Director of Operations

Palmer-Donavin is a leading wholesale distributor of building materials serving customers throughout the Midwest and Southeast. As a 100% employee-owned company, we are committed to creating long-term value for our employee owners, customers, and business partners through operational excellence, exceptional customer service, and continuous improvement.

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Regional Director of Distribution to lead multiple distribution center operations within our Building Materials Division. This individual will play a critical role in driving operational performance, developing leadership talent, ensuring safety excellence, and supporting the continued growth of the organization.

Position Summary

The Regional Director of Distribution is responsible for the overall performance of multiple distribution center locations, providing strategic and operational leadership through a team of Operations Managers and site leadership teams. This role oversees all aspects of distribution operations, including safety, customer service, inventory accuracy, labor management, facility performance, employee development, and operational efficiency.

This position serves as a key partner to the Vice President of Operations and collaborates closely with Sales, Customer Service, Human Resources, Safety, and other business leaders to ensure exceptional service to our customers while maintaining a safe, productive, and engaged workforce.

The ideal candidate combines strong operational leadership experience with a passion for developing people, solving problems, driving accountability, and building high-performing teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for multiple distribution center operations.
• Drive operational excellence across safety, inventory accuracy, service levels, productivity, and cost management.
• Lead and develop Operations Managers and site leadership teams to achieve business objectives.
• Monitor and improve key performance indicators related to customer service, quality, labor efficiency, safety, and operational performance.
• Review branch financial performance, including labor costs, overtime, expenses, and operational budgets.
• Partner with Operations Managers to identify obstacles, implement solutions, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Conduct regular site visits to build relationships, assess operational performance, and support local leadership teams.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, safety programs, regulatory requirements, and operational standards.
• Collaborate with Safety leadership to reduce incidents, improve workplace safety, and strengthen safety culture across all locations.
• Analyze operational trends, identify root causes of performance issues, and implement corrective actions.
• Support annual budgeting, staffing, capital expenditure planning, and operational forecasting processes.
• Partner with Human Resources on recruiting, retention, employee engagement, performance management, and succession planning initiatives.
• Develop bench strength through coaching, training, performance management, and leadership development.
• Lead quarterly planning efforts and ensure successful execution of strategic initiatives and operational priorities.
• Foster a culture of accountability, employee ownership, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Logistics, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience in distribution, warehouse operations, logistics, manufacturing, or supply chain environments.
• Experience leading multiple locations or large-scale operational teams.
• Demonstrated success managing budgets, labor planning, productivity initiatives, and operational performance metrics.
• Strong understanding of safety programs, regulatory compliance, and operational best practices.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop leaders and frontline teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to travel regularly between distribution center locations.

Preferred:

• Experience within building materials, wholesale distribution, manufacturing, or related industries.
• Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives and operational transformation efforts.
• Experience working within an employee-owned (ESOP) organization.
• Knowledge of warehouse management systems, ERP systems, and operational reporting tools.
• Experience supporting organizational growth, facility expansions, or multi-site operations.

Benefits

Our employee owners enjoy many benefits:

• Competitive compensation and annual bonus opportunities
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 401(k) with company match
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Parental leave benefits
• Wellness program
• Safety bonus opportunities
• Training and development opportunities