Distribution Center Manager

Job description

The Distribution Center Manager will oversee the planning, procurement, storage, control, and distribution of materials and products according to the company’s needs and customer requirements. Ensure materials are delivered on time to facilitate production schedules and assist in forecasting and planning future orders. This role is pivotal in maintaining the balance between too much and too little inventory. The Distribution Center Manager will coordinate and oversee inventory audits, cycle count, manage stock levels, organize inventory, and develop inventory tracking systems to minimize losses and maximize efficiency. Scope of Responsibilities Lead daily receiving, put-away, replenishment, picking, packing, shipping, returns, and inventory-control operations. Supervise, schedule, coach, train, and evaluate hourly associates. Maintain accurate inventory through cycle counts, reconciliations, investigations, and root-cause corrective actions. Manage order fulfillment to meet on-time shipment, order accuracy, service-level, and productivity goals. Establish labor plans, shift schedules, workflows, and staffing requirements to match volume forecasts. Monitor KPIs such as fill rate, order accuracy, dock-to-stock time, inventory accuracy, cost per order, productivity, overtime, damage, and safety incidents. Ensure compliance with company policies, OSHA and other applicable safety requirements, security procedures, and quality standards. Manage warehouse layout, slotting, storage capacity, material-handling equipment, and space utilization. Use warehouse-management systems and reporting tools to monitor operations, identify bottlenecks, and improve performance. Coordinate with transportation, customer service, purchasing, inventory planning, vendors, carriers, and other internal teams. Oversee maintenance, inspections, and safe use of forklifts, conveyors, dock equipment, and other facility assets. Prepare operational reports, budgets, forecasts, and improvement plans for senior leadership. Lead continuous improvement projects that reduce costs, improve throughput, minimize errors, and strengthen customer service. Review trends to improve inventory operations, including purchasing, materials, suppliers, and storage. Support financial cost containment by minimizing inventory loss, root-cause analyses, turnover rate, and space requirements. Ensure all stakeholders are trained, knowledgeable, and prepared to take ownership of the production line once the first article process is completed and approved. Develop and implement metrics, i.e., (On-time delivery, monthly ship targets, performance to standard cost). Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, logistics, business, or operations. A combination of higher education and relevant work experience will be considered in lieu of a degree. 3–5+ years of progressively responsible warehouse, distribution, fulfillment, or logistics experience. At least 2 years of supervisory or people-management experience in a fast-paced, high-volume operation. Experience managing a multi-shift distribution center, large hourly workforce, or high-volume e-commerce, retail, manufacturing, or wholesale operation. Knowledge of transportation-management systems, carrier coordination, load planning, routing, and outbound-cost management. Forklift certification or demonstrated experience managing powered industrial equipment programs. Experience with labor planning, warehouse budgeting, inventory audits, slotting, and space-utilization projects. Excellent verbal and written communication skills required. Self-directed, self-motivated. Experience with Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Preferred Qualifications 6 years’ experience in production management. Project Management Certification preferred. Lean, Six Sigma, APICS/ASCM, PMP, or other process-improvement and supply-chain credentials. Working knowledge of D365 MRP Position Requirements Proven ability to lead, coach, schedule, and hold warehouse teams accountable for safety, quality, productivity, and attendance. Strong knowledge of receiving, put-away, replenishment, order picking, packing, shipping, returns, and inventory-control processes. Experience with warehouse management systems (WMS), ERP or inventory software, and Microsoft Office—especially Excel. Ability to track and improve operational KPIs, including inventory accuracy, order accuracy, on-time shipping, labor productivity, overtime, damage, and safety performance. Working knowledge of warehouse safety practices, OSHA requirements, powered industrial equipment, and incident-reporting procedures. Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, and continuous-improvement skills. Effective verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work across operations, transportation, customer service, purchasing, and senior leadership. Ability to prioritize competing demands, adapt to changing order volumes, and make sound decisions under time pressure. Ability to work flexible hours, including shifts, weekends, holidays, and peak periods as business needs require. Work Environment Required to stand, walk, and use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls. Communicate both verbally and written in English. Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Must be able to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Must be able to meet and adhere to physical requirements as well as adhere to wearing the appropriate PPE (steel-toed boots, safety glasses, and hearing protection). Must be able to work in dust and fumes. May be required to work extended hours depending on customer and company demands. Able to tolerate being exposed to loud noises. Will be required to work overtime and extended hours depending on customer and company demands. Must be able to work outside in all types of weather conditions and tolerate being exposed to loud noises. Must have some knowledge of industrial tools, their uses, and maintenance. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus and determine and distinguish color. Must have the ability to operate a forklift and obtain certification. Excellent benefits include 9 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays, 3 weeks PTO, 401k, and company health insurance plans, Education Assistance, a Wellness Program, and an Employee Assistance Program. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. McWane Plant & Industrial is an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. It is the Company's policy to provide equal opportunity for all qualified persons and to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, or any other legally protected status. We maintain a drug-free workplace and reserve the right to perform substance abuse testing as needed. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. McWane is a Federal VEVRAA contractor, and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. McWane will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (In IL - sex, including same sex, ancestry, order of protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (In IA - gender identity), (In CA- gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law. What We Live By…… The McWane Way is a core philosophy outlined by the founder J.R. McWane in 1920. Today It encompasses Teamwork, Excellence, Leadership, Environment, Communication, Accountability, Safety and Trust. All team members at every level are expected to know and work by these principles, values, and behaviors. Most importantly, every team member is expected to be able to answer this question, “What does this mean for me?” This is the all-important question because behavior is the best evidence of a living principle. Join the McWane team on the journey to The McWane Way. Who We Are…… McWane Inc. has a newly created division, McWane Plant and Industrial (MPI). This new division, based in Birmingham, AL, combines all Plant and Industrial Products in a single customer-focused package. We offer comprehensive solutions through an experienced team of professionals specifically focused on these two special markets. Our Mission is to be the Plant and Industrial supplier who is “easiest to do business with”. We will make it easier to engineer, specify, and order components for plants. We will provide greater support for smoother delivery, cost-effective installation, and start-up. Most importantly, we will build strong relationships with design engineers, contractors, plant operations teams and project owners to ensure we are their first-choice supplier for both new construction and future upgrades.