What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Distribution position at VIS, LLC SC?
Job Title: Director of Distribution
Company: VIS LLC
Reports To: Senior Vice President of Operations
About VIS LLC
VIS LLC is a $200M global distributor and manufacturer of high-quality professional automotive mechanics’ tools. With a worldwide distribution network and manufacturing operations spanning both domestic and international facilities, we specialize in delivering industry-leading hand, power, and automotive tools and equipment under major tool manufacturers and our own esteemed brand.
Position Overview
The Director of Distribution provides strategic and operational leadership for all distribution center activities, ensuring the safe, efficient, and cost-effective movement of inventory through the organization. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence across warehousing, fulfillment, inventory management, and material handling while having cross-functional impact on customer service support, supply chain alignment, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Beyond operational execution, the Director of Distribution serves as a key business leader responsible for developing talent, building high-performing teams, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and leading organizational change. The role requires a strong focus on coaching and developing leaders, creating an environment of trust and accountability, and ensuring the organization can scale through people, processes, and systems rather than dependence on individual contributors and heroics.
The Director partners closely with Supply Chain, SIOP, Procurement, Product Management, Customer Service, IT, Finance, Manufacturing Partners, and Executive Leadership to align operational capabilities with business objectives and future growth strategies.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the long-term distribution and fulfillment strategy aligned with company objectives.
- Lead future-state distribution network, material handling, automation, and facility improvement initiatives.
- Drive strategic planning efforts related to capacity, labor, inventory flow, and operational scalability.
- Partner with executive leadership to identify and execute business improvement opportunities.
- Lead organizational change management initiatives associated with growth, systems implementation, and operational transformation.
Distribution Center Operations
- Full P&L Responsibility for the Distribution Center.
- Provide leadership and oversight for all distribution center functions including receiving, put-away, replenishment, inventory control, picking, packing, shipping, and returns.
- Ensure customer orders are fulfilled accurately, efficiently, and on time.
- Monitor and improve operational performance through key metrics including:
- Safety
- Productivity
- Throughput
- Labor efficiency
- Order cycle time
- Fill rate
- OTIF
- Inventory accuracy
- Cost per order
- Turnover
- Manage labor planning and resource allocation across multiple business units and operating requirements.
- Drive operational discipline through standard work, daily management, visual management, and performance management systems.
Continuous Improvement & Lean Leadership
- Lead the deployment and sustainment of Lean principles across distribution operations.
- Develop and maintain a culture of continuous improvement, learning and problem solving.
- Implement and sustain:
- Value Stream Management
- Lean Conversion
- Leadership Standard Work
- Root Cause Corrective Action Management
- SQDIP processes
- Visual Management Systems
- Standard Work
- Facilitate cross-functional improvement efforts focused on safety, quality, delivery, inventory, productivity, and cost.
- Drive waste elimination and process simplification initiatives.
People Leadership & Talent Development
Leadership Development
A core responsibility of this role is developing leaders.
- Coach, mentor, and develop managers, supervisors, and emerging leaders through regular one-on-one engagement.
- Create individualized development plans that support both organizational needs and career growth aspirations.
- Provide ongoing feedback, guidance, and support to strengthen leadership capabilities throughout the organization.
- Build succession plans to ensure organizational continuity and future leadership readiness.
- Identify and remove barriers that limit team growth, empowerment, and decision-making.
Building a Culture of Trust & Collaboration
The Director of Distribution must intentionally create an environment where trust, teamwork, and collaboration thrive.
- Foster a culture built on mutual trust, respect, transparency, and accountability.
- Encourage open communication and constructive dialogue across all levels of the organization.
- Promote collaboration across Operations, Supply Chain, Customer Service, Product Management, IT, Finance, and Sales.
- Build strong working relationships that enable teams to solve problems collectively rather than independently.
- Recognize and reinforce behaviors that strengthen teamwork and organizational alignment.
- Lead by example through humility, integrity, consistency, and servant leadership.
Employee Engagement
- Create an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute.
- Drive associate engagement through communication, recognition, development, and continuous improvement participation.
- Ensure leaders throughout the organization are actively coaching and developing their teams.
- Build a culture where safety, people development, and operational excellence are equally valued outcomes.
Success Profile
The most successful Director of Distribution is not the person who personally solves every problem.
A successful leader in this role:
- Builds capable teams that solve problems independently.
- Develops managers into future leaders.
- Creates systems that reduce organizational dependency on individual contributors or heroics.
- Establishes a culture of trust, accountability, and collaboration.
- Continuously improves the business while simultaneously developing the people responsible for sustaining those improvements.
Why Join VIS LLC?
At VIS LLC, we value dedication, teamwork, and continuous improvement. Join our team to contribute to a dynamic organization committed to delivering top-quality products to our customers.
VIS LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.