Area Manager

Area Manager

The Area Manager is a frontline supervisory role instrumental in ensuring safe and efficient operations of a $1B company's 1.8M Sq Ft automated distribution center (DC). Leading a dedicated team of mostly hourly contractors, the Area Manager oversees the accurate handling of merchandise and optimizing throughput. This position requires a strong blend of leadership, operational expertise in an automated facility, and a deep understanding of distribution operations, while working in a fast-paced, diverse team environment that prioritizes collaboration, trust, and teamwork to drive employee and customer satisfaction. Proactive leadership is essential in driving efficiency, maintaining safety protocols, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Developing and empowering the team to meet and exceed operational goals is a key responsibility of this role. Reporting directly to the Operations Manager, the Area Manager plays a pivotal role in the success of our distribution center.

Leadership ResponsibilitiesAt ULAC, we are looking for people who share our vision of fostering a collaborative culture of continuous improvement. All leadership roles at ULAC are responsible for developing, empowering, and growing our people to be and deliver their best. Leadership behaviors that model ULAC's mission and values of Unity, Loyalty, Achievement, and Charity include:

• Lead Proactively: Anticipate and solve problems with foresight, reflection, and curiosity. Inspire, reinforce, and motivate team members to be solution-oriented and strive for performance excellence. Identify and drive creative solutions.
• Provide Positive & Frequent Performance Feedback: Maximize performance and motivation by acknowledging and reinforcing good performance, identifying opportunities for growth, and supporting continuous development.
• Initiate Structure: Establish, communicate, and achieve ambitious and specific team goals. Consistently plan and build structured processes that reinforce company objectives.
• Achieve Objectives: Develop, initiate, and enhance plans that enable the execution of work. Provide consistent guidance, follow-up, feedback, support, and encouragement to team members to overcome barriers to success. Understand, use, and monitor all relevant reporting system metrics to make informed decisions that impact our people, processes, and systems.
• Foster Positive Culture: Perpetuate positive change and continuous improvement in processes and culture by fostering an optimistic, trusting, innovative, and open work environment.
• Communicate Effectively: Encourage effective dialogue, problem-solving, and conflict resolution by actively listening to, seeking to understand, and fostering collaboration with peers, leadership, and direct reports.
• Motivate and Inspire: Cultivate and empower high-performing teams by modeling company values, demonstrating respect, and providing constructive feedback. Serve as a visionary to encourage individuals and teams to reach their greatest potential.
• Train and Develop Others: Fulfill employee training and development needs by serving as a coach, mentor, and facilitator of their knowledge transfer, skill development, and ability to achieve high performance.

Functional Responsibilities

Operations Management: Proactively manage and maintain daily and weekly operational efficiency by monitoring and ensuring performance standards are met accordingly in a time sensitive and fast-paced automated distribution center. Effectively manage team of associates, utilizing insights into business volume forecasting to anticipate and prepare for future trends. In alignment with Operations Manager, use discretion and sound judgment to maintain the integrity of our Mission, Vision, and Values statement in making all business decisions.

Team Leadership and Supervision: Supervise, direct, and develop a team of leads and associates within the designated distribution center areas, ensuring attention to detail, safety, efficiency, and meeting of key performance metrics. Delegate tasks and responsibilities effectively, ensuring each team member understands their role and objectives.

Performance Monitoring and Quality Assurance: Assume personal responsibility to meet and exceed department key performance indicators (KPIs) and productivity levels, while maintaining quality and accuracy. Validate quality and accuracy of associate duties and responsibilities, ensuring efficient, accurate, and productive completion of all tasks. Proactively observe team members, point out what they are doing right, hold them responsible to meet performance standards such as adherence to safety, and document coaching conversations related to performance.

Planning and Organization: Demonstrate strong planning skills to efficiently manage daily operations in a high-volume fast-paced environment. Proactively plan and organize workflows within the assigned area to ensure efficient operations and optimal use of resources.

Collaboration and Strategic Planning: Initiate collaboration with Senior Leaders, shared services, and team members to develop strategic plans and procedures to increase throughput, accuracy, and efficiency. Use operational metrics to forecast trends to effectively deploy and support team members.

Communication and Relationship Management: Maintain high frequent engagement with team members on the floor to drive the flow of work and make necessary adjustments to ensure efficiency, productivity, and accuracy. Develop and maintain constructive and cooperative working relationships with direct manager, peers, and team members, proactively resolving conflicts and grievances as needed. Demonstrate ability to effectively communicate with Supervisors, Peers, or Associates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Safety, Compliance, and Training: Ensure all safety programs and requirements are met, holding the organization to the highest standards of safety and compliance. Provide on-the-job training and coaching to new and existing employees to ensure compliance with safety regulations and continuous improvement in driving throughput and efficiency. Proactively identify training needs tied to strategic outcomes, and collaborate with management team to develop targeted training programs to optimize workflows.

Subject Matter Expertise and Administrative Duties: Develop a deep understanding of standard operating procedures and systems, gaining subject matter expertise in the designated distribution center's assigned area. Perform administrative tasks such as maintaining information files, processing paperwork, and other duties as assigned by Operations Manager. Perform other duties as assigned by Operations Manager in support of ULAC's operations.

Continuing Education and Professional Development: Stay up to date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices relevant to managing automated distribution centers, improving supply chain operations, and refining logistics efficiencies. Pursue advanced certifications or specialized training programs tailored to the critical aspects of the Area Manager role, such as Lean Six Sigma, Project Management Professional (PMP), or Certified Automation Professional (CAP). Maintain active membership and engagement in relevant industry associations to foster knowledge exchange, share insights, and establish strategic partnerships with industry peers.

Education/Qualifications

REQUIRED: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or related field, or a minimum of 3 years of experience in 3rdParty Logistics or warehouse. Demonstrated knowledge of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Microsoft Office Suite with advanced proficiency in Excel. Demonstrated proficiency in interpersonal skills through successful interactions in diverse professional settings. Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both written and verbal. Exceptional organizational and administrative skills.

PREFERRED: Bachelor's degree specifically in Supply Chain, Logistics, or related field. Fluency in Spanish.

Experience

REQUIRED: Minimum of 3 years of experience in a management role within a distribution center or warehouse. Demonstrated leadership expertise, with a proven track record of fostering employee engagement, talent acquisition, retention, and development. Experience in resolving interpersonal conflicts and promoting a positive workplace culture. Proven ability to lead teams effectively, providing clear direction and proactively addressing challenges. Proven ability to work in a time sensitive, high volume, fast paced, high-energy environment. Aptitude for identifying and communicating opportunities for process improvement. Strong capability to establish and nurture both internal and external business relationships, emphasizing customer satisfaction and partnership.

PREFERRED: Previous experience in a leadership role specifically within automated distribution centers, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of automated systems and processes. Familiarity with Lean principles or Six Sigma methodologies, with a track record of implementing continuous improvement initiatives within a distribution center. Experience in warehouse Value Added Services and Special Services, pick and pack, distribution, picking/replenishment process, particularly in the apparel/accessories sector.

This is for 2nd Shift.

United Legwear & Apparel Co.