Director of Warehouse Operations

Great Lakes Wine and Spirits • Highland Park, MI

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Great Lakes Wine & Spirits is Michigan's Largest Alcoholic Beverage Wholesaler, servicing all 83 Michigan counties. Founded as a family business nearly 80 years ago, the company maintains a tradition of good business principles including honesty, hard work, fair dealing, service, and an ongoing commitment to customers and staff. Great Lakes Wine & Spirits strives to provide an ever escalating standard of innovation and service to its customers and to responsibly enhance demand for its products. The Director of Warehouse Operations is a high-energy leader overseeing operations for one of the company's key warehouse facilities, specifically the spirits depot in Highland Park. This role focuses on motivating teams, supporting a unionized workforce, improving processes, and driving operational excellence.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in business, supply chain, or related field (equivalent experience considered)
• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive warehouse or operations management experience
• Experience supervising and developing leaders at the supervisory/manager level
• Experience leading in a unionized environment
• Proficient with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, data analysis, etc.)
• Ability to use technology to improve reporting, operational visibility, and efficiency
• Comfort with learning and adapting to new systems and tools
• Strong communication, problem-solving, leadership, and decision-making skills
• Adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in the employee policy manual and any applicable contracts, signed agreements, and work rules
• Cooperate with all management and staff of GLWAS
• Follow all MLCC rules and regulations, as they apply to the position
• Use alcohol in a responsible manner when related to business activities
• Ability to read, write, and communicate in English
• Satisfactory completion of pre-employment screenings including a background check on a criminal record, physical evaluation, agility (lift) test, and drug screen

Nice To Haves

• Six Sigma Certification (green or black preferred)
• Experience leading or participating in Kaizen initiatives or continuous improvement projects
• Strong understanding of Lean and continuous improvement principles

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day warehouse operations
• Lead, mentor, and develop supervisory teams and frontline union employees
• Manage interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and performance evaluations
• Ensure safety, efficiency, and compliance across all warehouse functions
• Drive process improvements that enhance productivity and operational quality
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives across warehouse operations
• Collaborate with internal teams to support business and customer service goals
• Maintain strong labor relations and ensure adherence to collective bargaining agreements
• Complete other duties and special projects as assigned by management

Benefits

• Salary $100,000 and $130,000 (paid semi-monthly)
• 6 Paid Holidays
• Vacation and Personal Time
• Competitive benefits including Medical, Dental, and Vision, Life Insurance, Disability, Employee Assistance Programs, and Group Legal coverage
• Buy-Up Life Insurance and Disability coverage available
• Eligible for 401K enrollment upon date of hire
• Professional development and leadership training
• Opportunities for career advancement within Great Lakes Wine & Spirits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director