Warehouse Manager

SENIOR MANAGER WAREHOUSE & DISTRIBUTION - RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

A Leading Manufacturing Company in the Richmond, Virginia area needs a Senior Manager Warehouse & Distribution. A Bachelor's Degree is Required for this Position. This is a Full Time, Permanent, Direct Hire Position offering Competitive Compensation, Bonus Potential, Good Benefits, Paid Holidays and Paid Vacation.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Senior Manager of Warehouse and Distribution will lead the operational launch and ongoing excellence of our new Distribution Center. This role will own the end-to-end lifecycle of goods—from initial receiving and P1/P2 requisition fulfillment to final pick/pack/ship logistics. We are looking for a strategic leader who can blend Lean/Six Sigma methodologies with hands-on team building to manage multi-million-dollar inventory and drive high-performance results in a high-growth environment. This role will have 3 direct reports and responsibility for 124 hourly associates.

• Launch & Operational Excellence: Lead the strategic startup of the new facility; direct all daily receiving, warehousing, and distribution activities to ensure 100% on-time shipping and logistics precision.
• Process & Strategy: Design and implement optimized warehouse layouts and workflows. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to maximize storage density and minimize touches.
• Systems Leadership: Spearhead the integration and optimization of WMS systems. Evaluate and implement future automation, such as robotics or RFID, to scale operations.
• Continuous Improvement Leadership: Lead site-wide Kaizen events and continuous improvement projects to eliminate the "eight waste" (DOWNTIME), specifically focusing on overproduction and unnecessary motion.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodologies and statistical tools to reduce variability in order fulfillment and inventory accuracy.
• Warehouse Layout Optimization: Design and implement high-efficiency layouts using 5S and fixed-location principles to minimize travel distance and maximize picking speed.
• KPI Management: Establish and monitor -focused KPIs, such as Dock-to-Stock time, First-Pass Yield, and Order Cycle Time, using real-time data from the Warehouse Management System (WMS) to improve daily execution.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, or Business, and at least 15 years of training and experience required.
• 10–15 years of progressive experience in warehouse / distribution, including 5 years in a senior leadership role. Experience with new facility launches is a major plus.
• Preferred 2 years specifically in a Continuous Improvement or Operational Excellence role
• Technical Proficiency: Expert-level knowledge of WMS, ERP systems, and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI or Tableau)
• Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of OSHA safety protocols and HAZMAT shipping regulations.
• APICS or ISM Certification is Preferred.
• Certifications: APICS (CSCP/CPIM) or Lean Six Sigma Green / Black Belt preferred.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to present operational data to executive leadership.
• Strong ability to lead teams through organizational change and a "Gemba-first" mindset (managing from the floor, not the desk)
• An in-depth knowledge and understanding of warehouses, inventory and manufacturing processes and knowledge of MRP is required along with a demonstrated understanding of warehousing best practices, and knowledge of material control.
• ERP (AS400 preferred), MS Outlook, Excel, Word and Power Point