Warehouse Team Lead - Polypropylene Unit (PPU)

Job title: Warehouse Team Lead - Polypropylene Unit (PPU)

Reports To: Warehouse Manager

Location : Dangote Petroleum and Petrochemicals FZE

Job Summary

The Warehouse Lead is responsible for the safe, efficient, and accurate receipt, storage, handling, and dispatch of polypropylene (PP) resin, additives, catalysts, packaging materials, spare parts, and finished PP product within the plant warehouse and yard facilities. The role ensures uninterrupted material availability to support continuous PP production operations, safeguards product quality and integrity during storage, and drives inventory accuracy, space optimization, and regulatory/HSE compliance across all warehousing activities within the petrochemical refinery complex.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Inventory & Materials Management

• Oversee end-to-end warehouse operations: receiving, put-away, storage, picking, packing, and dispatch of PP resin, packaging materials, and spares.

• Maintain accurate real-time inventory records in SAP MM/WM, ensuring system stock matches physical stock at all times.

• Plan and execute periodic cycle counts and full physical stock takes; investigate and resolve variances.

• Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE

• Monitor stock levels against min/max thresholds; flag reorder points and slow-moving/obsolete inventory to Planning and Procurement.

• Ensure FIFO/FEFO principles are applied for PP resin and additive storage to prevent quality degradation and material aging.

• Warehouse Operations & Dispatch

• Coordinate inbound receipt of bulk PP resin, catalysts, additives, and packaging materials against purchase orders and quality certificates.

• Supervise palletizing, bagging, stacking, and storage of finished PP product in line with product segregation and grade-specific storage requirements.

• Plan and control outbound dispatch schedules (truck/rail/bulk) to meet customer and internal delivery commitments, minimizing loading/turnaround time.

• Ensure correct labeling, batch traceability, and documentation (delivery notes, weighbridge tickets, certificates of analysis) for all outbound shipments.

• Optimize warehouse layout, racking, and silo utilization to maximize storage efficiency and material flow.

• Team Leadership & Workforce Management

• Lead, schedule, and supervise warehouse supervisors, storekeepers, forklift operators, and material handlers across shifts.

• Allocate manpower and equipment (forklifts, reach trucks, pallet jacks) to meet daily operational demands. Conduct toolbox talks, performance reviews, and on-the-job training for warehouse staff.

• Build a culture of accountability, safety ownership, and continuous improvement within the warehouse team.

• HSE & Regulatory Compliance

• Enforce safe handling and storage practices for PP resin (combustible dust/static risk), catalysts, and other materials with process safety implications.

• Ensure compliance with refinery HSE policies, permit-to-work systems, hazardous material storage regulations, and emergency response procedures.

• Conduct regular safety walk-downs, housekeeping (5S) audits, and equipment (forklift, racking, fire systems) inspections.

• Lead incident investigations for warehouse-related near-misses, damages, or losses, and implement corrective actions.

• Cross-Functional Coordination & Continuous Improvement

• Liaise with Production/Planning to align material availability with the PP production schedule and prevent line stoppages.

• Coordinate with Procurement on supplier delivery performance, material quality issues, and lead-time management.

• Support Quality Assurance in managing quarantine, hold, and rejected material storage and disposition.

• Identify and drive process improvement initiatives (layout redesign, automation, WMS enhancements) to improve efficiency and reduce cost.

• Prepare and present periodic performance reports (inventory accuracy, dispatch KPIs, cost) to warehouse/supply chain leadership.

• Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree/HND in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Professional certification in Warehousing/Logistics/Inventory Management (e.g., CILT, APICS/CPIM, CSCP) is an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 5–8 years of progressive experience in warehouse/materials management, preferably within a petrochemical, polymer, refinery, or heavy industrial manufacturing environment.

• Prior experience handling bulk polymer/resin products (PP, PE, or similar) and packaging/bagging operations strongly preferred.

• At least 2–3 years in a supervisory or team-lead capacity managing warehouse personnel.

• Demonstrated experience working in or alongside process/production units in a refinery or petrochemical complex, with exposure to HSE and process safety management systems.

• Hands-on experience with ERP/WMS systems, specifically SAP MM/WM or equivalent, required.

• Functional Competencies

• Inventory management and stock control principles (FIFO/FEFO, ABC analysis, cycle counting). Warehouse layout design and space/capacity optimization.

• Material handling equipment operations and safety standards (forklifts, reach trucks, palletizers).

• Knowledge of polymer/PP resin properties, storage sensitivities, and packaging requirements (bulk silo, bagged, big-bag).

• Logistics and dispatch planning (road, rail, bulk carrier), including documentation and customs/export requirements where applicable.

• HSE regulations and hazardous materials handling relevant to petrochemical/refinery operations.

• Root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies for stock discrepancies and operational incidents. Budgeting and cost control for warehouse operations.

• Behavioural Competencies

• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate and hold multi-shift teams accountable.

• High level of integrity and ownership over inventory accuracy and asset custody. Safety-first mindset with proactive hazard identification and risk awareness.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail under time-pressured dispatch schedules.

• Effective communicator, able to coordinate across production, procurement, quality, and logistics teams. Problem-solving orientation with a bias for continuous improvement.

• Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced, 24/7 industrial operating environment.

• Sound decision-making under pressure, particularly during supply disruptions or dispatch bottlenecks.

• Digital/SAP Competencies

• Proficient in SAP MM (Materials Management) module: purchase order verification, goods receipt (GR), goods issue (GI), stock transfers, and reservations.

• Working knowledge of SAP WM/EWM (Warehouse Management/Extended Warehouse Management): bin management, put-away strategies, picking/packing processes, and physical inventory documents.

• Ability to generate and interpret SAP reports for stock status, inventory aging, and movement history (e.g., MB52, MB5B, MMBE, or equivalent transaction codes).

• Familiarity with barcode/RFID scanning systems integrated with SAP for real-time transaction posting is an advantage.

• Proficiency in MS Excel for inventory analysis, KPI tracking, and dashboard reporting (pivot tables, lookups).

• Exposure to digital yard/silo monitoring systems, telemetry, or automated inventory sensors is an advantage.

• Basic understanding of integration between SAP and production planning/MES systems for demand-driven