Operations Manager

Northpoint Development, Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness benefits

Paid time off

Retirement savings programs

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

NorthPoint Fresh in Chicago is seeking an Operations Manager to lead day-to-day operations across warehousing, distribution, transportation support, inventory management, and value-added services. You will drive safety, productivity, and customer satisfaction while coaching multiple teams and implementing process improvements.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in operations leadership within warehousing or cold-chain environments, with strong focus on WMS/ERP and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent work experience considered.
• 5+ years of progressive operations leadership in warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, logistics, or supply chain operations.
• Experience managing leaders, supervisors, and large frontline employee populations.
• Experience within a food, beverage, cold chain, or temperature-controlled environment preferred.
• Demonstrated success managing complex customer requirements, service-level expectations, and operational performance metrics.
• Experience with warehouse management systems (WMS), inventory management, and labor planning.
• Exceptional leadership and team development skills with strong operational and business acumen.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop supervisors, warehouse managers, leads, and frontline associates across multiple operational departments and shifts.
• Drive a culture of safety, food safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the facility.
• Manage daily warehouse operations including receiving, storage, shipping, inventory control, fulfillment, repack, and value-added services.
• Partner with customers and internal stakeholders to ensure operational requirements and service expectations are consistently achieved.
• Monitor facility performance through key operational metrics, labor management, productivity reporting, and customer KPIs.
• Identify and implement process improvements that increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service performance.
• Develop staffing plans and labor strategies that align with business demands and seasonal fluctuations.
• Support customer onboarding initiatives, operational transitions, and new business implementation activities.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, food safety requirements, regulatory standards, and customer-specific requirements.
• Lead performance management activities, including coaching, training, employee development, corrective action, and succession planning.
• Collaborate with maintenance, quality assurance, transportation, and customer service teams to drive operational success.
• Participate in budgeting, forecasting, and cost management initiatives to support facility financial objectives.
• Maintain a strong floor presence and actively engage with employees, customers, and operational leaders throughout the facility.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Conflict resolution

Employee engagement

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Staff development

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Equivalent work experience considered

Tools

WMS

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Operations Manager is responsible for leading day-to-day operations within a highly complex temperature-controlled warehouse environment. This role provides leadership across multiple operational functions, including warehousing, distribution, transportation support, inventory management, fulfillment, value-added services, and customer-specific programs. The Operations Manager oversees multiple teams and leaders while driving operational excellence, safety, customer satisfaction, productivity, and financial performance. This position plays a critical role in supporting business growth, onboarding new customers, implementing process improvements, and ensuring service levels are consistently achieved across a diverse customer portfolio. The ideal candidate is a proven leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, effectively manages competing priorities, develops high-performing teams, and delivers exceptional customer service.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead and develop supervisors, warehouse managers, leads, and frontline associates across multiple operational departments and shifts.
• Drive a culture of safety, food safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the facility.
• Manage daily warehouse operations including receiving, storage, shipping, inventory control, fulfillment, repack, and value-added services.
• Partner with customers and internal stakeholders to ensure operational requirements and service expectations are consistently achieved.
• Monitor facility performance through key operational metrics, labor management, productivity reporting, and customer KPIs.
• Identify and implement process improvements that increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service performance.
• Develop staffing plans and labor strategies that align with business demands and seasonal fluctuations.
• Support customer onboarding initiatives, operational transitions, and new business implementation activities.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, food safety requirements, regulatory standards, and customer-specific requirements.
• Lead performance management activities, including coaching, training, employee development, corrective action, and succession planning.
• Collaborate with maintenance, quality assurance, transportation, and customer service teams to drive operational success.
• Participate in budgeting, forecasting, and cost management initiatives to support facility financial objectives.
• Maintain a strong floor presence and actively engage with employees, customers, and operational leaders throughout the facility.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent work experience considered.
• 5+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, logistics, or supply chain operations.
• Experience managing leaders, supervisors, and large frontline employee populations.
• Experience within a food, beverage, cold chain, or temperature-controlled environment preferred.
• Demonstrated success managing complex customer requirements, service-level expectations, and operational performance metrics.
• Experience with warehouse management systems (WMS), inventory management, and labor planning.
• Exceptional leadership and team development skills with strong operational and business acumen.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, conflict-resolution, and employee-engagement skills.
• Strong organizational and project management capabilities; proficiency with WMS, ERP platforms, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range: $85,000-95,000 annually. NorthPoint Fresh offers a competitive compensation package designed to reward performance and support professional growth. Eligible employees may have access to performance-based incentive opportunities, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, paid time off, retirement savings programs, professional development opportunities, and other company-sponsored benefits.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Physical activity: Regularly walk warehouse floors and spend extended periods in a temperature-controlled environment.
• Lifting requirements: Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
• Work environment: Ability to work in both office and warehouse settings, including refrigerated, cold storage, and ambient areas.
• Operational environment: Ability to safely navigate warehouse equipment traffic, loading docks, and active operational areas.
• Personal protective equipment: Must be able to wear required PPE as applicable to the work area.
• Schedule flexibility: May be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, or extended hours based on operational and customer needs.