Cold-Chain Continuous Improvement Lead

Judge Direct Placement

Virginia (MN)

On-site

USD 110,000 - 150,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Job summary

Judge Direct Placement is seeking a Supply Chain & Distribution Continuous Improvement Manager to lead Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen initiatives across cold-storage, fulfillment, and warehousing networks. You will drive dock-to-stock optimization, inventory flow, and outbound logistics, partnering with DC managers, transportation leads, and QA.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in CI for supply chains, Green Belt at minimum, and strong WMS/TMS and data analytics skills.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in SCM, Logistics, IE, or related.
5+ years CI experience in supply chain, warehousing, or distribution, with preference for temperature-controlled food or perishable protein manufacturing/distribution.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt required; Black Belt certification strongly preferred.
Proficiency with Enterprise WMS and TMS software (e.g., SAP, Manhattan, RedPrairie/Blue Yonder, Oracle). Advanced Excel and data analytics skills (Power BI, Tableau, or Minitab).
Solid understanding of cold-chain logistics, food safety standards (FSMA, HACCP, USDA guidelines for storage/transit), and OSHA safety regulations in material handling.

Responsibilities

Lead CI strategies across cold-storage, fresh, and frozen distribution centers to streamline dock-to-stock cycle times, staging, order assembly, and outbound trailer loading.
Implement pick-path optimization, dynamic warehouse slotting, and inventory flow improvements to maximize cube utilization and reduce labor movement in refrigerated environments.
Standardize SOPs across multi-site distribution networks for receiving, putaway, cycle counting, picking, packing, and shipping.
Partner with Transportation and Fleet Management to improve route efficiency, dock door turn-times, backhaul strategies, and carrier compliance.
Drive continuous improvement in temperature-controlled supply chain workflows, minimizing temperature excursions, product loss, and shelf-life degradation.
Analyze logistics and warehousing KPIs (e.g., OTIF, Order Fill Rate, Dock-to-Stock Time, Pick Rate, Damage/Scrap Rate, and Cost-per-Case Shipped).
Deploy Lean Logistics, 5S, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Kaizen frameworks tailored to distribution and warehousing employees.
Coach and mentor Distribution Center leadership and frontline staff on problem-solving techniques and continuous improvement toolkits.
Facilitate cross-functional improvement teams between Manufacturing Operations, Quality Assurance, and Logistics to resolve systemic supply chain bottlenecks.
Leverage Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), and automated material handling systems (e.g., ASRS, voice picking) to extract data and drive automation solutions.
Conduct cost-benefit and return-on-investment (ROI) analyses for capital expenditure (CapEx) proposals in warehouse technology, racking, or automation.