Position OverviewThe General Manager is responsible for the overall performance of a high-volume, highly automated distribution and fulfillment operation within a food-grade environment. This role provides strategic and operational leadership across safety, food safety and quality, automation, customer performance, financial results, workforce development, and continuous improvement.
The ideal candidate brings significant leadership experience in complex distribution, fulfillment, or manufacturing operations, with strong knowledge of food-grade requirements and experience leveraging automation and technology to improve productivity, reliability, service, and cost performance.
Location: Smyrna, TN (onsite)
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
Travel Specifics: 25%
Competitive Compensation: Attractive annual salary of $120,000-$154,000 plus a performance-based bonus
Key ResponsibilitiesOperational Leadership- Lead all aspects of a high-volume automated distribution and fulfillment operation to achieve customer, financial, service, safety, quality, and productivity objectives.
- Develop and execute operational strategies that improve throughput, inventory accuracy, order fulfillment, quality, cost, and service levels.
- Provide leadership across receiving, warehousing, inventory control, order fulfillment, and shipping operations.
- Drive a culture of accountability, safety, food safety, employee engagement, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
- Develop labor and staffing strategies that effectively balance workforce requirements, automation capabilities, volume fluctuations, and customer expectations.
- Identify operational risks and implement sustainable corrective actions to improve performance.
Food Safety, Quality & Compliance- Ensure the facility operates in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), food safety requirements, sanitation standards, company policies, and customer expectations.
- Provide leadership and oversight for AIB audits, regulatory requirements, corrective action programs, and ongoing compliance initiatives.
- Maintain strong operational controls that protect product integrity, inventory accuracy, sanitation standards, and overall facility compliance.
- Partner with Safety, Quality, HR, and operational leadership to maintain compliance with OSHA requirements and workplace safety programs.
- Ensure teams are properly trained and held accountable for food safety, sanitation, quality, and regulatory requirements.
Automation & Technology Management- Oversee the performance and utilization of automated material handling systems, robotics, conveyor systems, ASRS, sortation equipment, and other warehouse technologies.
- Partner with Engineering, Maintenance, IT, and automation vendors to maximize system uptime, reliability, and operational performance.
- Lead automation optimization efforts and identify opportunities to improve throughput, efficiency, capacity, and scalability.
- Support the implementation, startup, stabilization, and continuous improvement of automation technologies and system enhancements.
- Ensure effective integration and utilization of WMS, WCS, ERP, labor management systems, inventory management technologies, and other operational platforms.
- Leverage operational data, analytics, and reporting tools to identify trends, solve problems, and drive informed decision-making.
- Champion automation, process control, and continuous process improvement initiatives across the operation.
Financial & Performance Management- Maintain responsibility for site P&L performance, budgeting, forecasting, labor planning, and cost management.
- Develop and execute strategies that improve operational efficiency, productivity, and overall cost performance.
- Balance automation capabilities, workforce planning, customer requirements, and service levels to optimize labor productivity.
- Establish and monitor KPIs related to safety, food safety, quality, productivity, inventory accuracy, customer performance, cost, and automation effectiveness.
- Analyze operational and financial performance to identify opportunities and implement solutions that improve profitability and service.
- Ensure resources are effectively allocated to support both immediate operational requirements and long-term business objectives.
People Leadership- Lead, coach, and develop managers and operational leaders across multiple functional areas.
- Build high-performing teams through effective talent acquisition, onboarding, development, performance management, and succession planning.
- Establish clear expectations and accountability measures aligned with operational and business objectives.
- Create an environment that promotes teamwork, inclusion, continuous learning, innovation, and employee engagement.
- Develop leaders who can effectively manage a fast-paced, technology-enabled operation while maintaining high standards for safety, quality, service, and performance.
Customer & Stakeholder Management- Serve as a key customer-facing leader for the operation, ensuring strong communication, partnership, and execution.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with customers, vendors, automation partners, and internal stakeholders.
- Lead customer business reviews and effectively communicate operational results, KPIs, risks, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Ensure contractual requirements, service-level agreements (SLAs), and customer expectations are consistently achieved.
- Proactively identify potential service risks and partner with stakeholders to develop solutions that protect customer performance.
Minimum Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience within high-volume distribution, fulfillment, manufacturing, or automated logistics environments.
- 5+ years of leadership experience managing automated warehouse operations, robotics, material handling systems, or technology-enabled fulfillment centers.
- Proven experience managing large-scale automated facilities with responsibility for operational performance and financial results.
- Strong understanding of WMS, WCS, robotics platforms, automation controls, and warehouse technology solutions.
- Demonstrated success leading complex operational transformations, system implementations, or automation startups.
- Experience managing P&L, budgets, labor planning, and operational performance metrics.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to leverage data to drive decisions.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule to support operational requirements.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience leading highly automated e-commerce, retail, consumer products, or third-party logistics operations.
- Knowledge of ASRS, AMRs, AGVs, robotic picking solutions, goods-to-person systems, and conveyor/sortation technologies.
- Experience with automation integration projects, facility startups, or large-scale operational change management initiatives.
