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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Distribution Center Manager

💰 $70,000 - $120,000

OperationsLogisticsSupply ChainManagement

🎯 Role Definition

The Distribution Center Manager (DC Manager) is responsible for end-to-end leadership of a distribution center or warehouse facility, driving efficient inbound and outbound operations, inventory accuracy, workforce productivity, safety and compliance, and continuous process improvement. This role owns operational KPIs (throughput, OTIF, order accuracy, dock-to-stock, labor cost), manages frontline supervisors and hourly workforce, and partners cross-functionally with transportation, procurement, customer service, and finance to meet service level agreements and P&L objectives.

Key target keywords: Distribution Center Manager, warehouse manager, distribution operations, inventory management, WMS, logistics, safety compliance, throughput optimization.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Warehouse Supervisor / Lead
  • Operations Supervisor / Shift Manager
  • Logistics Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Regional Distribution Manager
  • Director of Operations
  • VP of Supply Chain / Head of Fulfillment

Lateral Moves:

  • Transportation Manager
  • Inventory Control Manager
  • Customer Fulfillment Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Own full P&L and operational performance for the distribution center by developing and executing strategic plans to meet or exceed monthly and annual throughput, cost, and service-level KPIs (e.g., OTIF, order accuracy, dock-to-stock, pick/pack productivity).
  • Lead, coach and develop a multi-tier management team (supervisors, leads, planners) and a frontline workforce of hourly associates, setting clear performance expectations, conducting performance reviews, and managing succession planning to ensure talent readiness and retention.
  • Direct all inbound receiving operations including scheduling, carrier coordination, manifest reconciliation, quality inspections, and disposition of inbound discrepancies to minimize receiving exceptions and shrink.
  • Manage outbound operations including picking strategies, packing quality, staging, carrier tendering, and dock scheduling to guarantee on-time shipments and reduce freight cost and detention.
  • Drive inventory accuracy programs including cycle counting, root cause analysis for variances, SKU reconciliations, and corrective actions to maintain target inventory accuracy percentages and reduce stockouts.
  • Oversee warehouse layout, slotting optimization and capacity planning to maximize throughput, reduce travel time, and support seasonal demand spikes while maintaining safety and ergonomics standards.
  • Implement and maintain Warehouse Management System (WMS) functionality and integrations (RF scanning, barcode standards, EDI) to improve order flow, visibility, and automation across the distribution network.
  • Establish and monitor operational dashboards and KPIs; analyze performance trends and lead continuous improvement projects (Lean, Six Sigma principles) to raise productivity and lower operating expense per unit.
  • Create and manage annual operating budgets and capital expenditure requests; track labor, equipment, and overhead costs, and identify cost-saving opportunities while maintaining service levels.
  • Ensure strict compliance with all federal, state and local regulations (OSHA, DOT where applicable), internal policies, and customer-specific safety and quality requirements; lead safety culture initiatives and incident investigations.
  • Develop and execute labor planning and forecasting models to align staffing with demand profiles, using workforce management tools to schedule shifts, manage overtime, and control labor costs.
  • Manage maintenance of material handling equipment and facility infrastructure (conveyors, sorters, forklifts, racking), coordinating preventive maintenance and vendor relationships to minimize downtime.
  • Serve as primary point of contact for major customers and carriers for escalations, service recovery, and continuous improvement on SLAs and contract requirements.
  • Lead onboarding and training programs for new hires and cross-training for existing associates to increase flexibility and reduce reliance on temporary labor during peak periods.
  • Direct quality control and returns processing operations, establishing inspection criteria, quarantine procedures, disposition workflows, and root cause corrective action to limit repeat issues.
  • Coordinate cross-functional projects with procurement, transportation, planning, and IT to implement process changes, system upgrades, site expansions, or new product introductions with minimal business disruption.
  • Manage vendor and third-party relationships, negotiate service-level agreements, monitor vendor performance, and escalate or terminate partnerships failing to meet contractual obligations.
  • Drive sustainability and waste-reduction initiatives within the distribution center, including packaging optimization, recycling programs, and energy efficiency projects that reduce operating cost and environmental footprint.
  • Prepare executive-level reporting and participate in senior leadership reviews; provide data-driven recommendations and implementation roadmaps for capacity planning and strategic investments.
  • Lead change management efforts for process redesign, technology adoption, or reorganization initiatives ensuring stakeholder alignment, adequate training, and measurable outcome tracking.
  • Implement contingency and business continuity plans (disaster recovery, peak surge plans) to ensure uninterrupted operations during disruptions, seasonal spikes, or system outages.
  • Monitor and improve customer experience metrics related to order accuracy, on-time delivery, and product condition; coordinate post-shipment root cause analysis and implement systemic fixes.

Secondary Functions

  • Support cross-functional analytics requests by providing distribution center insights and historical performance data to supply chain planning, finance, and sales teams.
  • Contribute to regional and corporate supply chain strategy by piloting new warehouse technologies (automation, sortation, robotics) and providing site-level feasibility assessments.
  • Collaborate with HR on workforce planning, employee relations, and union negotiations (if applicable) to maintain compliant labor practices and positive employee engagement.
  • Assist in vendor selection, RFQ evaluation and onboarding processes for equipment, services, and contract staffing providers to secure best-in-class partnerships.
  • Participate in site audits (internal, customer, regulatory) and lead corrective action plans to promptly close gaps and prevent nonconformances.
  • Manage capital projects at the site level including layout redesign, mezzanine installations, and equipment upgrades, coordinating contractors and ensuring projects meet scope, schedule and budget.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Warehouse Management System (WMS) administration and configuration experience (e.g., Manhattan, Blue Yonder/JDA, Oracle WMS, SAP EWM).
  • Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables, advanced formulas) and experience with Power BI or Tableau for dashboarding and KPI analysis.
  • Labor planning, workforce management and scheduling tools experience (e.g., Kronos, Reflexis, Workforce Dimensions).
  • Inventory control methodologies including cycle counting, ABC analysis, blind receiving and discrepancy investigation.
  • Knowledge of shipping technologies and carrier integrations (EDI, TMS fundamentals) and familiarity with parcel/carrier contracts and rating logic.
  • Experience with material handling equipment, conveyors, RF scanning, barcode systems, and automation/robotics implementation basics.
  • Budgeting, P&L ownership, cost-to-serve analysis, and experience driving operating margin improvements.
  • Strong understanding of OSHA, DOT and other regulatory compliance requirements applicable to warehouse operations and employee safety.
  • Process improvement certifications or experience applying Lean, Kaizen, or Six Sigma tools to warehouse problems.
  • Experience managing site capital projects, vendor contracts, and preventative maintenance programs.
  • Familiarity with order fulfillment models (eCommerce, B2B, cross-dock, pick/pack/ship) and omnichannel distribution strategies.
  • Basic understanding of supply chain planning processes and how DC operations interface with procurement and transportation.

Soft Skills

  • Inspirational leadership with the ability to recruit, coach, and retain high-performing teams in a fast-paced logistics environment.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication, able to present complex operational data to executive stakeholders.
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical mindset; uses data to prioritize and drive measurable outcomes.
  • High emotional intelligence, conflict resolution and the ability to manage union and non-union employee relations where applicable.
  • Results-oriented, decisive under pressure, and adept at managing multiple priorities during peak seasons.
  • Change management capability with experience leading technology rollouts and process transformations.
  • Collaborative approach and ability to build relationships across functions (transportation, procurement, IT, sales and customer service).
  • Attention to detail combined with a systems thinking perspective to balance short-term execution and long-term strategy.
  • Time management and delegation skills to ensure accountability across multiple supervisors and workstreams.
  • Customer-focused mindset to drive improvements that directly impact order-to-delivery performance and customer satisfaction.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering or related field OR equivalent progressive operations experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree plus certifications such as APICS/CPIM, CSCP, Six Sigma/Lean, or an MBA for senior center roles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics & Transportation
  • Business Administration
  • Industrial / Systems Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10 years of progressive distribution or warehouse experience, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or managerial role.

Preferred: 7+ years of distribution center leadership experience, managing facilities with annual throughput in the millions of units, responsibility for P&L, and direct accountability for 50+ employees including multiple supervisors.

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