Warehouse Lead - First Shift

Socket.dev; Cottage Grove (MN); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Medical, dental, vision, and life ins.

401(k)

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Training and development

Advancement opportunities

Job summary

Lumbermen’s, a long‑standing employee‑owned distributor, seeks a Warehouse Lead to oversee receipt, storage and delivery of material. You will promote safety, coach workers, and drive continuous improvement while ensuring accuracy and efficient inventory management.

Ideal candidates will have 1–3 years in warehousing with supervisory exposure, strong communication, and proficiency in MS Office; the role supports development within a collaborative team and ESOP benefits.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 1–3 years warehousing experience with supervisory exposure.
• Ability to lift up to 75 lbs and operate a forklift.

Responsibilities

• Oversee receipt, storage, order prep and delivery of material.
• Promote a safe work environment and model core values.
• Receive POs, verify against packing lists, and document in system.
• Unload freight and ensure accurate inventory placement.
• Lead housekeeping improvements and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Train, motivate and coach employee owners.
• Maintain knowledge of warehouse operations and safety.
• Support operation with additional tasks as needed.

Skills

Safety leadership

Team leadership

Communication skills

Clarity of goals

Problem solving

MS Office

Forklift operation

Heavy lifting

Education

HS diploma/GED

Associate or Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

WHO WE ARE:

Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan since 1955, Lumbermen’s operates in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Minnesota. A leading distributor and manufacturer, we are driven by our mission to enrich lives by intentionally caring for all who experience us. We are employee owned and relationship powered.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

The Warehouse Lead works with our warehouse team and oversees the receipt, storage, order preparation, and delivery of material. Day-to-day responsibilities include:

• Promoting a safe work environment for all employee owners
• Modeling Lumbermen’s core values
• Receiving purchase orders in the computer
• Unloading incoming freight and ensuring accuracy by comparing product received to enclosed packing lists
• Properly storing and locating incoming freight in the inventory system
• Investigating staged customer orders that have not been shipped and resolving backorders
• Leading and making improvements to housekeeping standards and continuous improvement initiatives
• Training, motivating, and coaching employee owners
• Maintaining a working knowledge of warehouse operations
• Approaching work each day with a positive attitude
• Treating Employee Owners in a professional manner
• Having a “customer first” mindset and mentality
• Ensuring that the work area is clean and organized
• Assisting with other tasks and responsibilities as needed to support the operation

At Lumbermen’s, our business is built on relationships. It’s crucial that the person selected to fill this role is a safety-minded team player who gets energy from contributing to collaborative success.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• High School diploma/GED required
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred
• 1-3 years’ warehousing experience
• Prior supervisory experience

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

• Commitment to safety and adherence to policies as a top priority
• Able to lead by example and lead others to success
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Effectiveness in providing clarity to team in achieving company goals and objectives
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Able to drive a forklift
• Ability to lift up to 75 lbs. repetitively/continuously

WHAT WE OFFER:

Lumbermen’s exists to enrich the lives of people by intentionally caring for all who experience us. You will experience a different kind of work environment and “family” here and help live out the Lumbermen’s promises of committing to those who count on us, doing what’s right, exercising sound business practices and earning consideration. Other benefits include:

• A collaborative and supportive work environment
• ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) – generous company-funded retirement
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Flexible spending/health savings account
• 401(k)
• The SOURCE – free and confidential support resources for our team
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Training and development
• Advancement opportunities

Lumbermen’s is proud to be a drug and alcohol-free workplace. In addition, Lumbermen’s will not discriminate against any employee or candidate because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. We participate in E-Verify.