Senior Operations Manager

CCA Professional Recruiting; Groveport (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Vehicle

Annual bonus up to 40%

Job summary

CCA Professional Recruiting has a featured opening for a Senior Operations Manager – Warehouse & Distribution in Columbus, OH. This role leads a growing operation in a startup-stabilization phase, focusing on establishing structure, strengthening processes, and building a high-performing team across multiple shifts.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive warehouse and distribution experience, strong people management, and a track record of improving safety, productivity, and service excellence

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading large warehouse/distribution ops.
• End-to-end warehouse ops: receiving, picking, packing, shipping, inventory movement.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end warehouse operations across multiple shifts.
• Drive productivity, KPI performance, and service levels.
• Lead senior supervisors and management teams; develop workforce.
• Establish SOPs, workflows, and accountability across the org.
• Monitor ops using WMS and reporting; drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Warehouse management

People management

Operational planning

Customer relationships

Safety focus

WMS knowledge

Tools

Blue Yonder WMS

Job description

Senior Operations Manager – Warehouse & Distribution

Location: Columbus, OH

Annual Bonus: Up to 40%

Additional Benefit: Company Vehicle

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Senior Operations Manager to lead a large-scale warehouse and distribution center operation in Columbus, Ohio.

This is an excellent opportunity for a strategic yet hands-on operations leader who can drive operational excellence, build and develop a strong leadership team, and successfully manage a growing distribution operation.

The facility is currently in its startup and stabilization phase, making this a critical leadership position. The selected candidate will be responsible for establishing operational structure, strengthening processes, developing the workforce, and ensuring consistent performance across multiple shifts.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive warehouse and distribution experience, strong people-management capabilities, excellent customer relationship skills, and the ability to lead teams through change while maintaining a strong focus on safety, productivity, and service excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Warehouse & Distribution Operations

• Oversee end-to-end warehouse operations, including receiving, picking, packing, shipping, and value-added services.
• Manage daily distribution activities across multiple shifts, ensuring operational efficiency, productivity, and service-level performance.
• Oversee inbound and outbound operations, including pallet picking, truckload, Less-Than-Truckload (LTL), and parcel shipments.
• Establish standardized operating procedures, workflows, and performance expectations.
• Monitor operational performance through warehouse management systems, productivity reports, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement corrective actions to improve efficiency and throughput.

Leadership & Team Development

• Provide strategic direction, coaching, and leadership to senior supervisors and operational management teams.
• Establish clear accountability, responsibilities, and performance expectations across all levels of the organization.
• Build, develop, and retain a high-performing workforce while strengthening employee engagement.
• Mentor supervisors and managers to improve leadership effectiveness and operational execution.
• Address employee relations, workforce challenges, and performance issues proactively.
• Foster a collaborative, performance-driven, and safety-focused work environment.

Operational Startup & Process Improvement

• Lead the stabilization and development of a relatively new warehouse operation.
• Establish a strong organizational structure and implement sustainable operational processes.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity, quality, and overall operational performance.
• Manage operational transitions and organizational changes while maintaining employee engagement.
• Demonstrate resilience and accountability in addressing startup challenges, staffing requirements, and evolving business needs.

Customer Relationship Management

• Serve as a primary operational point of contact for customer leadership and on-site representatives.
• Develop and maintain strong professional relationships with customer stakeholders.
• Communicate operational performance, challenges, corrective actions, and improvement initiatives effectively.
• Ensure customer expectations are consistently understood and met.
• Build customer confidence through transparency, accountability, and reliable operational execution.

Safety & Performance Management

• Promote and maintain a strong safety culture across all shifts and warehouse functions.
• Monitor key operational metrics, including receiving performance, outbound productivity, lines per hour, and picks per hour.
• Utilize engineered labor standards to identify productivity gaps and improve workforce efficiency.
• Analyze operational data and implement process improvements to achieve performance objectives.
• Partner with HR, Safety, and other corporate support teams to address operational requirements and resolve business challenges.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Significant experience in warehouse management, distribution center operations, or large-scale fulfillment environments.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end warehouse operations, including receiving, picking, packing, shipping, and inventory movement.
• Proven experience managing large operational teams, including supervisors, managers, and hourly associates.
• Demonstrated ability to establish operational structures, improve processes, and lead teams through organizational changes.
• Strong knowledge of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and operational reporting.
• Experience managing multiple shifts and ensuring consistent operational execution.
• Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to establish strong customer relationships and communicate effectively with senior-level stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of warehouse safety, labor productivity, workforce planning, and operational KPIs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience leading a greenfield warehouse startup, facility ramp-up, or operational stabilization initiative.
• Background in third-party logistics (3PL), contract logistics, or distribution operations.
• Experience with Blue Yonder WMS is highly preferred.
• Familiarity with mixed fulfillment operations involving pallet shipments, LTL, truckload, and parcel distribution.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, warehouse reporting, and operational performance analysis.
• Experience with engineered labor standards and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Exposure to domestic and export distribution operations.

Facility & Operational Overview

• Approximately 250,000 square feet of warehouse and distribution space.
• Approximately 80–90 employees across three shifts.
• Approximately 15 inbound trailer loads per day.
• Approximately 10–11 outbound truckload equivalents per day.
• Operations include pallet picking, truckload, LTL, and parcel shipments.
• Warehouse Management System: Blue Yonder.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a proactive and experienced warehouse operations leader who combines strategic thinking with hands-on operational management.

We are looking for someone who can bring structure to an evolving operation, develop strong leaders, improve workforce stability, and drive measurable operational results.

Candidates who have successfully managed large-scale distribution centers, led operational startups or transitions, and built strong customer relationships will be particularly well suited for this opportunity.

This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of a high-visibility operation, make a meaningful business impact, and contribute to the continued growth and operational success of a leading logistics organization.