Logistics and Distribution Lead

Nairobi
Logistics & Distribution /
Full Time /
About Apollo Agriculture: 
Apollo Agriculture is the commercial farming platform that helps small-scale farmers maximize their profits. Apollo’s ML-powered credit models and automated operations technology unlock the massive, untapped small-scale farming market, starting in Kenya. With optimized financing, high-quality farm products, and digital advice, Apollo farmers are already more than doubling their farm profitability. Apollo’s team brings together technology, credit, and operations experience from The Climate Corporation (acquired for USD $1 Billion), Google, Capital One and One Acre Fund. We value evangelical pursuit of mission with a pragmatic approach, humility in the face of challenge, active discussion of disagreements, and considerate listening. 

About the Role:
Apollo is seeking an experienced Logistics and Distribution Lead to manage and develop a growing number of partnerships with rural last-mile partners. As the person responsible for the Logistics and Distribution coordination you will drive performance across the network of partners. You will work closely with all members of the Logistics and Distribution team towards efficient product delivery through effective selection and management of carriers, people and systems. You will also work to support thinking around strategic growth and improvements on the channel’s development . Your work will be essential to the success of these partnerships.

Your Responsibilities:

    • Movement of goods from Source to Storage Locations: You will be responsible for ensuring timely and efficient movement of goods from manufacturers, importers, and other partners to our storage locations. You will work with partners and relevant stakeholders to ensure that we are efficiently moving product to maintain acceptable stock levels at all storage locations to enable fulfillment of Partner pickups at all times.
    • Movement of goods from various storage locations to pick-up locations: You will manage our Logistics and Distribution Last mile needs, including the movement of goods from our storage locations to the pick-up locations and ensuring we are always stocked at these locations for the fulfillment of farmer pickups. 
    • Designing and  Innovating for scale: You will be charged with the responsibility of designing and establishing structures and efficiency around our first and last mile functions in a scalable manner as well as ensuring that we can continue to innovate and provide oversight over the customer experience and agro dealer performance management on the ground.
    • Performance management: You will build systems that ensure continuous performance management of the team and distribution partners. You will build the team, innovate and lean into the intersection of operations and technology to systematically manage its performance. You will also build, manage, and motivate the team, including setting KPIs, hiring required staff, and effectively managing the rapidly growing team with consistent team training and performance reviews.

You:

    • Have 5+ years of experience in distribution/channel management in an agricultural context. Experience in supply chain management is an added advantage. 
    • Have previous experience in a fast-paced environment, preferably in a  startup context. 
    • Have world-class interpersonal, networking and influencing skills. Success in this role will require you to nurture relationships internally within your team and with leaders of other teams, and to also deeply understand the perspectives and needs of Apollo’s customers, external stakeholders, and channel partners. 
    • Are able to build and maintain effective supplier relationships to ensure that supplier performance consistently meets and exceeds business expectations. This will include measuring supplier performance in terms of time/ delivery of quality products.
    • Are skilled at interpreting and leveraging insights from data to constantly enhance the customer experience. The ability to extract useful, actionable information from data, along with strong problem-solving skills, will be essential for success in this role. 
    • Have the ability to understand business objectives and align team goals in service of these objectives. 
    • Are able to build and manage a growing team efficiently and that represents Apollo’s values. 
    • Are proactive and self-driven to ensure the smooth running of daily operations and consistency of customer experience across the network. 
    • Are able to handle product-related incidents, either vessel-related or while transporting to customer, warehouse or distributors or partners, as well as troubleshoot and resolve issues relating to the supply of products. 
    • Are up to date with market changes and able to review and update supply chain practices in accordance with all relevant legislation.
    • Have an aptitude for technology, and can continuously review and improve the tools and technologies that help the business deliver, manage, measure, and improve the customer experience across the distribution channels/partners
    • Are able to design and implement inventory tracking systems to optimize inventory control procedures. 
    • Are able to minimize inventory loss by incorporating best supply chain practices.

We:

    • Are a collaborative team of smart and ambitious people who are dedicated to serving our customers. 
    • Make magic happen to solve hard problems and always come with solutions when challenges arise. 
    • Are comfortable taking risks that can result in radical scale, and understand that failures are opportunities to learn and improve. 
    • Are considerate listeners and take the time to deeply understand and seek out ideas from the people around us, even when we disagree. 
    • Offer a dynamic environment that fosters talent, collaboration, and growth. 
    • Take pride in our work and share the responsibility to see it through from conception to deployment. 
    • Back up our talk with a competitive compensation and benefits package and challenging projects. 
    • Value autonomy, honesty, transparency, and respect. 
    • Are excited to hear from you!