Distribution Manager

Job Summary:

The Distribution Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and continuous improvement of the Shipping, Receiving, and Board Bank departments. This position plans, directs, organizes, and oversees the movement, storage, accuracy, and control of finished goods, raw materials, customer-owned inventory, and board bank inventory to ensure operational excellence, customer satisfaction, inventory integrity, and on-time delivery performance.

The Distribution Manager develops and leads departmental personnel, establishes performance expectations, monitors key performance indicators (KPIs), and drives process improvements that improve safety, quality, efficiency, and cost control. The role serves as a key operational leader working closely with Production, Inventory Control, Customer Service, Sales, Purchasing, Quality, Finance, and Information Technology to support organizational objectives.

Reporting Relationships:

Reports To: VP of Operations

Direct Reports :

- Shipping Supervisor/Lead

- Receiving Supervisor/Lead

- Board Bank Personnel

- Shipping & Receiving Coordinators

- Material Handlers

- Warehouse Personnel

Work Environment:

This position operates in both office and warehouse/manufacturing environments and requires regular interaction with employees, customers, suppliers, and transportation providers. The Distribution Manager is expected to be a visible leader within the operation and actively engaged in day-to-day departmental activities while maintaining a strategic focus on long-term operational improvement.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Department Leadership & Management

- Provide leadership and strategic direction for Shipping, Receiving, and Board Bank operations.

- Hire, train, coach, develop, and evaluate departmental personnel.

- Conduct performance reviews and create employee development plans.

- Establish staffing requirements and work schedules to support business needs.

- Lead regular departmental meetings to communicate company initiatives, goals, expectations, and performance results.

- Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, safety, and continuous improvement.

- Become the ERP SME as related to Distribution and ensure that all associated processes are documented and implemented efficiently.

- Lead the Safety Program for the company, ensuring that the Safety Program is maintained, effective and current.

- Ensure all departmental job descriptions, work instructions, and procedures remain current and effective.

Shipping Operations

- Oversee all domestic and international shipping activities.

- Ensure orders are processed accurately and shipped on time to meet customer commitments.

- Monitor small parcel, LTL, FTL, and international freight operations.

- Review shipping methods and carrier performance to optimize service levels and transportation costs.

- Investigate and resolve shipping discrepancies, freight claims, damaged shipments, and customer delivery concerns.

- Maintain relationships with carriers and logistics providers.

- Conduct periodic reviews of freight contracts, rates, and shipping programs to ensure competitive pricing and service.

Receiving Operations

- Manage the receipt and verification of incoming materials, products, and customer-owned inventory.

- Ensure receiving processes support inventory accuracy and production requirements.

- Coordinate with Purchasing and Production to prioritize inbound material flow.

- Maintain receiving documentation and system transactions in accordance with company requirements.

- Investigate receiving discrepancies and implement corrective actions.

- Ensure incoming materials are properly identified, stored, and controlled.

Board Bank Management

- Oversee all Board Bank operations, including receipt, storage, inventory accuracy, customer allocations, and fulfillment activities.

- Monitor inventory levels and communicate shortages, excess inventory, or potential risks.

- Coordinate with Customer Service, Production, and Inventory Control to meet customer commitments and forecast requirements.

Inventory Control & Accuracy

- Partner with Inventory Control personnel to maintain accurate inventory records.

- Monitor inventory adjustments, variances, scrap, and cycle count results.

- Participate in physical inventories and inventory audits.

- Analyze trends and implement corrective actions to improve inventory accuracy.

- Support inventory reconciliation efforts and root cause analysis.

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

- Continuously evaluate workflows and operational processes to improve productivity and quality.

- Develop and implement standard operating procedures and best practices.

- Establish departmental KPIs and performance dashboards.

- Lead initiatives focused on efficiency improvements, cost reductions, and service enhancements.

- Utilize Lean, continuous improvement, and problem-solving methodologies to address operational challenges.

Financial & Budget Responsibilities

- Monitor labor, freight, packaging, and operating expenses.

- Identify opportunities for cost savings without compromising service or quality.

- Evaluate capital equipment needs and prepare business justifications for investments.

- Maintain departmental spending within approved budget parameters.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

- Work closely with Production, Purchasing, Customer Service, Sales, Quality, Accounting, and IT departments.

- Support new customer implementations, process changes, and operational initiatives.

- Participate in strategic planning and organizational improvement efforts.

- Serve as a key escalation point for distribution-related operational issues.

Key Performance Indicators

- On-Time Shipment Percentage

- Shipping Accuracy Rate

- Receiving Accuracy Rate

- Inventory Accuracy

- Board Bank Accuracy

- Freight Cost per Shipment

- Order Cycle Time

- Inventory Turnover

- Labor Productivity

- Customer Delivery Performance

- Safety Incident Rate

- Internal and External Quality Metrics

Qualifications

Education & Credentials

- Associate's degree required.

- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Logistics, Industrial Engineering or related field preferred.

Experience

- Minimum 5 years of leadership experience in distribution, logistics, warehouse operations, manufacturing, or supply chain management.

- Experience managing shipping and receiving operations.

- Experience managing inventory and customer-owned inventory programs.

- Experience in manufacturing and ERP environments required.

- Experience with IFS ERP strongly preferred.

- Understanding/certification/experience in Lean Manufacturing – 5S, Kanban, Kaizen, etc. strongly preferred.

Skills & Attributes

- Strong knowledge of shipping, receiving, warehousing, logistics, and inventory management.

- Strong understanding of freight operations, parcel carriers, and transportation management.

- Knowledge of domestic and international shipping requirements and documentation.

- Understanding of inventory controls, cycle counting, and physical inventory processes.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

- Excellent leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.

- Strong written and verbal communication skills.

- Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines.

- Advanced organizational and time-management skills.

- Proficient with ERP systems, Microsoft Excel, and reporting tools.

- Ability to develop procedures, metrics, and performance reporting.

- Demonstrated ability to lead change and continuous improvement initiatives

Physical Requirements

- Ability to walk distribution and warehouse areas regularly.

- Ability to lift up to 30 pounds and up to 50 pounds occasionally.

- Ability to work in warehouse, shipping, and manufacturing environments.

- Ability to use a computer.

- May require extended periods of standing and walking.