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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Warehouse Operations Manager

💰 $ - $

LogisticsOperationsWarehouseSupply Chain

🎯 Role Definition

The Warehouse Operations Manager is responsible for planning, directing and coordinating daily warehouse and distribution operations to ensure efficient order fulfillment, inventory accuracy, timely shipping and receiving, and compliance with safety and quality standards. This role leads frontline supervisors and associates, implements warehouse management systems (WMS), drives continuous improvement (Lean / Six Sigma principles), manages budgets and labor, and collaborates with supply chain, procurement and customer service to meet business objectives and KPIs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Warehouse Supervisor / Lead
  • Logistics Coordinator / Shipping & Receiving Lead
  • Inventory Control Analyst

Advancement To:

  • Regional Operations Manager
  • Director of Distribution / Director of Warehouse Operations
  • Head of Supply Chain / VP of Operations

Lateral Moves:

  • Supply Chain Manager
  • Logistics Manager
  • 3PL Operations Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead, coach and develop a team of warehouse supervisors and associates to achieve daily throughput, order accuracy, on-time shipping, and labor efficiency targets while maintaining high morale and low turnover.
  • Develop, implement and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for receiving, put-away, picking, packing, shipping, returns and cycle counts to improve operational consistency and reduce process variation.
  • Manage and optimize warehouse layout, bin locations, slotting and space utilization to increase picking productivity, reduce travel time and support seasonal volume fluctuations.
  • Oversee inventory management programs including cycle counts, root-cause analysis of discrepancies, shrinkage reduction initiatives and reconciliation with ERP/WMS records to maintain 99%+ inventory accuracy.
  • Own daily operational KPIs (OTD, OTIF, order accuracy, picks per hour, dock-to-stock time, inventory accuracy, labor productivity) and produce weekly/monthly performance dashboards for senior leadership.
  • Drive continuous improvement and cost-reduction projects using Lean, Kaizen and Six Sigma tools to reduce waste, lower cost-per-order and improve throughput while preserving quality.
  • Plan, forecast and manage labor demand using historical volume, seasonal patterns and labor management systems to meet service targets within budgeted labor hours.
  • Ensure compliance with all health, safety and environmental regulations, including OSHA standards; lead safety training, incident investigations and corrective actions to maintain a safe work environment.
  • Implement and maintain Warehouse Management System (WMS) functionality and integrations with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Manhattan), including configuration, user training and testing during system upgrades or rollouts.
  • Manage inbound and outbound carrier relationships, freight audit processes, rate negotiations and routing guides to optimize freight costs and improve delivery performance.
  • Coordinate with procurement and vendor partners to manage receiving windows, ASN processes, cross-docking and vendor compliance requirements to minimize detention and expedite processing.
  • Oversee returns processing (RMA), disposition, rework and refurbishment workflows to minimize return cycle time and recapture value while preserving quality controls.
  • Execute capital and maintenance planning for material handling equipment (conveyors, sorters, forklifts, AS/RS), ensuring uptime through preventative maintenance and vendor service contracts.
  • Lead warehouse security, loss prevention and vendor access controls, implementing surveillance, audit trails and procedural safeguards to reduce shrink and unauthorized activity.
  • Manage P&L responsibilities for the warehouse location including cost control, budget creation, variance analysis and continuous identification of cost optimization opportunities.
  • Plan and execute peak season staffing strategies, temporary labor programs and contingency plans to scale operations during promotional events and holiday spikes.
  • Collaborate with customer service and sales teams to resolve escalations, expedite orders, support special projects and communicate inventory or shipment constraints proactively to customers.
  • Execute onboarding, training and competency verification programs (including forklift and equipment certifications) for all warehouse personnel to maintain compliance and consistent performance.
  • Supervise quality control and inspection processes for inbound and outbound shipments; develop corrective action plans for suppliers and internal process issues.
  • Drive data-driven decision making by analyzing operational data, performing root cause analysis for disruptions and presenting actionable recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Manage third-party logistics (3PL) partners, site audits, SLAs and scorecards to ensure service levels, data integrity and contractual compliance.
  • Lead continuous technology adoption initiatives such as RF scanning, voice picking, barcode/RFID implementation and automation assessments to improve speed and accuracy.

Secondary Functions

  • Partner with IT and supply chain teams to define requirements and prioritize WMS/ERP enhancements, testing scripts and go-live support for system changes and integrations.
  • Support cross-functional projects including new product introductions (NPI), packaging changes, SKU launches and network expansion by providing operational input and execution plans.
  • Participate in capital expenditure justification and vendor selection for automation, racking and material handling solutions; manage project timelines and vendor performance.
  • Maintain vendor and carrier scorecards, escalate performance issues and lead collaborative remediation plans to improve supply chain reliability.
  • Prepare and present monthly operations reviews for senior leadership, highlighting performance trends, improvement plans, risks and mitigation strategies.
  • Contribute to sustainability and waste reduction initiatives within the warehouse (packaging optimization, energy conservation, recycling programs).
  • Assist HR with workforce planning, retention strategies, succession planning and performance management processes for hourly and salaried staff.
  • Facilitate internal and external audits (financial, regulatory, customer) and ensure timely implementation of audit findings and corrective actions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) such as Manhattan, Oracle WMS, SAP EWM, JDA or HighJump — including configuration, troubleshooting and reporting.
  • Strong competency in ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) and integrations between WMS and ERP for inventory and order flow.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, macros) for data analysis, forecasting and KPI reporting.
  • Experience with labor management systems (LMS), capacity planning tools and workforce scheduling to optimize labor costs and performance.
  • Knowledge of shipping documentation and carrier requirements (BOL, ASN, EDI standards) and experience managing LTL/TL/parcel operations.
  • Familiarity with automation technologies (AS/RS, conveyors, sortation systems), RF scanning, voice-directed picking and barcode/RFID systems.
  • Strong understanding of inventory control techniques: cycle counting, ABC analysis, safety stock, lead time calculation and shrink management.
  • Experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma or Kaizen methodologies; certifications such as Six Sigma Green Belt or Lean Practitioner are a plus.
  • Working knowledge of OSHA regulations, DOT requirements and workplace safety programs, including incident investigation and corrective action.
  • Ability to build and maintain KPI dashboards and performance reports using BI tools (Tableau, Power BI, Looker) or WMS reporting modules.
  • Experience managing 3PL relationships, SLA negotiation, contract management and performance scorecards.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and people-management skills with experience coaching, developing and motivating frontline teams.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management — able to present complex operational issues clearly to cross-functional partners and senior leaders.
  • Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to use data to drive decisions and continuous improvement.
  • High sense of urgency, accountability and customer focus — balancing operational excellence with on-time delivery.
  • Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced, high-volume environment with competing priorities.
  • Conflict resolution and negotiation skills for managing vendor, carrier and internal escalations.
  • Strategic thinker with strong planning, organization and time-management abilities.
  • Attention to detail and commitment to process compliance, quality control and audit readiness.
  • Collaborative team player who can influence without direct authority and drive cross-functional alignment.
  • Coaching and mentoring capability to build bench strength and succession plans within the operations team.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED required; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics and Transportation
  • Business Administration
  • Industrial / Manufacturing Engineering
  • Operations Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 5–10 years of progressive warehouse, distribution or manufacturing operations experience, including at least 2–3 years in a supervisory or managerial role.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years of warehouse operations experience with demonstrated success managing multi-million-dollar budgets, leading WMS implementations, supervising 50+ employees, and driving continuous improvement projects.
  • Experience with multi-site operations, 3PL management, automation projects and complex SKU portfolios is highly desirable.
  • Certifications such as APICS CPIM/CSCP, Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, OSHA 30, or certified forklift/trainer credentials are a plus.
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