Interim Distribution Director — Network Expansion Readiness

Build the ability to support growth before multiplying locations

Assess the capacity of supply, training, systems, regional management and service support against the proposed opening sequence. Identify assumptions that have not been tested and dependencies that could delay readiness. Make the consequences of accelerating the plan explicit to the accountable executive or board.

Readiness should be evidenced

Define practical opening requirements and decision gates. Coordinate site and central teams so that stock, people, access, processes and customer support are ready together. Distinguish a condition that can be managed temporarily from one that should prevent launch.

The director will own the integrated readiness plan and resolve cross-functional obstacles within delegation. Escalate major investment, commercial or timing decisions that exceed authority. Maintain a clear record of accepted exceptions and their owners so that temporary workarounds do not become invisible permanent obligations.

Required operating experience

Candidates should have led multi-site expansion or network mobilisation with direct accountability for execution. They need practical experience of opening locations and supporting them after launch, not only negotiating sites or appointing partners. Financial literacy, planning discipline and the ability to challenge unrealistic schedules are essential.

Applicants should describe how they handled an opening that was commercially important but operationally unready. Evidence of protecting existing network performance during expansion will be particularly valuable.

Follow the opening into normal operation

Track early performance, support demand and recurring defects, and use the evidence to improve subsequent launches. Handover must include a repeatable readiness process, clear ownership and an honest account of remaining capacity constraints. Success is sustainable expansion with fewer avoidable failures and a support organisation able to cope after the launch team departs. The assignment should not be judged solely by the number of doors opened if those openings create service problems, excessive recovery costs or deterioration elsewhere in the network.