We're Hiring: Warehouse Operations & Distribution Manager

Location: Ontario, CA
Company: Pelican Products, Inc.

What You'll Do:

Pelican Products is looking for an experienced Warehouse Operations & Distribution Manager to lead warehouse and regional distribution operations at our Ontario, California facility. In this role, you'll have direct ownership of the people, processes, and performance behind the movement of Pelican products-from receiving and inventory through picking, packing, shipping, and regional distribution.

• Lead daily warehouse and regional distribution operations across receiving, putaway, storage, replenishment, picking, packing, staging, shipping, returns, and internal material movement.
• Directly lead and develop warehouse supervisors, team leads, and employees while establishing clear expectations and accountability for results.
• Ensure customer orders, transfer orders, and production requirements are fulfilled safely, accurately, and on schedule.
• Own inventory accuracy through disciplined system transactions, cycle counting, physical inventories, location management, and timely investigation of discrepancies.
• Plan labor, staffing, equipment, warehouse space, and shift requirements based on forecasts, production schedules, order volume, seasonality, and regional demand.
• Establish and monitor warehouse KPIs across safety, productivity, inventory accuracy, order accuracy, on-time shipping, cost, quality, and attendance.
• Develop, document, train, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures and work instructions across warehouse and distribution activities.
• Coordinate regional outbound transportation, including carrier pickups, shipment priorities, load planning, freight documentation, and shipment exceptions.
• Optimize warehouse layout, slotting, storage utilization, material flow, and handling methods to improve capacity, productivity, and ergonomics.
• Investigate inventory variances, damaged products, shipping errors, service failures, and other operational issues; lead root-cause analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Manage operating expenses, overtime, warehouse supplies, equipment utilization, and other operational costs within established budgets.
• Maintain a safe, secure, clean, and compliant warehouse operation while ensuring employees follow established safety procedures, training requirements, and equipment standards.
• Partner with Planning, Manufacturing, Transportation, Customer Service, Sales, Finance, and other teams to support customer requirements and resolve operational challenges.
• Support new product launches, customer programs, production changes, inventory transitions, and regional growth initiatives.
• Build a culture of employee engagement, cross-training, accountability, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 5-7 years of progressive experience in warehouse, distribution, logistics, or supply chain operations.
• At least 3 years of supervisory or management experience leading warehouse or distribution teams.
• Demonstrated experience managing receiving, inventory control, order fulfillment, shipping, and material flow operations.
• Strong knowledge of warehouse operations, inventory management, labor and capacity planning, transportation, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Experience managing warehouse performance through KPIs, operational reporting, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Experience planning labor and resources based on changing order volume, forecasts, production requirements, and business demand.
• Strong leadership skills with experience developing supervisors, leads, and frontline employees.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, planning, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple operational priorities while working effectively across different functions and organizational levels.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with SAP or a comparable ERP/WMS platform and Microsoft Office applications.

Additional Information:

• This is an onsite leadership position located in Ontario, California.
• The position requires a strong presence within warehouse and distribution operations and regular interaction with frontline employees and supervisors.
• Flexibility with working hours may be required based on operational and business needs.
• Must be comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with changing customer, production, inventory, and transportation priorities.
• Supports Pelican's commitment to Safety, Quality, customer service, employee development, and continuous improvement.

What's In It For You:

Join a company that truly values its employees! We offer a relaxed and casual work environment, a strong commitment to giving back to communities, and a focus on employee satisfaction. With regular opportunities to share feedback with leadership and structured performance evaluations, we ensure that your voice is heard and your growth is supported.

• Competitive paid time off plans / Holiday pay / extra vacation purchase opportunities
• Relocation assistance available for qualified candidates
• 401(k) with immediate company match
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Health Savings Account Contribution
• Wellness Discount Program
• Global Mental Wellness Program
• Quarterly Employee Celebration Days
• Peer-to-Peer Recognition Program
• Service Recognition Program
• Employee Referral Program
• Employee discounts on Pelican products and gear
• Career growth opportunities across Engineering, Operations, and Product Development
• Work on products trusted by military personnel, first responders, industrial professionals, and explorers around the world
• Collaborate with experienced engineers and manufacturing teams while influencing products from concept through production
• Established global brand offering premium products you'll be proud to support
• And more...

Compensation & Benefits:
Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets. Base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The annual U.S. pay range for this position is listed below. Pay within this range varies by work location and may also depend on your qualifications, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process. We also offer a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off, 10 paid holidays per year, medical/dental/vision insurance, company-paid life and disability plans, and matching 401k to eligible employees.