Warehouse Supervisor (2nd shift)

Warehouse Supervisor (2nd Shift)

Lead the Team. Drive the Operation. Set the Standard.

As the Second Shift Supervisor at Upper Lakes Foods, you play a key role in keeping our warehouse running safely, efficiently, and productively. You are the leader on the floor, responsible for guiding the second-shift team, coordinating daily workflow, and making sure orders are selected, loaded, and prepared accurately and on time.

This is a hands-on leadership position. You will spend much of your shift working alongside your team, solving problems as they arise, keeping productivity on track, and making sure safety remains a priority. You will also work closely with management and other departments to identify opportunities to improve our processes and better serve our customers.

Lead with Safety First

Safety is at the heart of everything we do. As Second Shift Supervisor, you will lead by example and help create a workplace where employees understand that safety is everyone's responsibility.

You will ensure that employees follow company safety procedures as well as applicable OSHA and DOT requirements. You will conduct safety meetings and audits, help investigate and report accidents, maintain appropriate records, and address potential hazards before they become problems.

You will also oversee the safe operation and maintenance of warehouse equipment, including forklifts, pallet jacks, scanners, and other tools used throughout the facility.

Lead and Develop Your Team

Great warehouse operations begin with great people. You will lead and supervise second-shift employees while also supporting the oversight of first-shift employees when needed.

Your leadership responsibilities will include helping with hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, and performance management. You will recognize strong performance, address concerns professionally, and help employees develop the skills they need to succeed.

At the beginning of each shift, you will lead pre-shift meetings with clear agendas, communicating daily priorities, productivity expectations, safety updates, and other important information.

You will be expected to create a positive, respectful, and accountable work environment where employees understand what is expected of them and feel supported in meeting those expectations.

Keep the Warehouse Moving

Each shift brings its own challenges, and you will be responsible for keeping the operation moving.

You will oversee order selection, scheduling, staffing, and workflow to meet daily productivity and operational goals. You will monitor the progress of the team, identify bottlenecks, adjust priorities, and delegate work where it is needed most.

You will work directly with order selectors and forklift operators, assisting with order selection when necessary and overseeing forklift replenishment to keep product available and prevent delays.

You will also manage truck mapping through the Warehouse Management System (WMS) and coordinate the placement of trucks and trailers at loading doors to create an efficient loading process.

Be a Hands-On Leader

This position requires more than managing from a desk. You will be actively involved in the operation and should be comfortable working in a fast-paced warehouse environment.

You will supervise physical truck loading, including the use of pallet jacks and manual stacking. You may also assist with receiving and unloading inbound shipments when necessary to maintain the flow of operations.

When equipment needs attention, you will ensure that issues are properly reported and that necessary repairs or maintenance are scheduled.

Your ability to recognize a problem, determine what needs to happen next, and take action will be critical to your success.

Build Better Processes

We believe there is always an opportunity to do things better.

As Second Shift Supervisor, you will work with employees and managers to identify workflow, staffing, and operational challenges. You will review existing practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and make recommendations to the General Manager.

Once improvements are approved, you will help put them into practice and ensure that changes are communicated clearly to the team.

Experience with lean practices, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies is preferred, but the most important quality is a willingness to look at a process and ask, "Is there a better way to do this?"

Support the People Behind the Operation

Strong communication and teamwork are essential to this role. You will work closely with employees, managers, HR, payroll, and other departments to resolve issues and keep the operation running smoothly.

You will assist with forecasting labor needs, approve timecards, and communicate staffing or scheduling concerns. You will also build positive working relationships throughout the company and with external stakeholders.

Whether you are coaching an employee, working through a staffing challenge, or coordinating a truck at the loading dock, you will represent Upper Lakes Foods through your professionalism, integrity, and respect for others.

What You Bring

A High School Diploma or equivalent is required. An Associate or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Transportation/Logistics, or a related field is preferred.

We are looking for someone with previous leadership or supervisory experience, preferably in a warehouse or distribution environment. At least one year of supervisory experience with the ability to lead teams, delegate responsibilities, coach employees, and address performance concerns is required.

You should be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and communicating effectively in spoken and written English. Strong leadership, critical thinking, coordination, time management, and conflict-resolution skills are important to success in this position.

Bilingual English/Spanish skills are preferred but not required.

Experience with warehouse management systems, data entry and reporting, order fulfillment, inventory accuracy, and Microsoft Office is also preferred.

Certifications and Licensing

You must be able to obtain forklift certification and must have, or be able to obtain, a valid driver's license.

A Physically Active Work Environment

This is an active warehouse position. You will work around racking, forklifts, concrete floors, coolers, and freezers and may frequently encounter wet or humid conditions, moving mechanical equipment, extreme cold, and elevated noise levels.

Most of your time will be spent standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting rather than sitting at a workstation. The position frequently requires lifting cases averaging approximately 30 pounds, with occasional lifting of cases weighing up to 80 pounds.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Why Upper Lakes Foods?

Upper Lakes Foods, Inc. is the largest independent wholesale food distributor in Minnesota, with facilities in Cloquet and Northfield, Minnesota, and Janesville, Wisconsin. We serve foodservice operators throughout the Upper Midwest, including independent restaurants, assisted living facilities, schools, and national and regional foodservice chains.

Our mission is simple: to build value for every customer, employee, supplier, and community we serve by bringing the best products, the best people, and the best ideas.

Our Core Values

Everything we do is guided by six core values:

• Strong Work Ethic – We believe in hard work, perseverance, and consistency of character.

• Positive Attitude – We encourage flexibility, cooperation, and an approach that promotes successful outcomes.

• Integrity – We believe in honesty, truthfulness, and consistency in our actions.

• Teamwork – We believe that when people work together, the result is better quality, safety, and service.

• Professional Appearance – We believe in maintaining an appearance that reflects good hygiene, neatness, and professionalism.

• Respectful Interaction – We are committed to creating a workplace where employees are treated fairly and work in a safe, positive environment.

Be Part of the Team

The Second Shift Supervisor is more than a supervisor. You are a leader, coach, problem-solver, and role model who helps bring people and processes together to deliver outstanding results.

If you are someone who takes pride in hard work, values teamwork and safety, enjoys developing people, and thrives in a fast-moving warehouse environment, we invite you to bring your leadership to Upper Lakes Foods.

Upper Lakes Foods is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Please see full job description located on the Upper Lakes Foods website.