Vice President Operations

HR Pals; Independence Township (OH); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

HR Pals is seeking a hands-on VP of Operations to own and optimize the company's Ohio warehouse, distribution, and domestic shipping network. You will lead on the floor, scale infrastructure, and own the P&L while partnering with IT, Sales, and Ecommerce teams to meet service levels across e-commerce, B2B, and DTC channels.

You will manage system upgrades and supplier contracts, drive efficiency, and develop a best-in-class warehousing operation within a rapidly growing consumer products

Qualifications

• 10+ years in warehouse/distribution leadership with shipping/logistics oversight.
• 5+ years at director/VP level.
• Consumer products industry experience required.
• Hands-on warehouse experience with DTC/E-commerce.
• Experience across e‑commerce, B2B/wholesale, and DTC fulfillment models; Amazon experience preferred.
• Fluency with WMS, ERP, EDI, and parcel/freight platforms.
• Proven P&L ownership and AOP budgeting experience.
• Strong analytical and change‑management skills.
• Experience managing overseas vendors and international shipping is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own daily operations across warehousing, fulfillment, and outbound distribution.
• Direct operating leader for Ohio facility, staffing and safety.
• Scale infrastructure, staffing models, and SOPs to support growth across channels.
• Drive continuous improvement in throughput, labor productivity, and order accuracy.
• Lead on-site upgrades and integrations of WMS/ERP/EDI and shipping systems.
• Own full operations P&L and Annual Operating Plan.
• Build and mentor warehouse operations team; develop succession-ready managers.
• Establish KPIs and operating rhythms for accountability.
• Lead cross-functional coordination with Sales, IT, Finance, and Customer Experience.

Skills

WMS/ERP fluency

P&L ownership

Change management

Analytics

Leadership

Inventory management

Vendor/Carrier negotiations

E-commerce fulfillment

Cross-functional teamwork

Tools

EDI systems

Carrier contracts management

Shipping platforms

Warehouse systems

Job description

The VP of Operations owns end-to-end performance of the company's warehouse, distribution, and domestic shipping network, including direct leadership of the company's Ohio warehouse facility. This tech savvy leader is accountable for evaluating, building and scaling operational infrastructure that supports a storied consumer products business operating across e-commerce, B2B, and DTC/MP/Amazon channels. The candidate will also bring deep fluency in WMS & ERP systems and manage the function's P&L. This is not a purely strategic or desk-based job, you’ll need to be on the floor, close to the operation.

This is a full-time, onsite role based at our Independence, Ohio facility and will complement our strong existing team and management. (Open to relocation)

Key Responsibilities

Warehouse & Distribution Leadership

• Own daily operations across warehousing, fulfillment, and outbound distribution, ensuring accuracy, on-time performance, and cost efficiency.
• Serve as the direct operating leader for the company's Ohio facility, with hands‑on accountability for its performance, staffing, and safety.
• Scale infrastructure, staffing models, and standard operating procedures to support growth across e-commerce, B2B, and DTC volume.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across throughput, labor productivity, damage/loss, and order accuracy.
• Optimize workflows, systems, processes, and workspace design – building a flexible, best‑in‑class, future‑proof facility.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Sales, Ecommerce teams to align service levels with channel‑specific requirements.

Multi-Channel & DTC Strategy

• Design and evolve fulfillment strategy to support the company's shift toward DTC, while sustaining B2B and wholesale service commitments.
• Evaluate and implement fulfillment models (3P, 1P, B2B…) that fit consumer products' volume, SKU, and seasonality profile.
• Ensure the network can flex for peak season, promotional spikes, and customer/channel‑specific requirements.

Systems & Technology

• Serve as the operational owner of WMS, ERP, EDI, and shipping/rate‑shopping systems, ensuring data integrity and system‑to‑system integration.
• Lead on‑site system upgrades, integrations, and automation projects that improve visibility, reduce manual work, and support scale.
• Partner with IT/Engineering on EDI trading‑partner requirements for retail, wholesale, and marketplace partners.
• Own negotiation, execution, and ongoing management of contracts for parcel and freight carriers, packaging/materials suppliers, and temporary labor agencies.
• Continuously benchmark rates and service levels; lead RFPs and carrier diversification strategies to manage cost and risk.
• Manage vendor performance through scorecards, QBRs, and SLA enforcement.
• Own the full operations P&L, including labor, freight, materials, and facilities costs.
• Build, present, and manage the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) for the operations function; track performance against budget and forecast monthly/quarterly/annually.
• Identify and execute cost‑reduction and margin‑improvement initiatives without compromising service levels.
• Build, mentor, and lead a best in class warehouse operations team; develop succession‑ready managers, career growth, training opportunities.
• Establish KPIs and operating rhythms (daily/weekly/monthly business reviews) that drive accountability across the network.
• Demonstrate strong people leadership – hiring, coaching, and developing talent, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across all levels of the operation.
• Lead cross‑functional coordination of projects and teams, aligning Operations with Sales, Merchandising, Finance, IT, and Customer Experience on shared initiatives and priorities.

Key Focus Areas

• Site Optimization – Learn the background of the company facility and ways of working of the current staff, workflows and systems.
• Network Performance & Service Levels – Reliably support e-commerce, B2B, and DTC/Ecommerce and 3P customer service levels at scale
• P&L & AOP Ownership – Deliver an AOP that is accurate, well‑managed, and consistently met or beaten, with full accountability for labor, freight, materials, and facilities costs.
• Contracts &Vendors– Keep carrier, materials, labor, and vendor relationships competitively priced and actively managed, with inventory visibility across units, dollars, and aging.
• Systems & Facility Modernization – Ensure WMS, ERP, EDI, and shipping systems are stable and integrated, and deploy outside expertise as needed to build a flexible, future‑proof facility.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in warehouse/distribution center leadership, with shipping/logistics oversight, including 5+ years at a director/VP level.
• Consumer products industry experience is required – candidates without direct consumer/retail products background will not be considered.
• Direct, hands‑on experience working inside a warehouse environment is required, paired with strong DTC/Ecommerce experience – this is a floor‑present, operationally hands‑on role as we scale, not a purely strategic one.
• Demonstrated experience across e‑commerce, B2B/wholesale, and DTC fulfillment models, with a track record of scaling DTC operations; Amazon (Seller Central/Vendor Central and/or FBA) experience strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to manage inventory across units, dollars, and aging, with experience driving aged‑inventory reduction and accuracy improvements.
• Hands‑on fluency with WMS, ERP, EDI, and parcel/freight shipping platform
• Proven ownership of P&L, budgeting, and AOP development and management.
• Demonstrated success negotiating and managing carrier, materials, and staffing/temp labor contracts.
• Strong analytical and change‑management skills, with experience leading teams through periods of rapid growth or transformation.
• Experience managing overseas vendors and international/global shipping, including inbound logistics, freight forwarding, and customs coordination a plus