Branch Manager - New Plymouth

About Us

You’ve likely seen our iconic polar bear trucks on the road, now’s your chance to be part of the team behind them. Big Chill Distribution is a nationwide leader in the storage and delivery of chilled and frozen goods, with 11 depots across New Zealand. We’re a growing, people focused company built on teamwork, reliability, and care for our people and customers.

At Big Chill Distribution we're revolutionising the way logistics is done. As a leader in the industry, we pride ourselves on delivering innovative solutions and unparalleled service to our customers. With a commitment to excellence and a focus on continuous improvement, we're reshaping the future of logistics.

About the role

We're looking for a driven Branch Manager who knows how to bring people together and deliver results. Leading a small, close-knit team, you'll play a key role in driving both operational performance and business growth.

This is a hands-on role where you'll be involved in all aspects of the branch. One day you might be meeting with customers and reviewing operational performance, and the next you could be supporting the team on the floor, behind the wheel of a truck, or operating a forklift. Flexibility, leadership and a can-do attitude are essential.

You'll be responsible for ensuring the branch operates safely, efficiently and profitably, while maintaining exceptional customer service standards. You'll lead and develop your team, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and contribute to the achievement of key business objectives and growth plans.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day transport operations to ensure the timely and efficient delivery of chilled and frozen goods.


• Develop and implement operational processes and strategies to optimise routes, improve service levels, minimise costs and enhance overall efficiency.


• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, suppliers and key stakeholders.


• Lead, coach and develop a small team to achieve operational, safety and service excellence goals.


• Monitor and maintain compliance with Health & Safety, food safety, transport regulations and company policies.


• Analyse operational data and performance metrics to identify improvement opportunities and implement corrective actions.


• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement.


• Manage branch financial performance, including budgeting, cost control and resource planning.


• Identify and implement cost-saving initiatives while seeking opportunities to grow revenue and improve profitability.


• Monitor and report on branch KPIs and financial results, with accountability for achieving branch performance targets and exposure to P&L management.

About You

Key attributes you will bring to the role:

• Proven experience in a Branch Manager role, or a minimum of three years' experience in an Operations Manager position with strong leadership responsibilities.


• Strong experience leading teams within a fast-paced freight, transport, logistics, warehousing or distribution environment.


• Experience operating within temperature-controlled, chilled or frozen supply chain environments.


• Excellent communication and people leadership skills, with the ability to motivate, coach and develop others.


• A natural ability to build and maintain strong customer relationships.


• A sound understanding of Health & Safety, Food Safety and Distribution compliance requirements.


• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, controlling costs and identifying revenue growth opportunities.


• Exposure to P&L reporting and the ability to use financial and operational data to drive business performance.


• Strategic thinking combined with a practical, hands-on approach to leadership.


• A positive, solutions-focused mindset with a strong commitment to achieving results.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Branch Manager, or an aspiring Operations Manager ready to step into a broader leadership role, to make a real impact within a growing business. You'll enjoy autonomy, variety and the opportunity to shape the success of both the team and the branch.

If this sounds like the opportunity you've been waiting for, get your application in today!

The right applicant will need to be able to pass a pre-employment drug test and satisfactory MoJ criminal and ACC check.