Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Warehouse Project Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Warehouse Project Supervisor leads short- and medium-term projects within the warehouse or distribution center while supervising daily operational teams to ensure on-time deliveries, accuracy, and safety. This role combines hands-on warehouse supervision with project management duties — overseeing equipment installations, racking and layout changes, WMS rollouts, and continuous improvement initiatives. The ideal candidate is experienced in warehouse operations, comfortable managing multiple stakeholders, and skilled at converting business requirements into executable project plans that minimize disruption and drive measurable performance gains.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Warehouse Lead / Shift Supervisor
Logistics Coordinator or Inventory Analyst
Material Handler with team lead experience

Advancement To:

Warehouse Operations Manager / Site Manager
Distribution Center Manager
Senior Project Manager (Logistics/Operations)

Lateral Moves:

Continuous Improvement / Lean Specialist
Health, Safety & Compliance Coordinator
Supply Chain Planning or Procurement Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Plan, coordinate and execute warehouse infrastructure projects (racking installation, mezzanine construction, conveyor and sortation installation) from scoping through commissioning while ensuring adherence to budget, schedule and safety standards.
Lead cross-functional project teams — including operations, maintenance, safety, IT, procurement and external contractors — to deliver warehouse layout changes and material handling equipment deployments with minimal operational disruption.
Serve as the primary on-site project manager for capital projects, creating detailed project plans, risk registers, resource schedules, milestones and contingency plans; report progress to senior leadership.
Supervise day-to-day warehouse operations on assigned shifts or facilities, including receiving, putaway, picking, packing and shipping, ensuring KPIs such as OTIF, inventory accuracy and order cycle time are met or exceeded.
Manage inventory control projects such as physical inventory audits, cycle count program refinements and root-cause reduction initiatives to improve inventory accuracy and reduce shrink.
Oversee contractor selection, pre-qualification, work scope definition, permit coordination and site safety orientation; ensure contractor compliance with company policies and local regulations.
Implement and maintain warehouse management system (WMS) configuration changes, testing protocols, cutover plans and user training during system upgrades or new module rollouts.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Kaizen or Six Sigma methodologies to increase throughput, reduce waste and optimize labor productivity across warehouse processes.
Develop, track and analyze operational and project metrics (KPIs) — e.g., labor productivity, dock-to-stock times, equipment utilization — and translate insights into targeted action plans.
Coordinate equipment procurement, specifications and installation (forklifts, reach trucks, conveyors, sorters, RF scanners) to support planned capacity increases and automation projects.
Ensure all warehouse operations and project activities comply with OSHA, local safety codes and internal safety programs; lead safety investigations and corrective action implementation for incidents.
Create and control project budgets including cost estimating, procurement approvals, invoicing verification and variance reporting to minimize cost overruns.
Lead change management and communications for operational or system changes, develop standard operating procedures (SOPs), job aids and training materials for frontline staff and supervisors.
Plan and execute seasonal labor and capacity projects such as peak-season workforce ramp-ups, temporary storage solutions and overtime scheduling strategies.
Coordinate inbound/outbound logistics adjustments required by project work (temporary dock closures, rerouting shipments, carrier communication) to preserve service levels.
Perform warehouse layout design and capacity planning to optimize flow, reduce travel distances and improve storage density using CAD or layout tools as needed.
Supervise, coach and develop frontline supervisors and associates; conduct performance reviews, establish development plans and manage staffing needs to meet operational objectives.
Implement and manage preventive maintenance projects and scheduled downtime for material handling equipment to minimize unplanned breakdowns and safety risks.
Ensure accurate documentation of project scope changes, sign-offs, commissioning checklists and as-built drawings for handover to operations and maintenance teams.
Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action plans for operational and project-related failures, ensuring lessons learned are documented and shared across sites.
Manage permits, regulatory filings and environmental controls associated with construction or equipment installation projects within warehouse facilities.
Monitor vendor/contractor performance, negotiate service agreements, manage warranties and ensure timely resolution of deficiencies related to project deliverables.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc operational analyses and collaborate with analytics or continuous improvement teams to test new picking, storage or replenishment strategies.
Assist procurement and finance with vendor qualification, capital approval documentation and project invoice reconciliation.
Facilitate cross-training programs to increase workforce flexibility and support contingency during high demand or staff shortages.
Participate in enterprise-level rollout workstreams for global or regional supply chain initiatives and contribute operational input to program governance.
Provide day-to-day guidance to IT during integrations of automation controls, PLC changes or systems-to-systems interfaces to ensure operational continuity.
Maintain and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training curricula as projects change processes or introduce new equipment.
Act as escalation point for complex operational issues during project execution and lead emergency response coordination when incidents affect site operations.
Support internal audits and third-party inspections related to safety, quality or regulatory compliance and implement corrective action plans as required.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) administration and configuration experience (e.g., Manhattan, Blue Yonder/JDA, SAP EWM, Oracle WMS).
Project management skills with experience using MS Project, Smartsheet, Asana or similar tools; ability to create Gantt charts, resource plans and risk logs.
Strong knowledge of material handling equipment specifications and safe operation (forklifts, pallet jacks, conveyors, sorters).
Inventory control and cycle counting program management, with demonstrated experience improving inventory accuracy metrics.
Experience with OSHA/EHS standards, site safety programs, lockout/tagout, and permit-to-work processes.
Budgeting, cost control and capital project cost tracking (CAPEX/OPEX) with experience preparing business cases and ROI analysis.
Layout design and space utilization planning, including basic CAD or facility layout tools for racking/mezzanine planning.
Automation and controls familiarity (PLC basics, conveyor logic, scanner technologies) and coordinating vendor integrators.
Data analysis and KPI reporting using Excel (advanced functions, pivot tables), SQL basics or BI tools (Power BI, Tableau) for operational decision support.
Lean / Six Sigma or continuous improvement methodologies (Kaizen events, process mapping, value stream analysis).
Vendor management, contract review and service level agreement (SLA) oversight for suppliers and contractors.
Experience with RF/wireless devices, barcode labeling standards and associated hardware/software troubleshooting.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people-management skills: coaching, performance management and team development.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional stakeholder engagement and executive reporting.
Problem-solving and decision-making under pressure with the ability to prioritize competing operational and project demands.
Change management and training aptitude to drive adoption of new systems, equipment and processes.
Organizational skills and attention to detail for complex project documentation and compliance requirements.
Negotiation and vendor relationship skills to manage scope, cost and schedule with external partners.
Customer-service orientation with focus on on-time, accurate delivery and internal stakeholder satisfaction.
Analytical mindset with ability to translate data into actionable operational or project improvements.
Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced, high-change warehouse environments.
Time management and multitasking skills to manage multiple projects and operational responsibilities simultaneously.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED required; technical certification in warehousing, logistics or related field preferred.

Preferred Education:

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

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics & Transportation
Industrial / Manufacturing Engineering
Business Administration
Occupational Health & Safety

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of combined warehouse operations and project coordination experience; at least 2 years supervising teams.

Preferred: 5+ years managing warehouse projects or capital improvements with demonstrated leadership of cross-functional teams and measurable impact on safety, productivity or cost. Certification in project management (PMP, CAPM) or Lean/Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt) is a plus.