Director, Operations

Red Bull•Waddell, AZ

About The Position

The Director, Operations is responsible for day-to-day operational oversight of a high-volume, 24/7 warehouse distribution center. The role ensures safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations across inbound, outbound, inventory control, staffing, and performance management. The Director serves as the primary on-the-ground leader, partnering with Operations Managers, the General Manager, and cross-functional teams to deliver strong service to internal and external customers. The role leads operational execution and team development, maintains safety and facility standards, and oversees service, quality, and inventory control. It also advances continuous improvement, productivity, cost management, KPI performance, cross-functional collaboration, process change, business continuity, and 24/7 operational readiness. The Director is accountable for overall site P&L financial performance and supports strategic capacity planning with the General Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Logistics, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
At least 7 years of progressive experience in warehouse or distribution center operations.
At least 4 years of experience in a leadership role; multi-shift or multi-site experience preferred.
Demonstrated experience in high-volume, time-sensitive distribution.
Proven ability to manage and develop front-line teams and supervisors.
Strong knowledge of warehouse operations, WMS systems, inventory control, and safety practices.
Ability to work flexibly in support of 24/7 operations, including evenings, nights, weekends, and on-call as needed.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with comfort working with KPIs and data.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence across functions and levels.

Nice To Haves

Experience in beverage, FMCG, or a similar high-volume distribution environment.
Multi-shift or multi-site leadership experience.

Responsibilities

Provide direct leadership and operational oversight for the distribution center, ensuring consistent processes, throughput, standards, and performance.
Own daily, weekly, and monthly operating plans for receiving, put-away, storage, picking, loading, and dispatch.
Ensure coverage and leadership presence for 24/7 operations, including nights and weekends, through scheduling and delegation.
Lead, coach, and develop warehouse leadership teams; assess functional performance, address gaps, and take corrective action.
Set expectations, conduct performance check-ins, and support annual performance reviews.
Partner with HR on recruitment, onboarding, training, performance management, and employee relations.
Build a culture of accountability, respect, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
Champion safety and ensure compliance with company policies and applicable OSHA, federal, state, and local regulations.
Conduct safety walks, audits, and incident reviews, and ensure corrective actions are implemented and tracked.
Ensure facilities and equipment meet company standards, including housekeeping, material handling equipment, racking, dock doors, and yard.
Meet or exceed customer service targets for on-time performance and accuracy.
Oversee inventory control practices, including cycle counts, reconciliations, and root-cause analysis of variances, and drive inventory accuracy.
Monitor and improve picking accuracy, damage rates, load quality, and adherence to standard operating procedures.
Develop short-term plans supporting continuous improvement goals for cost, quality, accuracy, turn time, safety, and environmental consideration.
Assist with strategy across shared service and operations partners and support the General Manager as a local liaison for internal partners.
Develop operational best practices and efficiency recommendations.
Manage labor planning, staffing levels, and shift structures to align with volume while controlling overtime and temporary labor.
Track and report KPIs for both facilities, including safety, quality, productivity, throughput, cost per case, and overall service.
Identify and implement initiatives to improve productivity, reduce waste, and optimize space, labor, and equipment.
Be accountable for overall site P&L financial performance.
Serve as the primary operational contact for internal partners, including Transport, Supply Planning, Sales, Commercial, IT, and Finance.
Communicate constraints, risks, and recovery plans related to service, capacity, or inventory.
Support network-wide initiatives, pilots, and system changes affecting the distribution center.
Drive process standardization and best practices across the site.
Lead or support continuous improvement projects such as layout optimization, slotting, WMS enhancements, and automation or technology enablement.
Oversee training on new processes, policies, and technologies and ensure sustained adoption and compliance.
Ensure contingency plans are in place for weather events, system outages, equipment failures, and staffing gaps.
Coordinate strategic capacity planning and long-term infrastructure needs with the General Manager.
Serve as an escalation point for critical incidents outside normal business hours.