Africa Logistics Lead at Zipline

What You’ll Do

Regional Leadership

• Lead the regional logistics and warehousing function for Africa, overseeing freight, customs, and storage operations across multiple markets.
• Serve as the primary link between Global Logistics, Materials Planning, and country operations to ensure alignment on inbound shipment plans, lead times, inventory levels, and execution priorities.
• Build and mentor a high-performing regional logistics and warehousing team, fostering capability and professional growth across in-country teams.

Freight, Transportation & Network Optimization

• Oversee inbound logistics from ports of entry to Zipline distribution centers and warehouses, managing timelines, routing, and carrier performance.
• Collaborate with US-based teams to identify and implement cost-effective routing strategies and carrier optimization opportunities.
• Develop and manage relationships with carriers, freight forwarders, and customs brokers to drive timely, compliant, and cost-efficient movement of goods.
• Establish regional standards and SOPs for inbound and domestic transport operations.

Warehousing Strategy & Inventory Management

• Own the strategy, design, and performance oversight of Zipline’s warehousing network across Africa, ensuring optimal capacity, layout efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Implement processes and tools to improve inventory accuracy, visibility, and turnover across all sites.
• Ensure warehouses operate with strong controls, safety standards, and continuous improvement practices.
• Evaluate and introduce new warehousing technologies, infrastructure, and automation opportunities as Zipline scales.

Customs & Trade Compliance

• Partner with local customs and regulatory authorities to enable pre-clearance, special permit approvals, and importation of Zipline hardware and materials in a compliant, high-integrity manner.
• Maintain deep, up-to-date knowledge of country-specific import/export laws and proactively guide internal teams on compliance requirements.
• Collaborate with Zipline’s Global Trade Compliance team to harmonize tariff codes, documentation, and classification standards.
• Ensure smooth, predictable, and low-cost importation and customs clearance processes across all Zipline markets while protecting the integrity of our operations.

Operational Excellence & Performance

• Define, monitor, and drive improvement against key logistics and warehousing KPIs, including on-time delivery, cost efficiency, customs clearance cycle time, inventory accuracy, and stock turn.
• Lead regional initiatives to improve logistics predictability, optimize costs, reduce lead times, and enhance reporting accuracy.
• Partner with Finance to forecast logistics and warehousing costs and identify opportunities for savings.

What You’ll Bring

• 8+ years of experience in logistics, warehousing, or supply chain management, with at least 3 years in a leadership or regional role.
• Experience managing logistics operations across multiple African countries, with strong understanding of customs clearance, import/export, and multi-modal transport.
• Proven success designing and optimizing warehouse networks and inventory systems to balance service levels and working capital efficiency.
• Experience managing 3PLs, brokers, and carriers in complex and fast-paced environments.
• Strategic thinker who can also execute, balancing long-term system design with day-to-day problem solving.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills, with a track record of implementing measurable process improvements.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills; comfortable working across cultures, time zones, and functions.