Operations Manager

Location: 1800 South Wolf Road, Des Plaines, IL 60018

Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, plus occasional overtime and limited Saturdays throughout the year based on business needs.

The Operations Manager is responsible for leading a large-scale Food & Beverage warehouse operation within a fast-paced 3PL environment. This role oversees all aspects of warehouse performance, including safety, inventory accuracy, labor management, customer service, productivity, and financial performance. The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership, operational discipline, and a proven ability to improve performance, develop teams, and drive continuous improvement in a complex warehouse environment.

· Plans, organizes, and directs warehouse, inventory, and administrative activities to meet or exceed operational goals in a cost-effective manner.

· Leads receiving, shipping, replenishment, picking, inventory control, sanitation, returns, and customer service support functions.

· Develops and implements operational processes, procedures, and performance standards that improve productivity, quality, inventory accuracy, and customer service.

· Monitors and drives key warehouse performance indicators, including productivity, order accuracy, inventory accuracy, on-time shipping, labor cost, safety performance, dock-to-stock cycle time, and service levels.

· Analyzes operational data and reporting to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for continuous improvement.

· Develops and executes action plans to improve labor productivity, operational efficiency, inventory accuracy, and overall warehouse performance.

· Manages labor planning, staffing levels, overtime control, workforce scheduling, and performance accountability to achieve operational and financial objectives.

· Ensures inventory integrity through cycle counting programs, root cause analysis, reconciliation processes, shrink reduction initiatives, and compliance with warehouse procedures.

· Maintains compliance with OSHA, GMP, food safety, sanitation, and company safety standards.

· Ensures employees receive proper safety training and promotes a culture focused on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

· Partners with customers to review performance, resolve service issues, and maintain strong customer relationships.

· Collaborates with managers and supervisors to establish operational priorities, performance expectations, and accountability measures.

· Leads operational restructuring, process improvement, and performance improvement initiatives as needed.

· Develops supervisors and frontline leaders through coaching, training, performance management, and succession planning.

· Prepares operational reports, business reviews, forecasts, and other communications required by leadership.

· Develops, monitors, and manages departmental budgets while controlling expenses and supporting overall financial performance.

· Ensures warehouse operations comply with all federal, state, local, and company policies and regulations.

· Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with company policies and applicable laws, including interviewing, hiring, training, coaching, performance management, discipline, and employee development.

· 15 years of experience in warehousing, distribution, logistics, or supply chain operations, preferably within a Food & Beverage 3PL environment.

· Proven experience managing operations within a large-scale warehouse facility, preferably 500,000 square feet.

· Strong experience working in a union-based warehouse environment, including labor relations, contract compliance, grievance handling, attendance management, and workforce accountability.

· Demonstrated success leading operational restructuring, turnaround initiatives, and performance improvement plans.

· Deep understanding of Food & Beverage warehouse operations, including lot control, FIFO/FEFO methodologies, expiration date management, sanitation standards, temperature-sensitive product handling, and customer compliance requirements.

· Strong knowledge of warehouse KPIs and operational metrics, including productivity, inventory accuracy, order accuracy, labor performance, service levels, and cost management.

· Proven ability to manage labor spend through workforce planning, productivity standards, overtime control, schedule optimization, and performance management.

· Strong inventory control experience, including cycle counting, inventory reconciliation, root cause analysis, shrink reduction, damage control, and process compliance.

· Experience managing multiple operational departments within a warehouse environment.

· Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to develop supervisors, hold teams accountable, and improve employee engagement.

· Experience working directly with customers in a 3PL environment, including business reviews, performance reporting, issue resolution, and service recovery.

· Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

· Proficiency with WMS systems, labor management tools, Microsoft Excel, reporting dashboards, and warehouse process controls.

· Strong understanding of OSHA regulations, food safety standards, GMP requirements, sanitation programs, and warehouse safety practices.

· Ability to communicate effectively with employees, customers, union representatives, and leadership at all levels of the organization.

· Ability to perform the physical activities associated with warehouse operations as needed.

Preferred candidates will have experience with:

· Multi-customer 3PL operations

· Food, beverage, grocery, CPG, or refrigerated/frozen distribution

· Facility startup, turnaround, or major process improvement projects

· Labor management systems and engineered standards

· High-volume case pick, pallet in/out, cross-dock, and value-added service operations

· P&L support, budgeting, cost control, and operational financial performance

· Bilingual English and Spanish