Associate director - last mile

The Associate Director – Last Mile will lead and own the strategic and operational execution of the last-mile delivery network. This role demands a hands-on leader who can scale operations, control cost, deliver on customer service commitments, and partner across functions (operations, supply chain, tech, analytics).

Key Responsibilities

Define and execute the last-mile delivery strategy : network design, delivery partner model (in-house vs 3 PL), zone modelling, service level (e.g., same-day / next-day) goals.

Own P&L, cost per order, delivery cost reduction initiatives and overall delivery network economics.

Establish and monitor key KPIs : On Time In Full (OTIF), delivery lead time, first attempt success rate, cost per delivery, returns on delivery attempts, customer satisfaction (NPS, CSAT) for last-mile.

Build, lead and scale a team of last-mile operations managers, zone leads, delivery partner managers, and field supervisors.

Drive process design and optimisation for last-mile operations : from dispatch, routing, delivery, proof of delivery, returns collection, to settlement with delivery partners.

Partner with technology & analytics teams to implement route optimisation, real-time tracking, delivery partner apps, dashboards and automated workflows.

Work with supply chain, fulfilment, and warehouse teams to ensure smooth hand-off into last mile, minimise bottlenecks, and improve end-to-end delivery speed and quality.

Manage relationships with delivery partners / couriers / fleet vendors : selection, contracting, SLAs, performance management, cost negotiations.

Plan for capacity, peak volume surges (sales / promotions / festive), geographic expansion, fleet planning and zone-infrastructure rollout.

Ensure compliance with safety, regulatory and fleet standards (if in-house vehicles), and maintain strong focus on customer experience, driver safety, and service quality.

Report to senior leadership on last-mile delivery health, present dashboards, identify risks, propose and drive corrective actions.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor’s degree (Engineering / Supply Chain / Business) required; MBA preferred.

8-12 years (or more) of experience in logistics, operations or supply chain roles with significant exposure to last-mile / final-mile delivery operations in e-commerce / retail / FMCG.

Proven track record of scaling delivery operations, managing large teams, geography-wide operations, and delivering cost / service improvements.

Strong analytical skills : ability to use data and metrics to drive decisions, build dashboards, define and measure KPIs.

Excellent stakeholder management skills : ability to influence across functional teams (tech / analytics / operations / finance) and senior management.

Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment; able to handle ambiguity and change.

Strong commercial acumen : understand P&L, cost drivers, unit economics of delivery.

Experience negotiating with delivery partners / 3 PLs, managing vendor contracts and service levels.