Warehouse Supervisor

Warehouse Supervisor

The Warehouse Supervisor is responsible for leading the day-to-day warehouse operations of the MN/DAK Distribution Center and ensuring work is completed safely, accurately, efficiently, and with a high level of customer service.

This position provides direct daily leadership to approximately 4-5 warehouse employees and is responsible for coordinating workload, assigning priorities, monitoring execution, coaching employees, and maintaining consistent operational standards. The Warehouse Supervisor works closely with the Distribution Center Manager to ensure the MN/DAK distribution operation meets the needs of the branches and customers it supports.

People Leadership & Accountability

The Warehouse Supervisor provides direct daily leadership to approximately 4-5 warehouse employees.

Plan daily work and assign responsibilities based on workload, priorities, staffing, branch needs, and operational deadlines.

Clearly communicate daily expectations and priorities to warehouse employees.

Monitor employee performance and follow through on assigned responsibilities.

Provide timely coaching, feedback, recognition, and direction.

Address performance, attendance, behavioral, safety, and accountability concerns promptly and professionally.

Document positive and negative performance behaviors in accordance with company expectations.

Partner with the Distribution Center Manager on employee performance management and development.

Assist with onboarding, training, cross-training, and development of warehouse employees.

Lead by example and consistently demonstrate the standards expected from the team.

Daily Warehouse Operations

The Warehouse Supervisor is responsible for coordinating and overseeing daily warehouse execution.

Oversee receiving, put-away, picking, staging, shipping, transfers, returns, and other warehouse activities.

Review daily workload and establish priorities based on customer needs, branch requirements, transportation schedules, and available staffing.

Ensure incoming inventory is received accurately and in a timely manner.

Ensure branch transfers and customer orders are picked, staged, and shipped accurately and on schedule.

Coordinate workload throughout the day and adjust employee assignments as operational needs change.

Monitor Will Call and customer-order activity to ensure timely service.

Ensure shortages, damages, fulfillment issues, and other operational problems are communicated promptly.

Assist the team with warehouse work when needed while maintaining responsibility for supervising the overall operation.

Communicate unfinished work, operational concerns, and next-day priorities to the Distribution Center Manager.

Inventory Accuracy

The Warehouse Supervisor is responsible for promoting and maintaining accurate inventory throughout the MN/DAK distribution operation.

Ensure inventory movements and warehouse transactions are completed accurately.

Monitor receiving, picking, staging, shipping, transfers, returns, and restocking processes for accuracy.

Coordinate and verify completion of assigned cycle counts and inventory audits.

Research inventory discrepancies and ensure appropriate corrective action is taken.

Ensure product and bin locations are maintained accurately.

Monitor Will Call, shipping, receiving, transfer, and other staging locations for inventory accuracy.

Identify recurring causes of inventory discrepancies and work with the Distribution Center Manager to improve processes.

Coach employees when process or transaction errors contribute to inventory inaccuracies.

Safety

Safety is a primary responsibility of the Warehouse Supervisor.

Follow and reinforce all company safety policies and procedures.

Ensure employees use proper lifting and material-handling techniques.

Ensure forklifts, order pickers, pallet jacks, and other equipment are operated safely and only by properly trained employees.

Ensure required PPE and safety equipment are used.

Immediately address or stop unsafe work practices and correct or report unsafe conditions.

Monitor warehouse racking, material storage, equipment, aisles, loading areas, and workspaces for safety concerns.

Ensure spills, debris, loose banding, shrink wrap, damaged pallets, and other hazards are addressed promptly.

Report equipment, racking, facility, or other safety concerns to the Distribution Center Manager.

Help investigate incidents, near misses, product damage, or safety concerns as assigned.

Reinforce that safety takes priority over speed or productivity.

Warehouse Organization

Maintain a warehouse that is clean, organized, safe, efficient, and ready to serve branches and customers.

Maintain clear aisles, staging areas, loading areas, and workstations.

Ensure inventory is stored safely and in designated locations.

Maintain appropriate organization of receiving, shipping, transfer, Will Call, and other staging areas.

Monitor warehouse space utilization and recommend improvements.

Ensure equipment, tools, pallets, and materials are returned to designated locations.

Coordinate routine warehouse supply needs.

Monitor equipment and racking conditions and communicate maintenance needs.

Reinforce that warehouse organization is part of daily work rather than an occasional cleanup activity.

Technology & Systems

The Warehouse Supervisor is expected to effectively use and reinforce the technology required to manage warehouse operations.

Utilize and support employee use of P21, WWMS handheld devices, POD/signature capture, and other warehouse technology.

Understand how receiving, picking, transfers, inventory movements, restocking, and shipping transactions affect inventory accuracy.

Help troubleshoot routine transaction or process issues.

Ensure employees receive appropriate systems and process training.

Monitor employee compliance with established system processes.

Identify recurring transaction errors and provide coaching or recommend process improvements.

Branch & Transportation Support

The MN/DAK Distribution Center exists to reliably support the branches and customers it serves.

Coordinate warehouse activity with scheduled branch transfers and transportation requirements.

Maintain awareness of transfer deadlines and branch service expectations.

Communicate shortages, delays, damages, or fulfillment issues promptly.

Work collaboratively with drivers, branch personnel, Customer Service, Sales, Purchasing, and other departments as needed.

Help resolve operational issues that could affect branch or customer service.

Maintain professional communication with carriers, vendors, drivers, and internal customers.

Escalate significant service, transportation, inventory, or operational concerns to the Distribution Center Manager.

Training & Employee Development

The Warehouse Supervisor plays an important role in developing a capable and consistent warehouse team.

Support onboarding and training of new employees.

Reinforce standardized warehouse procedures and best practices.

Observe employee performance and identify training opportunities.

Provide hands-on coaching and follow-up.

Ensure employees understand not only what process to follow but why the process matters.

Cross-train employees to improve operational flexibility and coverage.

Help develop employees who demonstrate the ability and desire to take on additional responsibility.

Partner with the Distribution Center Manager on employee development planning.

Continuous Improvement

The Warehouse Supervisor is expected to help improve the operation rather than simply maintain existing practices.

Identify recurring operational problems and help determine their root causes.

Recommend improvements to warehouse layout, workflow, inventory accuracy, safety, organization, and productivity.

Work with warehouse employees to identify practical process improvements.

Help implement and reinforce approved process changes.

Monitor whether process changes produce the intended results.

Promote consistent processes and standardized work throughout the MN/DAK distribution operation.

Participate in company continuous-improvement initiatives as requested.

Communication & Ownership

The Warehouse Supervisor is expected to maintain proactive communication with the Distribution Center Manager and take ownership of normal day-to-day operational decisions.

Communicate significant safety concerns, staffing issues, employee performance concerns, inventory discrepancies, equipment problems, service risks, and workload concerns early.

When escalating a problem, communicate what is known, what action has already been taken, and what assistance may be needed.

Make thoughtful day-to-day decisions based on safety, customer impact, accuracy, urgency, and available resources.

Recognize when an issue requires escalation to the Distribution Center Manager.

Take ownership of problems and follow through until they are resolved.

Ask questions when authority, policy, or expectations are unclear.

Communicate mistakes and problems rather than hiding them.

Accept feedback and adjust when a different approach is needed.