Operations Director

Role overview

The Operations Director will oversee the daily running of a large-scale warehouse distribution center operating around the clock. The position is focused on keeping the site safe, efficient, and cost-effective while supporting inbound, outbound, inventory control, staffing, and overall performance. This leader will act as the main in-person operations lead and work closely with Operations Managers, the General Manager, and teams across Logistics, Quality, Supply Chain, Talent, Safety, and Finance to provide strong service to both internal and external customers.

Operational leadership

This role owns site-level execution and leadership for distribution operations, with responsibility for consistent process flow, throughput, standards, and performance. The Operations Director will direct daily, weekly, and monthly plans for receiving, put-away, storage, picking, loading, and dispatch, while ensuring there is enough coverage for a 24/7 operation, including nights and weekends.

People leadership and team development

The position includes coaching and developing warehouse leaders, reviewing the performance of distribution functions and direct reports, and addressing gaps through corrective action. The Operations Director will set expectations, hold regular check-ins, support annual reviews, and partner with HR on hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and employee relations. A strong culture of accountability, respect, inclusion, and continuous improvement is expected.

Safety, compliance, and facility standards

The role is responsible for strengthening safety culture across both warehouses and ensuring compliance with company policies and all applicable laws and regulations, including OSHA and local or state requirements. Regular safety inspections, audits, and incident reviews must be conducted, with corrective actions tracked through completion. The Operations Director will also ensure the facility and equipment meet company standards for housekeeping, material handling equipment, racking, dock doors, the yard, and related areas.

Service, quality, and inventory control

This position is accountable for meeting or exceeding service goals such as on-time performance and accuracy. It also oversees inventory control practices, including cycle counts, reconciliations, and root-cause analysis for variances, while improving inventory accuracy. The Operations Director will monitor picking quality, damage levels, load quality, and adherence to standard operating procedures.

Strategy

The role supports short-term planning aligned to continuous improvement priorities in cost, quality, accuracy, turn time, safety, and environmental responsibility. It also contributes to strategy with shared service and operations partners to meet facility goals and helps the General Manager act as the local point of contact for internal stakeholders.

Productivity, cost management, and KPIs

The Operations Director will define practical efficiency improvements for warehouse operations and manage labor planning, staffing levels, and shift structures to match volume while controlling overtime and temporary labor. The role tracks and reports key performance indicators for safety, quality, productivity, throughput, cost per case, and overall service, while identifying improvements that reduce waste and optimize space, labor, and equipment. The position is also responsible for overall site P&L performance.

Cross-functional collaboration and communication

As the primary operational contact for internal partners such as Transport, Supply Planning, Sales, Commercial, IT, and Finance, the Operations Director must communicate constraints, risks, and recovery plans proactively. The role also supports network initiatives, pilots, and system changes that affect the distribution center.

Process improvement and change management

This position drives standardization of best practices across the site and may lead or support improvement projects such as layout optimization, slotting, WMS enhancements, and automation or technology adoption. The Operations Director is also responsible for training teams on new processes, policies, and technologies and making sure changes are sustained and followed.

Business continuity and 24/7 readiness

The role requires strong contingency planning for weather events, system outages, equipment failures, and staffing shortages. The Operations Director will coordinate with the General Manager on capacity planning and long-term infrastructure needs and will serve as the escalation contact for major issues outside normal business hours.

Compensation and equal opportunity

The base pay range for this role is $112,000 to $168,000, plus cash incentives. The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, or any other protected classification under federal, state, or local law.