Warehouse Manager

SUMMARY

The Warehouse Manager is responsible for overseeing all warehouse operations to ensure the efficient, accurate, and timely receipt, storage, and distribution of fresh food products. This role plays a critical part in maintaining product integrity, food safety, inventory accuracy, and compliance with regulatory and company standards. The ideal candidate brings strong leadership, logistics expertise, and ability to perform analytical thinking to solve complex situations while ensuring efficient shipping of products and timely delivery of customer orders.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Warehouse Operations:

• Direct and coordinate daily warehouse activities including receiving, storing, inventory management, and shipping of fresh food products.
• Ensure proper handling, storage, and rotation of perishable goods in accordance with food safety and quality standards (e.g., FIFO, temperature controls).
• Manage and optimize warehouse layout for efficient space utilization and material flow.
• Develop warehouse operations systems by developing processes for shipping and receiving, equipment, and storage utilization by analyzing process workflow, labor, space requirements, and equipment layout.

Leadership & Team Development:

• Lead, coach, and develop warehouse staff; ensure training and adherence to SOPs, GMPs, and safety procedures.
• Assist in preparing and managing an annual budget; analyzing variances; initiating corrective actions by evaluating and implementing initiatives to decrease costs while maintaining/increasing service levels.
• Build a high-performing team focused on safety, quality, and productivity.
• Manage scheduling, labor planning, and performance management of warehouse personnel.
• Maintain and support working relationships with internal and external customers, as well as supply chain, production schedulers, and the transportation team.
• Review and identify talent to meet staffing needs by interviewing, hiring, and evaluating new shipping and receiving personnel.

Inventory & Supply Chain Coordination:

• Monitor and maintain accurate inventory records; conduct regular cycle counts and reconcile discrepancies.
• Collaborate with procurement, production, and logistics teams to support production schedules and customer deliveries.
• Maintain and improve inventory accuracy and integrity through robust controls and reporting systems.

Compliance & Safety:

• Maintain a safe and healthy work environment by establishing, following and enforcing safety standards and procedures by conducting weekly safety meetings, audits, and entering work orders for any safety related items as needed.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety regulations and workplace safety standards (OSHA).
• Maintain a clean, organized, and audit-ready warehouse environment.
• Investigate and resolve any food quality, storage, or logistics issues.

Systems & Reporting:

• Lead weekly warehouse cycle count of all raw and package materials reporting any shortage or overage of inventory as well as assist in root cause investigation for any variances.
• Utilize ERP systems to manage inventory, orders, and reporting.
• Track and report KPIs related to warehouse operations, including inventory accuracy, order fulfillment, waste, and labor efficiency.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE)

• Bachelor’s degree Preferred, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• 5 years of warehouse or logistics management experience, preferably in a fresh or perishable food manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of inventory control, food safety standards, and cold chain logistics.
• Experience with ERP systems (NetSuite preferred).
• Demonstrated leadership ability with experience managing hourly teams.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a cold or refrigerated environment for extended periods.

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, taste, or smell. Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 - 25 pounds, and occasionally more than 50 pounds with assistance from co-workers and/or mechanical devices. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Must be able to work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to production equipment, wet and refrigerated areas, and food ingredients. Position requires use of PPE, and frequent walking, standing, and occasional lifting.

Grillo’s is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment.