particularly during supply disruptions, dispatch bottlenecks, or safety incidents.

• Strong communication skills, able to present performance and risk clearly to senior leadership. • Change-oriented mindset, driving continuous improvement and digital transformation.

• Resilience and adaptability within a demanding, safety-critical, 24/7 industrial operating environment.

• Digital/SAP Competencies

• Advanced proficiency in SAP MM (Materials Management) and WM/EWM (Warehouse/Extended Warehouse Management) modules, including configuration awareness and data governance oversight.

• Strong command of SAP reporting and analytics for inventory valuation, stock aging, movement history, and month-end close processes.

• Experience integrating SAP with production planning/MES systems and demand-forecasting tools for end-to-end supply chain visibility.

• Familiarity with warehouse automation technologies: barcode/RFID scanning, automated storage/retrieval systems, and digital yard/silo monitoring.

• Proficiency in business intelligence and dashboarding tools (e.g., Power BI, SAP Analytics Cloud, advanced Excel) for KPI tracking and executive reporting.

• Working understanding of data governance, cybersecurity awareness, and system access controls relevant to ERP/WMS environments.

• Exposure to digital transformation initiatives (IoT sensors, predictive inventory analytics, automation) within warehousing/logistics operations.