High School Diploma or GED required; Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
6+ years of progressive warehouse/distribution leadership experience, including 3+ years managing leaders or teams.
Experience in the food, grocery, or consumer goods industry preferred.
Bilingual (Spanish/English) is a plus.
Strong end-to-end distribution knowledge with proven operational success in high-volume environments.
Responsibilities
Lead daily and strategic warehouse operations, focusing on labor planning, safety, productivity, quality, and customer service.
Coach and develop warehouse management staff and frontline leaders to foster team growth and a positive work environment.
Monitor performance using KPIs to meet or exceed operational goals.
Conduct daily operational reviews with the leadership team to ensure effective execution of plans.
Collaborate with cross-functional partners to solve problems and align site strategy.
Act as the primary liaison between distribution center leadership and internal support functions.
Identify operational bottlenecks and lead process improvement initiatives using Lean or Six Sigma methodologies.
Benefits
Promotes a culture of safety and accountability.
Encourages continuous improvement and professional development.
Offers a hands-on leadership style with active engagement on the warehouse floor.
Provides opportunities for career growth and succession planning.
Supports flexible working hours to meet operational demands.
Full Job Description
Primary Responsibilities The Senior Manager, Production Operations, is responsible for leading overall warehouse operations, including inbound, outbound, inventory control, and workforce management across multiple shifts. This role ensures the site meets operational performance targets and service expectations while fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. The Senior Manager serves as the key liaison between the distribution center and cross-functional support groups such as Transportation, Inventory, Safety, Finance, and Human Resources. As with all positions at KeHE Distributors, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE's Mission, Vision, and Values. Essential Functions DUTIES, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide overall leadership and direction for daily and strategic warehouse operations, including labor planning, safety, productivity, quality, and customer service.
Lead, coach, and develop warehouse management staff and frontline leaders; support team growth, succession planning, and a positive work environment.
Monitor and drive performance using KPIs (e.g., on-time shipping, productivity, inventory accuracy, safety incidents) to meet or exceed goals.
Conduct daily operational reviews with leadership team, ensuring execution of pre-shift plans, mid-shift adjustments, and post-shift evaluations.
Collaborate with cross-functional partners (e.g., Transportation, Inventory, HR, Safety) to solve problems, implement initiatives, and align site strategy.
Act as the primary point of contact for distribution center leadership and serve as liaison to internal support functions.
Identify operational bottlenecks or inefficiencies; lead or sponsor process improvement initiatives using Lean or Six Sigma methodologies.
Ensure compliance with OSHA, food safety, and company-specific regulatory standards.
Develop operational forecasts and resource plans in partnership with Finance and other departments.
Promote a hands-on leadership style by maintaining visibility and active engagement on the warehouse floor.
Work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays, to support business needs and operational demands.
Perform other duties and projects as assigned.
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
Hands-On Leader: Actively engages with the team and leads by example on the floor.
Results-Focused: Holds self and others accountable for measurable outcomes.
Team Builder: Coaches and develops talent; supports career growth for direct reports.
Adaptable & Solutions-Oriented: Comfortable navigating ambiguity and solving operational challenges.
Collaborative: Strong communicator who works well across departments and levels.
Strong end-to-end distribution knowledge, with a proven ability to drive operational success in a high-volume environment
Proven leadership skills with experience managing frontline supervisors and salaried leaders
Expertise in warehouse systems (WMS) and analytics to evaluate performance and support decision-making
Excellent communication skills across all levels of the organization; strong presentation and reporting capabilities
Ability to influence, resolve conflict, and build consensus across teams and functions
Deep understanding of safety practices, regulatory compliance, and inventory control methods
Experience implementing Lean or Six Sigma practices for continuous improvement
High emotional intelligence with strong interpersonal and situational leadership skills
Capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, ever-changing distribution environment
Skilled in Microsoft Office (especially Excel); ability to learn and utilize internal systems quickly
Comfortable accessing all areas and levels of the facility, including production floors and racking systems
Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
High School Diploma or GED required.
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
6+ years of progressive warehouse/distribution leadership experience, including 3+ years managing leaders or teams
Experience in the food, grocery, or consumer goods industry preferred
Bilingual (Spanish/English) is a plus.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
Ability to stand, walk, climb, bend, and lift up to 50 lbs in a distribution environment
Must be able to access all areas of the facility, including cold storage zones if applicable
Willingness to work in varied temperature conditions (ambient, refrigerated, frozen) and non-standard shifts when required
About KeHE Distributors
KeHE Distributors is a food distribution company that provides natural and organic, specialty and fresh products to grocery and natural food stores. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Romeoville, Illinois. KeHE Distributors has over 16,000 products and serves over 30,000 customers.
