Sr Returns Operations Manager

Williams-Sonoma Inc.; Olive Branch (MS); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous employee discounts

Health benefits

Job summary

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. seeks a Sr Returns Operations Manager to lead high-volume returns and reverse logistics in Olive Branch, MS.

This onsite role demands strategic thinking, strong people leadership, and the ability to scale during peak seasons while maintaining strict process discipline and safety standards. You will drive performance across safety, service, quality, cost, and productivity, coaching frontline leaders to build a robust leadership pipeline and ensuring flawless handoffs and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field with 5–7 years of progressive leadership experience in distribution, logistics, or Fulfillment Operations.
• In lieu of a degree, 7–9 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in distribution or logistics will be considered.
• At least 1–3 years of Reverse Logistics/Returns experience.
• This is an onsite, in-office role.
• Demonstrated success leading people, process, and performance in a complex, high-volume operation.
• Strong ability to communicate with clarity, set direction, and influence across multiple levels.
• Proven track record of follow-up, follow-through, and execution discipline.
• Demonstrated operational savvy, sound judgment, and the ability to make effective decisions in real time.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Experience leading effectively through seasonal peaks, volume surges, or other demand-driven operational shifts.

Responsibilities

• Own shift-level performance across safety, service, quality, cost, and productivity.
• Maintain high performance standards across all functions, ensuring consistency with first-shift execution.
• Make sound, real-time decisions to keep the operation moving and resolve issues quickly and effectively.
• Ensure strong shift handoff discipline, operational continuity, and follow-through on key priorities.
• Think critically in a fast-paced environment where priorities, volume, and operational needs can shift quickly.
• Coach and develop front-line leaders and high-potential talent to build a strong internal leadership pipeline.
• Set clear direction, reinforce expectations, and align leaders around priorities and execution.
• Drive a culture of accountability, urgency, ownership, and follow-through across the shift.
• Partner with HR and site leadership on succession planning and leadership development.
• Reinforce a People First environment grounded in respect, clarity, consistency, and performance expectations.
• Monitor performance closely and take immediate action to close gaps in productivity, quality, service, and cost.
• Lead and support continuous improvement efforts that strengthen execution, improve scalability, and remove operational friction.
• Identify root causes, challenge outdated processes, and implement better ways of working.
• Ensure strong inventory accuracy, process discipline, and operational consistency.
• Balance daily execution with longer-term operational improvements.
• Manage labor, staffing, and workflow to align with volume, service needs, and operational demands.
• Scale the operation up or down quickly based on changing business conditions, seasonal peaks, and shifting priorities.
• Maintain strong command of WMS systems, labor planning, and operational data to guide decision-making.
• Lead through variability and operational challenges with confidence, discipline, and sound judgment.
• Ensure the operation consistently meets service commitments and quality expectations.
• Build a culture where every shift owns the customer outcome, not just the output.
• Maintain execution standards during both steady-state operations and peak periods.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Communication

Problem solving

Team development

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or Supply Chain

Tools

WMS systems

Job description

Williams-Sonoma, Inc Supply Chain Overview

By managing resources responsibly, caring for our people, and uniting around our values, we lead our industry and are proud to be recognized for our continuous action and progress in the following areas: Barr’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies; Forbes Best Employers for Women and Diversity; Newsweek America’s Most Responsible Companies; and USA Today Customer Service Champions. These honors reflect that we are truly a people-first organization.

• Over 4,000 Full-Time Associates across the Supply Chain
• 14.5M square feet of small parcel, personalization, furniture, and manufacturing space in the domestic US, Williams-Sonoma has developed an agile and capable distribution network consisting of the following:
  • Large package / furniture distribution centers located in Southern California, Northern California, Texas, Georgia, and New Jersey totaling 9.2M square feet plus another 1.2M square feet of standalone final-mile furniture hubs.
• Small package eCommerce distribution centers located in Mississippi and Arizona totaling 3.2M square feet, consisting of over 1,000 full-time associates and 1,500 seasonal/temporary associates in Mississippi
  • Sutter Street Manufacturing upholstery factories located in North Carolina and Mississippi totaling with over 1,400 full-time employees producing approximately $900 million to $1 billion in sales of upholstered furniture
• Transportation Department for Ocean, Air, Trucking, and Rail consisting of over 30 transportation professionals located in Memphis, TN
• 700 associates in our Sourcing offices in 10 countries in Asia and Europe including China, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Italy, and Turkey

The Sr Returns Operations Manager position is located in Olive Branch, MS.

We are looking for an Sr Returns Operations Manager who has already led at scale, understands what top-tier execution looks like, and is motivated to push an already high-performing facility to the next level. This role is for a leader who combines operational rigor, people leadership, and strategic thinking with the ability to communicate clearly, make sound decisions quickly, and drive consistent execution in a fast-moving environment.

The strongest candidates are leaders who bring urgency without chaos, communicate with precision, close loops consistently, and know how to scale teams and operations through both peak demand and day-to-day execution.

The right candidate knows how to lead with clarity and direction, follow through relentlessly, solve problems progressively, and adapt quickly as business conditions change. This is an opportunity for a proven operator who can scale the business up or down with speed and discipline, think critically in a live operational setting, and lead confidently through the demands of a peak-season operation.

You’ll be excited about this opportunity because you will:

• Own shift-level performance across safety, service, quality, cost, and productivity.
• Maintain high performance standards across all functions, ensuring consistency with first-shift execution.
• Make sound, real-time decisions to keep the operation moving and resolve issues quickly and effectively.
• Ensure strong shift handoff discipline, operational continuity, and follow-through on key priorities.
• Think critically in a fast-paced environment where priorities, volume, and operational needs can shift quickly.

• Coach and develop front-line leaders and high-potential talent to build a strong internal leadership pipeline.
• Set clear direction, reinforce expectations, and align leaders around priorities and execution.
• Drive a culture of accountability, urgency, ownership, and follow-through across the shift.
• Partner with HR and site leadership on succession planning and leadership development.
• Reinforce a People First environment grounded in respect, clarity, consistency, and performance expectations.

• Monitor performance closely and take immediate action to close gaps in productivity, quality, service, and cost.
• Lead and support continuous improvement efforts that strengthen execution, improve scalability, and remove operational friction.
• Identify root causes, challenge outdated processes, and implement better ways of working.
• Ensure strong inventory accuracy, process discipline, and operational consistency.
• Balance daily execution with longer-term operational improvements.

• Manage labor, staffing, and workflow to align with volume, service needs, and operational demands.
• Scale the operation up or down quickly based on changing business conditions, seasonal peaks, and shifting priorities.
• Maintain strong command of WMS systems, labor planning, and operational data to guide decision-making.
• Lead through variability and operational challenges with confidence, discipline, and sound judgment.

• Ensure the operation consistently meets service commitments and quality expectations.
• Build a culture where every shift owns the customer outcome, not just the output.
• Maintain execution standards during both steady-state operations and peak periods.

Check out some of the required qualifications we are looking for in amazing candidates:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field, with 5-7 years of progressive leadership experience in distribution, logistics, or fulfillment operations.
• In lieu of a degree, 7-9 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in distribution or logistics will be considered.
• At least 1-3 years of Reverse Logistics/ Returns experience
• This is an onsite, in-office role.
• Demonstrated success leading people, process, and performance in a complex, high-volume operation.
• Strong ability to communicate with clarity, set direction, and influence across multiple levels.
• Proven track record of follow-up, follow-through, and execution discipline.
• Demonstrated operational savvy, sound judgment, and the ability to make effective decisions in real time.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Experience leading effectively through seasonal peaks, volume surges, or other demand-driven operational shifts.

We prefer some of these qualities as well:

• Experience in high-volume retail, big box, furniture, or omnichannel distribution environments.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement experience.
• Strong understanding of safety leadership and OSHA standards.
• Experience developing leaders in a multi-shift operation.
• Exposure to automation, advanced operational systems, or process-enhancing technology.

Review these physical requirements, as they play a major part in this role:

• Able to bend, reach, squat, climb stairs/ladders, stand, and walk throughout the facility for extended periods.
• Able to move, lift, or carry heavy objects or materials up to 65 pounds.

Our company benefits are second to none in the industry:

• Generous discount on all Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brand products.
• 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities.
• Paid vacations, Employee Assistance Programs, Time Off to Volunteer, Matching Gifts Community Service Program, and Holidays (in some locations).
• Health benefits, dental and vision insurance, including same-sex domestic partner benefits, Legal and Identity Protection Plans and Pet Insurance.
• For more information on our benefits offers, please visit MyWSIBenefits.com.
• To learn more about our Supply Chain culture and regional associate events, please visit https://shorturl.at/R3OAX (Login credentials may be required).

EOE