Warehouse Freight Lead

Position Summary

The Warehouse Freight Lead is responsible for leading the daily picking, packing, pallet-building, staging, and loading activities at the HK2 warehouse. This is a hands-on working lead position. The Freight Lead performs warehouse duties alongside the team while providing daily direction to pickers and packers.

This position helps ensure orders are completed safely, accurately, and on time while maintaining an organized workflow, FIFO order processing, productivity, and housekeeping standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

· Provide daily direction and work assignments to warehouse pickers and packers.

· Work alongside the team to pick, pack, build pallets, stage orders, and load outbound freight.

· Monitor the order queue and prioritize work according to scheduled ship dates, customer requirements, and direction from the Warehouse Manager.

· Ensure orders are processed using FIFO unless an approved priority requires otherwise.

· Review staffing and workload throughout the shift and move employees between picking, packing, pallet building, and loading as needed.

· Verify that products, quantities, labels, and shipping documents are accurate before orders are released.

· Ensure pallets are built safely, securely wrapped, properly labeled, and staged in the correct outbound area.

· Operate forklifts and other material-handling equipment to pull, stage, load, and relocate products.

· Help coordinate trailer loading and ensure freight is loaded safely and efficiently.

· Monitor team productivity, order accuracy, attendance, and adherence to established procedures.

· Identify workflow delays, inventory issues, damaged products, equipment problems, and safety concerns.

· Communicate operational issues and order delays to the Warehouse Manager promptly.

· Assist with training new pickers, packers, and forklift operators.

· Reinforce company policies, standard operating procedures, and performance expectations.

· Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment.

· Conduct or participate in daily safety discussions and pre-shift team meetings.

· Ensure employees use required personal protective equipment and follow safe lifting and equipment-operation practices.

· Assist with inventory counts, product-location verification, and inventory discrepancy research when needed.

· Support overtime, weekend work, and other warehouse functions based on business needs.

· Perform additional duties assigned by the Warehouse Manager.

Leadership Responsibilities

The Warehouse Freight Lead provides day-to-day direction to the picking and packing teams while reporting directly to the Warehouse Manager. Responsibilities include:

· Assigning and monitoring daily work.

· Maintaining an organized and productive workflow.

· Coaching employees on safety, accuracy, and productivity.

· Helping train and develop team members.

· Addressing minor performance or workflow issues as they occur.

· Escalating attendance, conduct, safety, or performance concerns to the Warehouse Manager.

· Leading by example through reliability, professionalism, and active participation in warehouse work.

Minimum Qualifications

· High school diploma or equivalent preferred.

· Previous warehouse or distribution experience required.

· Previous experience in a warehouse lead or similar leadership position required.

· 3-5 years of forklift operating experience required.

· Ability to safely operate sit-down forklifts and other warehouse equipment.

· Experience with picking, packing, pallet building, staging, and loading freight.

· Basic understanding of warehouse safety, inventory control, and FIFO practices.

· Ability to provide clear instructions and hold employees accountable.

· Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

· Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.

· Basic computer and warehouse-scanning-system experience preferred.

· NetSuite, RF-SMART, or similar warehouse management system experience is a plus.

· Dependable attendance and the ability to work overtime or weekends when required.

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

· Ability to lift and carry up to 75 pounds.

· Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, push, pull, and climb throughout the shift.

· Ability to repeatedly handle products and warehouse materials.

· Ability to safely enter, exit, and operate forklifts for extended periods.

· Ability to work in a non-climate-controlled warehouse that may be hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

· Ability to work around moving equipment, loading docks, trailers, and elevated product storage.

· Ability to wear required personal protective equipment.

Performance Expectations

· Safe operation of the department.

· On-time order completion and shipment.

· Picking and packing accuracy.

· Team productivity and effective labor utilization.

· Proper FIFO execution and order prioritization.

· Quality and stability of completed pallets.

· Clear communication of delays and operational concerns.

· Employee training and team development.

· Warehouse organization and housekeeping.

· Dependability, attendance, and leadership by example.

This job description summarizes the primary duties of the position. Responsibilities may be adjusted based on operational needs.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• Forklift: 3 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Hickory, KY 42051 (Required)

Work Location: In person