Inventory Operations Manager

Gilder Search Group; North East (MD); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Abacus is seeking an Operations Manager for the Northeast, MD area. You will lead day-to-day fulfillment center operations across inbound, outbound, and returns, ensuring safety, quality, and on-time performance.

The role emphasizes people leadership, peak-season planning, and continuous improvement with Lean, Six Sigma, and KPI ownership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in supply chain, operations, or related field.
• 5–8+ years of progressive operations leadership in e-commerce, fulfillment, or high-volume distribution.
• Experience leading large teams in a multi-shift environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily fulfillment operations across inbound receiving, put-away, picking, packing, shipping, and returns.
• Ensure SLAs for same-day and next-day fulfillment are met and labor/workflows are optimized.
• Coach and develop Operations Managers and frontline leaders; drive safety and performance.
• Execute peak-season plans, staffing, and cross-training; manage labor and overtime.
• Own KPIs: units per hour, order accuracy, on-time ship rate, cycle time; lead root-cause analysis.
• Partner with IT/Engineering on WMS/OMS issues and support automation rollout.
• Manage departmental labor and operating costs within budget; identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Collaborate with Transportation, HR, Maintenance, Engineering, and IT; report performance.

Skills

execution

analytical thinking

hands-on leadership

WMS knowledge

cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain, operations, business, engineering, or related field

Tools

WMS

Labor management systems

OMS

Job description

Abacus is looking to hire an Operations Manager in the Northeast, MD Area.

The Operations Manager is responsible for leading day-to-day operations within a high-volume, fast-paced fulfillment center. This role ensures safe, efficient, and customer-focused execution across inbound, outbound, and returns operations while driving productivity, quality, and continuous improvement. The Senior Operations Manager plays a critical role in peak execution, people leadership, and operational scalability.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Fulfillment Operations Execution
  • Lead daily operations across inbound receiving, put-away, picking, packing, shipping, and returns.
  • Ensure consistent achievement of service level agreements (SLAs) for same-day and next-day order fulfillment.
  • Monitor real-time performance and adjust labor and workflows to meet changing demands.
• People Leadership
  • Lead and Develop Operations Managers, Area Managers, Supervisors, and frontline leaders.
  • Drive strong safety performance and ensure compliance with all workplace safety standards.
  • Coach leaders on performance management, engagement, and talent development.
• Peak & Labor Management
  • Execute peak-season and promotional event plans, including staffing, training, and shift coverage.
  • Manage labor productivity, attendance, and overtime to meet volume requirements.
  • Support flex staffing, temporary labor, and cross-training strategies.
• Performance Management & Continuous Improvement
  • Own operational KPIs such as units per hour, order accuracy, on-time ship rate, and cycle time.
  • Conduct root-cause analysis for misses and lead corrective action plans.
  • Drive Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen initiatives to improve speed, quality, and cost.
• Systems & Technology
  • Ensure effective use of WMS, OMS, labor management, and fulfillment technologies.
  • Partner with IT and engineering teams to resolve system issues and improve throughput.
  • Support rollout and stabilization of automation and process changes.
• Financial & Cost Control
  • Manage departmental labor and operating costs within budget.
  • Identify productivity improvements and cost-saving opportunities.
  • Support capital and process improvement business cases.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner closely with Transportation, Customer Experience, HR, Maintenance, Engineering, and IT teams.
  • Communicate operational status, risks, and performance updates to site leadership.
• Education & Experience
  • Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Operations, Business, Engineering, or related field preferred.
  • 5–8+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in e-commerce, fulfillment, or high-volume distribution.
  • Experience leading large teams in a multi-shift environment.
• Skills & Competencies
  • Strong execution in fast-paced, high-change environments.
  • Data-driven mindset with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Hands-on leadership style with the ability to coach and develop teams.
  • Working knowledge of WMS, labor management systems, and fulfillment KPIs.
  • Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Working Conditions
  • Fulfillment center environment with extended hours and peak-season demands.
  • Ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as required.
  • Minimal travel expected.
• Success Measures
  • On-time ship rate and order accuracy
  • Productivity and labor efficiency
  • Safety and compliance performance
  • Peak execution results
  • Team engagement and retention