Warehouse Director

Darwin Recruitment; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment is assisting a marine terminal in New Orleans in its search for a Warehouse Director to provide strategic and operational leadership for warehouse and yard operations at a breakbulk terminal, ensuring safe, efficient movements of cargo.

The role drives operational excellence, develops high-performing teams, manages budgets, and maintains OSHA compliance while upholding a culture of safety, integrity, teamwork, and exceptional customer service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent education/experience.
• Minimum of five years leading breakbulk terminal operations and frontline personnel.
• Experience in breakbulk cargo operations (steel/metals/project cargo) preferred.
• Strong knowledge of warehouse operations, inventory management, and terminal best practices.
• Proven ability to lead large teams in fast-paced, safety-focused environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead warehouse and yard operations to meet safety, productivity, quality, and service goals.
• Coach and develop supervisors, team leads, and warehouse staff into a high-performing organization.
• Enforce safety culture with OSHA compliance and SOP adherence.
• Monitor operations, identify improvements, and implement efficiency initiatives.
• Manage labor planning, staffing, scheduling, and performance while controlling costs.
• Oversee inventory accuracy, shipping/receiving, cargo quality, and housekeeping standards.
• Develop and manage operating budgets; monitor labor, equipment, and maintenance costs.
• Set clear performance expectations and conduct regular coaching and evaluations.
• Collaborate with logistics, maintenance, customer service, commercial, and terminal teams for seamless execution.
• Track KPIs and drive data-driven improvements for safety, efficiency, and financial performance.

Skills

Leadership

OSHA & Safety

Operations management

Budgeting & cost control

Labor planning

Process improvement

KPI analytics

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

We are assisting a marine terminal in its search for a Warehouse Director. This position provides strategic and operational leadership for all warehouse and yard operations within a breakbulk terminal environment, ensuring the safe, efficient, and profitable movement of cargo. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence, developing high-performing teams, managing financial performance, and maintaining compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced industrial setting, promotes accountability and continuous improvement, and fosters a culture centred on safety, integrity, teamwork, and exceptional customer service.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all warehouse and yard operations to achieve safety, productivity, quality, and customer service objectives.
• Build, coach, and develop supervisors, team leads, operators, and warehouse personnel to create a high-performing organization.
• Promote and enforce a culture of safety by ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations, company policies, and standard operating procedures.
• Monitor daily operations, identify process improvements, and implement initiatives that increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve throughput.
• Manage labor planning, staffing, scheduling, and workforce performance to meet operational demands while controlling labor costs.
• Oversee inventory accuracy, shipping and receiving performance, cargo quality, warehouse organization, and housekeeping standards.
• Develop and manage operational budgets while controlling labor, equipment, maintenance, and operating expenses.
• Establish clear performance expectations, conduct regular coaching and performance evaluations, and address employee performance, attendance, and safety concerns promptly.
• Partner with logistics, maintenance, customer service, commercial, and terminal operations teams to ensure seamless execution and exceptional customer service.
• Monitor key performance indicators and implement data-driven improvements that enhance safety, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and financial performance.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or an equivalent combination of education and relevant operational leadership experience.
• Minimum of five years of leadership experience in breakbulk terminal operations, including responsibility for warehouse, yard, cargo handling, and frontline personnel.
• Demonstrated experience managing breakbulk cargo operations; experience handling steel, metals, project cargo, or other non-containerised freight is strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of warehouse operations, inventory management, cargo handling, shipping and receiving, and terminal operational best practices.
• Proven ability to lead large teams in a fast-paced, safety-focused industrial or port environment.
• Demonstrated success driving continuous improvement initiatives and achieving operational, safety, quality, and productivity goals.
• Excellent leadership, communication, coaching, and employee development skills with the ability to build a culture of accountability.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills with experience using operational metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Experience managing labor planning, operating budgets, equipment utilization, and cost control.
• Ability to work in an industrial port environment, including exposure to outdoor conditions, heavy equipment, rotating schedules, and meeting all applicable physical and fitness-for-duty requirements.