Warehouse Lead

Position Summary:

The Warehouse Lead supports the daily logistical and warehouse operations at Oskaloosa Food Products by coordinating product movement, assisting with documentation, and ensuring safe and efficient workflows. This position plays a key role in supporting warehouse staff, communicating with drivers, customers, and internal teams, and helping maintain accuracy and efficiency in shipping, receiving, and inventory processes. The Warehouse Lead provides guidance to team members on shift and assists in ensuring compliance with company procedures, food safety standards, and operational expectations.

The essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Support and assist with tracking on-time delivery and accurate shipment preparation.
• Communicate with carriers, drivers, and internal departments to ensure smooth warehouse and transportation operations.
• Assist with verifying carrier and driver compliance with company policies for product handling and delivery.
• Recommend and help implement improvements to warehouse workflows, logistics processes, and material movement.
• Coordinate daily, weekly, and monthly warehouse tasks to ensure product is prepared and staged for outgoing loads.
• Communicate proactively to help resolve logistical or warehouse-related issues and support recovery plans when needed.
• Assist with implementing new routes or procedures during new customer onboarding as directed by management.
• Support efficient scheduling of warehouse activities based on customer needs and production output.
• Monitor warehouse operations and help encourage safe, customer-focused practices among team members.
• Utilize warehouse systems, scanners, and GPS/communication tools to track vehicle/driver status when necessary.
• Provide daily guidance to warehouse staff, including task assignments, basic coaching, and support.
• Ensure accurate reporting and recordkeeping in accordance with company policies.
• Operate forklift and pallet jack to load/unload product, stage pallets, and support production flow.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with Material Handlers, Drivers, Customers, Vendors, CSR, Finance, and Management.
• Maintain the security of the warehouse and conduct operations in a manner that promotes safety.
• Monitor general condition of trailers and dock equipment and communicate maintenance needs to management.

Skills and Abilities:

• Judgement and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the appropriate response 
• Teamwork — Effectively collaborate with coworkers in a team-oriented environment 
• Interpersonal Relationships — Establish and maintain constructive and cooperative working relationships with others
• Time Management — Self-motivated with the ability to prioritize tasks, managing one's own time and the time of others
• Written Comprehension & Expression — The ability to read and communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand
• Oral Comprehension, Expression & Clarity — The ability to listen, understand and communicate information and ideas audibly so others will understand
• Attention to Detail —Thorough and accurate when performing tasks and following Company processes and procedures
• Professionalism — Adherence to courtesy, consideration, honesty, and responsibility when interacting with coworkers, vendors, USDA officers, and customers

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications:

• CDL (Iowa) preferred, or willingness to support transportation needs as trained.
• Strong knowledge of warehouse/shipping operations, food safety requirements, inventory handling, and USDA regulations; basic OSHA understanding.
• 3 years of experience in warehouse, logistics, transportation, or related operational roles preferred.
• Prior leadership or lead-worker experience preferred.
• Understanding of basic transportation and warehouse operations.
• Familiarity with FMCSA and DOT regulations is a plus.
• Ability to recognize issues that should be escalated to management.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products, especially Excel.
• Detail-oriented and goal-driven with strong problem-solving skills.
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• High sense of urgency and commitment to customer service.
• Experience assisting or coordinating drivers/dispatching is beneficial.