Career Paths

• When did you start with Online?
  • 8.00am Monday 16^th November 2009

• Tell us about your career growth with Online and the support you have received?
  • I have always had consistent help from mentors who have supported my career development. There is plenty of support from the Management team and my peers whenever needed, and this has been influential in my training as I have been easily able to ask questions about the business and industry.

• What are your favorite things about working with Online?
  • The variety of work I do daily. I turn up for work and always get to do something interesting and challenging. Also I work with a great group of people company-wide.

• What has been your biggest achievement working for Online to date?
  • Stepping into an Operations Management role in 2018 and managing several business units across multiple locations in Christchurch.

• How would you describe the culture at Online?
  • A progressive organization that is keen on nurturing Staff and their development

• If you could describe Online as an employer with one word, what would it be?
  • Progressive

After a long career in local government, Robyn's journey with Online Distribution began in 2015 when she joined on a three-month fixed-term contract for a newly created role. What was initially a short-term position has turned into a long-term career. Over the years, Robyn has seen her role evolve significantly as the company has grown. She has played a key part in shaping her position, collaborating with various teams and individuals across the company to drive improvements and add value. Her days are dynamic, with no two days the same. Working with directors, management, and both office and warehouse teams, Robyn's greatest satisfaction comes from enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of her colleagues, embodying the true essence of a support role.

• When did you start with Online?
  • March 2017

• Tell us about your career growth with Online and the support you have received ?
  • I started as a Trainee Site Manager for FP2, then after a couple of years I moved into a 2IC role for FP1. I am currently the Site Manager for SD3.

• What are your favorite things about working with Online?
  • Definitely the people. The diversity is great within the company. As well as the nature of the job – the fast-paced environment means that there are new challenges every day so there is always something new to learn, each day that you’re on-site

• What has been your biggest achievement working for Online to date?
  • Reaching the Site Manager role that I am currently in

• How would you describe the culture at Online?
  • We all look to put in towards the final goal as a team – no one employee is forced to get the job done alone, as the employees who are also on-site will look to work as a team to finish the job

Lance started as a Client Manager at Online Distribution in Auckland in 2016, quickly moving to a Site Manager role the following year. Lance says that Online's culture fosters problem-solving, and the flexible working environment encourages initiative and involvement across a wide range of activities. The management's "can do" attitude supports those who thrive on finding solutions and driving improvements. Lance relocated to Christchurch in 2020 and he is now the National Quality and Inventory Manager. He finds the problem-solving aspect of his role particularly fulfilling, given the diverse requirements of our clients and the continuous opportunities for service enhancement as technology and client needs evolve. Assisting with the successful opening of three new warehouses from 2022 to 2024 are among Lances’s proudest achievements. While establishing new warehouses involves significant effort, Lance has found it incredibly rewarding to onboard new clients, implement updated processes, and build new teams. At Online, the close-knit environment ensures that everyone is valued and well-known.

Jesse started with Online in a casual role in October 2009, and worked on and off until he completed his Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Accounting in 2012.  At the end of 2012 he went to Auckland to help out with the summer season for one of our major clients.In January 2013 Jesse joined our Trainee Manager Programme, based at Freight Place in Auckland. He was promoted to 2IC in March 2013 and then Manager in June 2014. As a Manager, his role included running one of our biggest warehouses over the summer season, coaching new staff and creating efficiencies in our Freight Place operation. Further promotion followed, and Jesse is now the Operations Manager for our Northern Region.Since joining Online, Jesse has not only gained knowledge and experience in warehousing, but also business in general and says “I enjoy applying what I have learned from my studies into a proper business setting”. 

• What did you know about Online before you joined?
  • Initially I didn’t know much at all. I was aware of Online as a company but had no idea exactly what the company did.

• How has Online supported your career?
  • Very well. I was fortunate enough to walk into a job which can provide significant opportunity for career progression. This is something which is surprisingly hard to do for many graduates.

• What has been your biggest achievement working for Online to date?
  • Progressing as far as I have in such a short amount of time.

• What do you enjoy most about working for Online?
  • I enjoy a number of things about working here. I enjoy the fast-paced nature of the business as I’m constantly faced with a number of new challenges. Also I enjoy having the opportunity to work closely with such a variety of clients, companies and people.

Jasmin Mita joined Online as a casual storeperson in our Auckland branch in March 2008. During her casual employment, Jasmin learnt to pick and pack for a wide range of clients and began to develop her administration skills, which enabled her to be flexible in moving around the sites where needed.In 2009 an administration role opened up and Jasmin was quickly promoted to this position. In this role, she was responsible for invoicing, order pool management, posting orders, customer service and stock control. During this time our Auckland Branch was growing steadily and a change in site management created another opportunity. With her considerable knowledge of Online’s clients and processes she was ready to move into a 2IC role in February 2011.By June 2011, Jasmin was offered the opportunity to become Trainee Site Manager for Auckland’s newly-established Freight Place 2 warehouse. She completed her Trainee Programme while working full time in a very busy site, and in November 2011 she was officially recognised as the Site Manager of Freight Place 2. This was a great achievement for Jasmin and demonstrates the value of spending time learning the business from the floor upwards.  After 18 months running Freight Place 2, Jasmin requested a transfer to Christchurch to be closer to her family. She moved to Christchurch to run our second largest site at Port Hills Road, and has since taken up the role of Site Manager at our largest Christchurch site – Port Hills 1.Alongside her daily responsibilities, she is now using her considerable skills to mentor and support our new Trainee Site Managers. 

• What did you know about Online before you joined?
  • A bit, I had been around Online since I was 7 years old and had worked for Online Christchurch in the school holidays when I was 14, completing data entry. I also had other family members who worked for Online.

• How has Online supported your career?
  • Online created the opportunities for me to get to where I am today – without these I would not be a site manager.

• What has been your biggest achievement working for Online to date?
  • Becoming a site manager, which was never in my original plans. I did not think when I started with Online Auckland that I would one day become a site manager!

• What do you enjoy most about working for Online?
  • Definitely the people, I have a great team behind me which creates a great working environment.

Ifigao began his journey with Online Distribution in 2012 as a casual employee while pursuing his university studies. From 2012 to 2016, he balanced his academic commitments with his role, laying the groundwork for his career growth. In 2017, Ifigao was promoted to Trainee Site Manager, moving to a 2IC role later that year, and advancing to a Site Manager role in 2020. Despite his initial self-doubt, the unwavering support from his manager and team bolstered his confidence and helped him embrace the challenge. Ifigao takes great pride in working with his team and appreciates the collaboration and mutual support that is at the heart of Online’s culture.

• When did you start with Online?
  • November 2015

• Tell us about your career growth with Online and the support you have received ?
  • I joined Online Distribution under the Trainee Site Manager programme and worked across a number of sites in Christchurch in the following 2.5 years before being offered an analytical support role in the Southern Regional Office. After a restructure the following year, I was then offered an analytical role in the Central Office supporting the company in its freight endeavours.

• What are your favorite things about working with Online?
  • I believe people are the most important part of any company and any company can be judged by the way it treats its employees. So my favourite thing about working for Online Distribution is the relatively flat organisational structure the company adopts. This results in people across all levels across Online Distribution being approachable and all employees being cared for and part of the Online family.

• What has been your biggest achievement working for Online to date?
  • On a personal note, it would be being recognised and offered new roles in my career here.

• If you could describe Online as an employer with one word, what would it be?
  • Family-Oriented