Copy of Distribution Operations Manager

The Distribution Operations Manager is responsible for leading the day-to-day execution and performance of Distribution operations, ensuring safe, efficient, accurate, and customer-focused service across warehouse and customer-facing activities.This position provides leadership to operational supervisors, leads, warehouse personnel, and customer service functions while maintaining accountability for service performance, inventory accuracy, labor utilization, process compliance, employee development, and continuous improvement.The Operations Manager serves as a key link between Distribution leadership, customers, Customer Service, Inventory Control, warehouse operations, and other Expeditors departments. The successful candidate will be a hands-on leader who can balance daily execution with longer-term operational improvement and business growth.Key ResponsibilitiesOperational LeadershipProvide daily leadership and direction for Distribution operations.Oversee receiving, put-away, inventory management, picking, packing, staging, shipping, RMA, and other value-added services.Ensure customer requirements, service commitments, and operational cutoff times are consistently achieved.Establish daily priorities and ensure supervisors and leads have clear direction.Monitor workload, capacity, staffing, and operational constraints throughout the day.Identify potential service failures early and drive timely corrective action.Maintain strong communication between warehouse operations, Customer Service, Inventory Control, and leadership.Support implementation and execution of customer-specific SOPs and work instructions.People Leadership & DevelopmentLead, coach, and develop Operations Supervisors, Warehouse Leads, and operational team members.Establish clear expectations for ownership, accountability, communication, and performance.Conduct regular one-on-one meetings and employee development discussions.Identify training and cross-training requirements.Develop bench strength and succession opportunities within Distribution.Promote an environment where employees are empowered to identify problems and recommend solutions.Partner with leadership to evaluate staffing requirements based on workload, customer volume, and business growth.Ensure effective utilization of permanent and temporary labor.Customer Service & Account PerformanceMaintain a strong understanding of operational requirements for assigned customer programs.Partner with Customer Service teams to provide timely and accurate communication regarding operational status, exceptions, and customer requests.Participate in customer business reviews and operational meetings as required.Lead operational response to escalations and service failures.Ensure commitments made to customers are communicated clearly to the operational teams responsible for execution.Support onboarding and implementation of new Distribution customers and services.Inventory Control & QualityMaintain a strong culture of inventory accuracy and transactional discipline.Ensure physical material movement aligns with system transactions.Partner with Inventory Control on cycle counts, inventory reconciliations, audits, and root-cause investigation.Monitor inventory discrepancies and establish corrective and preventive actions where appropriate.Reinforce customer-specific handling, serialization, lot control, RMA, high-value product, or other special requirements.Ensure documentation and operational records are maintained accurately.KPI & Performance ManagementEstablish and monitor operational KPIs covering areas such as:Receiving performanceOrder processing and shipping performanceInventory accuracyProductivityLabor utilizationCustomer service performanceQuality/error ratesSafetyReview performance trends and identify areas requiring corrective action.Use operational data to support staffing, capacity, and process decisions.Develop action plans when performance falls below established targets.Communicate operational performance, risks, and improvement activities to Distribution leadership.Continuous ImprovementIdentify opportunities to improve productivity, accuracy, safety, and customer experience.Drive standardization of warehouse processes and work instructions.Champion 5S, visual management, standard work, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement practices.Reduce unnecessary manual processes and improve workflow efficiency.Partner with systems and technical resources on warehouse technology improvements.Support warehouse layout, capacity, racking, equipment, and process-flow improvements.Lead or participate in corrective action and process-improvement initiatives.Systems & TechnologyDevelop strong working knowledge of Distribution warehouse management and customer systems.Ensure employees receive appropriate system training and understand the relationship between physical warehouse activity and system transactions.Participate in system testing, implementation, upgrades, and operational readiness activities.Identify opportunities to improve reporting and operational visibility through technology.Support customer system integrations and warehouse technology initiatives when required.Safety, Security & ComplianceMaintain a safe, organized, and professional warehouse environment.Reinforce established safety requirements and immediately address unsafe conditions or practices.Ensure appropriate handling and security controls are maintained for customer inventory.Maintain operational readiness for internal, customer, regulatory, and quality audits.Reinforce housekeeping and 5S expectations throughout the facility.Partner with appropriate internal teams on security, facility, and compliance requirements.Location: SFO District / Milpitas, CA