Senior Manager, Production Operations

KeHE Senior Manager, Production Operations

KeHE-a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor-is all about "good" and is growing, so there's never been a more exciting time to join our team. If you're enthusiastic about working in an environment with a people-first culture and an organization committed to good living, good food and good service, we'd love to talk to you!

Primary Responsibilities

The Senior Manager, Production Operations, is responsible for leading overall warehouse operations, including inbound, outbound, inventory control, and workforce management across multiple shifts. This role ensures the site meets operational performance targets and service expectations while fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. The Senior Manager serves as the key liaison between the distribution center and cross-functional support groups such as Transportation, Inventory, Safety, Finance, and Human Resources. As with all positions at KeHE Distributors, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE's Mission, Vision, and Values.

Essential Functions

DUTIES, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide overall leadership and direction for daily and strategic warehouse operations, including labor planning, safety, productivity, quality, and customer service.
• Lead, coach, and develop warehouse management staff and frontline leaders; support team growth, succession planning, and a positive work environment.
• Monitor and drive performance using KPIs (e.g., on-time shipping, productivity, inventory accuracy, safety incidents) to meet or exceed goals.
• Conduct daily operational reviews with leadership team, ensuring execution of pre-shift plans, mid-shift adjustments, and post-shift evaluations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners (e.g., Transportation, Inventory, HR, Safety) to solve problems, implement initiatives, and align site strategy.
• Act as the primary point of contact for distribution center leadership and serve as liaison to internal support functions.
• Identify operational bottlenecks or inefficiencies; lead or sponsor process improvement initiatives using Lean or Six Sigma methodologies.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, food safety, and company-specific regulatory standards.
• Develop operational forecasts and resource plans in partnership with Finance and other departments.
• Promote a hands-on leadership style by maintaining visibility and active engagement on the warehouse floor.
• Work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays, to support business needs and operational demands.
• Perform other duties and projects as assigned.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Hands-On Leader: Actively engages with the team and leads by example on the floor.
• Results-Focused: Holds self and others accountable for measurable outcomes.
• Team Builder: Coaches and develops talent; supports career growth for direct reports.
• Adaptable & Solutions-Oriented: Comfortable navigating ambiguity and solving operational challenges.
• Collaborative: Strong communicator who works well across departments and levels.
• Strong end-to-end distribution knowledge, with a proven ability to drive operational success in a high-volume environment
• Proven leadership skills with experience managing frontline supervisors and salaried leaders
• Expertise in warehouse systems (WMS) and analytics to evaluate performance and support decision-making
• Excellent communication skills across all levels of the organization; strong presentation and reporting capabilities
• Ability to influence, resolve conflict, and build consensus across teams and functions
• Deep understanding of safety practices, regulatory compliance, and inventory control methods
• Experience implementing Lean or Six Sigma practices for continuous improvement
• High emotional intelligence with strong interpersonal and situational leadership skills
• Capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, ever-changing distribution environment
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (especially Excel); ability to learn and utilize internal systems quickly
• Comfortable accessing all areas and levels of the facility, including production floors and racking systems

Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 6+ years of progressive warehouse/distribution leadership experience, including 3+ years managing leaders or teams
• Experience in the food, grocery, or consumer goods industry preferred
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) is a plus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
• Ability to stand, walk, climb, bend, and lift up to 50 lbs in a distribution environment
• Must be able to access all areas of the facility, including cold storage zones if applicable
• Willingness to work in varied temperature conditions (ambient, refrigerated, frozen) and non-standard shifts when required

Equal Employer Opportunity Statement: KeHE Distributors provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or faith, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training as well as the administration of all Human Resources and Talent Acquisition processes.