Director of Warehouse & Transportation Operations

Director of Warehouse & Transportation Operations

Food & Beverage Distribution

Location: Holtsville, NY

Salary: Up to $175,000

Schedule: Full-Time | On-Site

Industry: Food & Beverage / Grocery Distribution

Position Overview

A well-established food and beverage distribution company in Holtsville, NY is seeking an experienced Director of Warehouse & Transportation Operations to oversee its warehouse, transportation, fleet, maintenance, and facility operations.

This senior leadership role is responsible for a 24-hour, Sunday through Friday operation supporting the distribution of grocery, dairy, frozen, and refrigerated products.

The Director will be accountable for operational performance, labor productivity, transportation, inventory accuracy, safety, service levels, cost control, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader with significant experience managing high-volume, multi-shift distribution environments , preferably within food, grocery, beverage, or cold-chain operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all warehouse, transportation, fleet, maintenance, receiving, picking, loading, and facility operations .
• Manage and develop warehouse and transportation managers, supervisors, dispatchers, maintenance personnel, and operational teams.
• Optimize staffing, scheduling, labor utilization, and resources across multiple shifts.
• Establish and manage KPIs including warehouse productivity, picking accuracy, inventory accuracy, overtime, cost per case, cost per delivery, on-time delivery, route efficiency, fleet utilization, and safety.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement measurable process improvements.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, operating policies, performance standards, and accountability measures.
• Maintain a strong culture focused on safety, accountability, productivity, continuous improvement, and customer service .
• Oversee transportation safety, fleet maintenance, inspections, repairs, and applicable DOT/FMCSA compliance .
• Ensure proper warehouse sanitation, food safety, inventory control, and cold-chain standards.
• Maintain temperature-control requirements and applicable HACCP/SQF principles for dairy, frozen, and refrigerated products.
• Oversee weekly warehouse labor incentive and bonus reporting, resolve discrepancies, and ensure accurate payroll submission.
• Lead implementation of new warehouse and transportation technologies and operational initiatives.
• Manage warehouse, transportation, fleet, maintenance, and facility operating expenses.
• Participate in budgeting and capital planning.
• Develop contingency plans for seasonal peaks, volume fluctuations, staffing shortages, equipment failures, and operational disruptions.
• Partner with Sales, Purchasing, Finance, Customer Service, and Human Resources to improve service and resolve operational challenges.
• Recruit, coach, develop, and evaluate operational managers and supervisors.
• Maintain regular visibility across daytime, evening, and overnight operations.

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of warehouse, distribution, transportation, or logistics experience.
• 5+ years of management or senior operational leadership experience.
• Proven experience managing a high-volume, multi-shift warehouse/distribution operation .
• Food, grocery, beverage, refrigerated, frozen, or other perishable/cold-chain distribution experience strongly preferred .
• Strong knowledge of warehouse operations, transportation, routing, fleet management, inventory control, labor management, and safety.
• Experience with WMS, TMS, ERP, routing, and scanning systems .
• Demonstrated ability to manage KPIs and drive measurable operational improvements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel .
• Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or continuous improvement experience preferred.
• Knowledge of warehouse safety and DOT/transportation compliance preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent relevant experience.

Work Environment & Schedule

This is an on-site position in Holtsville, NY within an active food distribution facility.

The operation runs 24 hours per day, Sunday through Friday . The Director will primarily work daytime business hours but must maintain regular visibility across all shifts, including periodic evening and overnight visits.

The position includes regular exposure to refrigerated areas of approximately 35–45°F and freezer environments of 0°F and below . Occasional lifting of up to 50 lbs. may be required.

Availability outside normal business hours is expected when significant operational issues arise.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: Up to $175,000 , based on experience.

• Health Insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid Time Off