Director of Fulfillment & Network Operations

Walden Local Meat Co.•Tewksbury, MA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Walden Local Meat Co. is a regional pasture-raised meat company that sources whole animals from independent regenerative farms and delivers them to members across New England and New York through a monthly subscription. It operates a cold-storage distribution center in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, and last-mile delivery operations in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Director of Fulfillment & Network Operations owns how Walden orders move from the freezer to members’ doors and makes decisions about the future of the physical network. The role focuses on member satisfaction and financial performance, while also owning an established third-party cold-storage business serving outside food companies. This is a network leadership position rather than a warehouse management role. The director will assess and develop the established team so that daily operations run excellently without their direct involvement, allowing them to focus on decisions shaping the business. In the first year, the director will set a plan to evolve the network to serve members better at lower cost. The role requires substantial time on the operational floor in Tewksbury and is not a remote strategy position. Operational data may be imperfect, and improving it is part of the work. The director will work with the CEO and CSCO, who will challenge recommendations. Success is measured by the quality of decisions and the economics of the network.

Requirements

Strong analytical rigor and the ability to build models and make clear recommendations using messy cost data.
Deep understanding of unit economics, including cost per unit, cost-to-serve, third-party logistics rate structures, and their cost drivers.
Ability to change recommendations when data warrants and defend decisions to the CEO and board.
Typically 8 or more years of experience across operations, supply chain, consulting, or strategy, including people leadership.
A bachelor's degree is expected.
Ability to work on the operational floor in Tewksbury; this is not a remote strategy role.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading a physical operation and managers who lead frontline teams, ideally in a warehouse or distribution setting.
For candidates whose experience is mainly with third-party logistics providers, understanding of the differences involved in directly managing labor, including shifts, attendance, safety, and coaching teams.
Experience selecting, launching, or managing carriers, third-party logistics providers, or other logistics partners, including familiarity with contracts, rate structures, service-level agreements, and performance accountability.
Proven ability to simplify systems, optimize resource allocation, eliminate redundant processes, and drive organizational efficiency and leverage.
Commercial instinct and experience pricing, negotiating, or selling a service; negotiating third-party logistics contracts from the buyer side counts.
Background in cold chain, food, or direct-to-consumer operations; strong core skills and adaptability are also valued.
Quantitative training or an MBA.

Responsibilities

Own receiving, inventory, picking and packing, and last-mile delivery for Walden orders, as well as storage and handling for third-party cold-storage customers.
Deliver orders on time, accurately, and in good condition while improving fulfillment costs and margins.
Manage the total cost of fulfilling Walden orders from the Tewksbury distribution center through last-mile delivery in Massachusetts and Connecticut; identify high-leverage improvements and assess whether carriers or logistics providers can perform activities more effectively.
Lead plans for how the physical network footprint evolves as the company grows and execute resulting changes.
Grow the third-party cold-storage business, including ownership of pricing, customer mix, and sales channels such as brokers and marketplaces; recommend whether and how to add sales support.
Lead, coach, and align the On-Road Operations, Facilities, Fulfillment, and Inventory teams; establish operational standards, mentor leaders, and make organizational decisions to improve operations.
Own workplace safety across facilities and partner with the food safety team on regulatory and quality standards.
Build and analyze cost models, develop recommendations from imperfect data, and explain and defend decisions to the CEO and board.
Simplify systems, optimize resource allocation, and eliminate redundant processes to improve organizational efficiency and leverage.
Select, launch, or manage logistics partners and hold them accountable for performance where applicable.