Manager – Control Tower (Mid-Mile / Warehouse-to-POD)

About the Company

This role is based in Bengaluru, reporting to the GM – Central Ops, and belongs to the Supply Chain / Operations function in a leading quick commerce organization.

Role Overview

The Manager – Control Tower is accountable for ensuring real-time oversight and management of mid-mile logistics between Warehouses/DCs and Point of Delivery (POD) dark stores. Responsibilities include guaranteeing timely vehicle dispatches, continuous tracking of all trips from warehouse to POD, and rapid identification and resolution of any delays or operational breakdowns. This is critical to maintain steady POD replenishment and product availability.

Key Responsibilities

• Continuously monitor the status of warehouse-to-POD deliveries, assessing dispatch timings, transit durations, delays, and successful delivery confirmation at PODs.
• Compare planned vehicle deployment versus actual placement; promptly report shortages or failures to arrive to the mid-mile management team.
• Maintain ongoing visibility of trip disruptions such as vehicle breakdowns, route and traffic delays, or unloading issues, and lead swift corrective actions.
• Ensure strict adherence to defined turnaround times across all trip stages: dispatch from warehouse, mid-mile transit, and final arrival at POD.
• Collaborate closely with mid-mile teams to manage vehicle availability, meet indent requirements, and arrange vehicle replacements when breakdowns occur.
• Track vehicle utilization metrics including turnaround time and idle time; notify vendor management of any performance issues.
• Escalate breaches of vendor service level agreements, including vehicle placement failures, transport delays, and driver challenges, ensuring timely remedy.
• Serve as the primary contact during operational disruptions such as accidents, breakdowns, route blocks, or receiving delays at PODs.
• Work cross-functionally with Warehouse Operations, POD Operations, Transport, and Technology teams to alleviate issues and protect stock levels at delivery points.
• Conduct root cause analysis for recurrent delays by route, vendor, or timing, partnering with stakeholders to implement improvements.
• Prepare and maintain dashboards that reflect real-time and daily metrics on trip adherence, fill rates, vehicle turnaround times, and delay causes.
• Develop and improve alert thresholds and standard operating procedures for the control tower in cooperation with technology and data teams.
• Create detailed analysis reports on delays and exceptions, delivering insights to leadership.
• Assist in peak demand planning (e.g., festivals, promotions) by proactively evaluating vehicle capacity.
• Lead and mentor a team of control tower analysts or executives, ensuring sufficient shift coverage for around-the-clock or extended monitoring requirements.
• Train team members on escalation processes, SOPs, and procedures for vendor cooperation.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 3 to 6 years of experience in mid-mile or inbound logistics, transportation control towers, supply chain operations, or fleet management, ideally in quick commerce, retail, or FMCG distribution.

Skills & Competencies

• Comprehensive understanding of vehicle indenting processes, route planning, and turnaround time monitoring.
• Proficiency in managing teams and coordinating shift-based operations.
• Strong capability with dashboards, Excel, and SQL for live data analysis and monitoring.
• Ability to handle stress and manage urgent escalations involving multiple stakeholders effectively.
• Excellent communication and coordination with warehouse operations, transport vendors, and POD teams.
• Flexibility and readiness to work in rotational shifts, including weekends and festival periods.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with strong ownership qualities.

Additional Information

This is an equal opportunity position; all deserving candidates will be considered without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, or any other legally protected characteristics.