Warehouse Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Warehouse Manager Job DescriptionPosition Title

Warehouse Manager

Reports To

Plant Manager

Position Summary

The Warehouse Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient, and accurate operation of all warehouse activities, including receiving, inventory control, storage, material handling, shipping, and transportation coordination. This position ensures materials and finished goods are available to support production requirements while maintaining inventory accuracy, regulatory compliance, and customer service standards. In a food manufacturing environment, the Warehouse Manager is responsible for ensuring compliance with food safety, quality, sanitation, and traceability requirements while leading warehouse personnel to achieve operational excellence.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Warehouse Operations
• Manage daily warehouse operations including receiving, storage, inventory control, and shipping.
• Ensure timely movement of raw materials, packaging materials, and finished goods.
• Develop and maintain warehouse processes that maximize efficiency and minimize waste.
• Coordinate material flow between warehouse and production departments.
• Monitor warehouse capacity and optimize storage utilization.
• Oversee cycle counting and physical inventory processes.
• Ensure proper stock rotation using FIFO/FEFO principles.
• Manage dock scheduling and transportation activities.

Inventory Management
• Maintain inventory accuracy targets of 99% or greater.
• Investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies.
• Monitor inventory levels and communicate shortages or excess inventory.
• Ensure accurate transaction processing within ERP/MRP systems.
• Lead annual physical inventories and periodic cycle counts.
• Analyze inventory trends and recommend improvements.

Food Safety & Quality
• Ensure compliance with SQF, BRC, FDA, USDA, and customer requirements.
• Maintain warehouse GMP standards.
• Ensure proper allergen segregation and storage practices.
• Verify traceability and lot control requirements are maintained.
• Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Ensure temperature-sensitive products are handled appropriately.
• Maintain warehouse sanitation programs.

Leadership & Team Development
• Recruit, train, develop, and manage warehouse personnel.
• Establish performance expectations and conduct performance reviews.
• Develop staffing plans to support operational requirements.
• Promote employee engagement and accountability.
• Lead daily shift meetings and communication activities.
• Ensure cross-training across warehouse functions.

Safety & Compliance
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure OSHA compliance.
• Conduct safety observations and warehouse inspections.
• Investigate incidents and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure proper operation of forklifts and material handling equipment.
• Maintain operator certifications and training records.
• Monitor compliance with company policies and procedures.

Continuous Improvement
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve productivity.
• Develop warehouse KPIs and performance metrics.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Improve inventory accuracy, order fulfillment, and labor efficiency.
• Participate in operational improvement projects. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Inventory Accuracy, Shipping Accuracy, Warehouse Labor Efficiency, Cycle Count Accuracy, Safety Incident Rate, Food Safety Audit Scores.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree preferred. 10+ years warehouse leadership experience, 7+ years management experience, food manufacturing experience preferred, ERP/MRP experience required, WMS experience required.

Preferred Certifications

Lean Six Sigma Certification, HACCP or SQF Certification.