VP, Distribution Operations

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 260,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC in Tampa seeks a VP, Distribution Operations to set the vision, strategy, and operating model for the distribution network, including warehouses, automation, inventory, fleets, and field logistics.

The role drives enterprise-wide operational excellence, asset utilization, and future capabilities while aligning with service, safety, inventory, financial, and customer objectives. It oversees a scalable, resilient operation to support growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership in distribution, automation, logistics, or supply chain operations.
• 7+ years of leadership directing large, multi-site operations.
• Experience with highly automated warehouses and warehouse automation systems (AGVs, Vertique).
• Strong financial acumen with managing operating/capital budgets.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the enterprise warehouse and distribution strategy.
• Lead the design, optimization, and evolution of Coke Florida’s distribution network.
• Provide executive leadership for DCs, cross-docks, automation, inventory management, and fleet operations.
• Establish enterprise operating standards, KPIs, and governance.
• Drive productivity, service, and cost-performance improvements.
• Lead operating reviews and drive continuous improvement.
• Develop and implement automation strategy and roadmap across facilities.
• Ensure safety, compliance, and business continuity.

Skills

Leadership experience

Distribution operations

Automation experience

Financial acumen

Strategy development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Engineering, Business, or related discipline

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Vertique automation

Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

TMS & ERP

SAP

Manhattan WMS

Blue Yonder

Power BI

Job description

Coke Florida is looking for a VP, Distribution Operations based out of our Tampa location.

What You Will Do:

The VP, Distribution Operations will establish the vision, strategy, and operating model for Coke Florida’s distribution network, including distribution centers, warehouse operations, warehouse automation, inventory management, fleet operations, and field logistics.

This role will drive enterprise-wide operational excellence, productivity, asset utilization, and development of future distribution capabilities while ensuring consistent achievement of service, safety, inventory, financial, and customer objectives.

The VP will lead the continued evolution of the distribution network by integrating people, processes, technology, automation, fleet, and infrastructure to create a scalable, efficient, and resilient operation positioned to support continued growth.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Strategy & Operational Leadership

• Develop and execute the enterprise warehouse and distribution strategy aligned with company goals, customer requirements, and operational priorities.
• Serve as the senior warehouse and distribution advisor to executive leadership.
• Lead the long-term design, optimization, and evolution of Coke Florida’s warehouse and distribution network.
• Provide executive leadership for distribution centers, cross-docks, warehouse operations, warehouse automation, inventory management, fleet operations, and field logistics.
• Establish enterprise operating standards, KPIs, performance expectations, and management routines that drive consistent execution and accountability.
• Drive initiatives that improve scalability, operational resiliency, productivity, service, and cost performance.
• Lead operating reviews with warehouse and distribution leadership to identify performance gaps, establish corrective actions, and drive continuous improvement.

Automation & Future Capabilities

• Develop and execute the enterprise warehouse automation and distribution technology strategy, including operation of the Vertique/ASRS environment and related automated material-handling systems.
• Lead the deployment and optimization of end-to-end automation and material handling technologies that improve safety, capacity, productivity, service, and cost.
• Develop a long-term distribution capability roadmap integrating facilities, automation, fleet, technology, labor, and capacity requirements.
• Partner with Engineering, Technology, and Operations to ensure new capabilities are successfully implemented, integrated, and deliver expected business results.
• Continually evaluate emerging technologies and operating models that strengthen distribution capabilities and maintain a competitive advantage.
• Develop, test and maintain network-wide contingency plans that protect business continuity and customer service during system outages or capacity constraints.

Inventory Management

• Establish enterprise inventory strategy, governance, controls, and operating standards across the distribution network.
• Drive improvements in inventory accuracy, product availability, freshness, shrink, damage, and asset accountability.
• Establish clear ownership and accountability for inventory performance across distribution facilities.
• Partner with Manufacturing and Supply Chain teams to optimize inventory deployment and product flow throughout the network.

Fleet Operations

• Develop and execute the enterprise fleet strategy supporting distribution and field operations.
• Provide leadership for fleet operations, maintenance, asset reliability, utilization, and lifecycle management.
• Drive improvements in fleet availability, preventive maintenance, equipment uptime, safety, and total cost of ownership.
• Develop long-range fleet replacement and capital plans aligned with operational requirements and company growth.

Financial & Productivity Leadership

• Own distribution operating budgets, labor spending, fleet expenses, productivity commitments, and financial forecasts.
• Drive productivity initiatives that improve operating margins, labor efficiency, asset utilization, and cost-per-case.
• Lead development of business cases for significant distribution, automation, fleet, and infrastructure investments.
• Ensure major investments deliver expected operational and financial benefits.

Customer & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Ensure product availability and distribution performance support customer expectations and commercial objectives.
• Partner with Sales and Commercial leadership to align distribution capabilities with market requirements.
• Partner across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Technology, Safety, Human Resources, Procurement, and Finance to deliver enterprise objectives.
• Drive improvements in on-time delivery, order fulfillment, customer service, inventory accuracy, warehouse productivity, and fleet reliability.

People, Safety & Culture

• Lead a large, geographically dispersed organization across multiple distribution facilities and levels of leadership.
• Develop leadership succession pipelines and workforce strategies that support current and future business needs.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, associate development, customer service, and continuous improvement.
• Develop the organizational and technical capabilities required to operate an increasingly automated and digitally enabled distribution network.
• Ensure compliance with DOT, OSHA, environmental, company safety, and governance requirements.

Education and Skills Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Engineering, Business, or related discipline.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in distribution, automation, logistics, warehouse operations, fleet, transportation, or supply chain operations.
• 7+ years of progressive leadership leading large, complex, high volume, multi-site operations with responsibility for multiple levels of leadership.
• Demonstrated experience leading operations within highly automated warehouses, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), Vertique warehouse automation, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), TMS and ERP, fleet management systems and supporting analytics
• ASRS, or Vertique environment, including system-driven workflows, throughput management, and operational recovery.
• Demonstrated success leading operational transformation, productivity improvement, automation, and network optimization.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing significant operating and capital budgets.

Preferred Qualifications:

• CPG, beverage, manufacturing, distribution, or retail supply chain experience.
• Master’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related field.
• Lean Six Sigma and/or APICS/ASCM certification.
• Experience with warehouse automation, inventory optimization, fleet management, SAP, Manhattan WMS, Blue Yonder, labor management systems, and Power BI.
• Experience managing statewide or multi-state operations.
• Previous Coca-Cola System or bottler experience.