Director Warehouse & Network Optimization

Rite-Hite•Charlotte, NC

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director Warehouse & Network Optimization leads Rite-Hite’s warehouse and distribution network strategy and execution. The role manages regional warehouse coordinators and warehouse operations analyst resources, establishes operating standards and accountability, and builds a culture of safety, collaboration, continuous improvement, and customer focus. The Director owns the multi-year warehouse and distribution master plan, evaluates network needs, and leads or co-leads facility launches, expansions, relocations, consolidations, and redesigns. The position oversees warehouse operations and technician truck stocking, with responsibility for inventory accuracy, material availability, service readiness, operational performance, budgets, technology, vendor relationships, and continuous improvement. It partners across Supply Chain, Service, Finance, Real Estate, Legal, Manufacturing, Sales, Procurement, Logistics, and other functions to align network capabilities with customer demand and business growth. The position is based in an office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and requires travel throughout North America up to approximately 35%, with more travel possible during launches, site assessments, or major initiatives. The work involves regular computer-based activity, talking, hearing, hand use, standing and walking; occasional stooping, bending, reaching, and lifting up to 25 pounds may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field.
10 or more years of progressive leadership experience in warehouse operations, distribution, logistics, inventory operations, supply chain, or a related function.
Demonstrated experience leading multi-site or geographically distributed warehouse operations across a large operating footprint.
Direct experience successfully launching, building, or materially scaling at least three warehouse or distribution facilities from the ground up.
Strong understanding of warehouse operations, network design, inventory control, material flow, capacity planning, cycle counting, technician truck replenishment, and operating standards.
Experience with enterprise WMS, TMS, ERP, CRM, and analytics platforms.
Strong analytical and financial skills, including the ability to build business cases, manage budgets, and use metrics to drive performance.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams through significant change and establish structure, standards, and accountability in evolving environments.
Strategic thinking and ability to translate network strategy into practical operating execution.
Strong attention to detail and a disciplined, process-oriented approach to warehouse operations.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, facilities, and initiatives across a geographically distributed network.
Strong communication, executive presence, and customer-service orientation.
Ability to build trust, influence cross-functional partners, and drive accountability across a distributed organization.
Ability to balance customer responsiveness, operational performance, and cost discipline.
Ability to meet customer site access and safety requirements.
Ability to travel throughout North America up to approximately 35%, with increased travel possible during facility launches, site assessments, or major operational initiatives.
Valid driver’s license.
Ability to pass a background check.
Eligibility to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Operations, Business, or a related field.
Experience with Salesforce, JDE EnterpriseOne, and Tableau.
Experience with network design/modeling tools such as Optilogic, Coupa/LLamasoft, or comparable platforms.
ASCM/APICS certification (CSCP or CPIM), Lean Six Sigma certification, or similar professional credentials.
Experience in an industrial, manufacturing, heavy equipment, or field-service environment.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, develop, and hold regional warehouse coordinators and warehouse operations analyst resources accountable.
Set role expectations, performance objectives, standard work, and accountability standards; establish team meetings, one-on-ones, reviews, and network performance routines.
Promote a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, urgency, continuous improvement, and customer focus; identify training needs and support cross-training and professional development.
Own and execute the multi-year warehouse and distribution master plan with Distribution Operations Excellence and Supply Chain leadership.
Assess the warehouse network and identify opportunities to add, consolidate, relocate, expand, or redesign facilities based on demand, service coverage, growth, cost, and performance.
Lead or co-lead greenfield and brownfield warehouse rollouts, including site assessment, real estate input, lease negotiations, operational requirements, layout, capacity planning, launch readiness, and commissioning.
Partner with Supply Chain, Finance, Real Estate, Legal, and other stakeholders on site selection, capital requirements, and business cases.
Conduct network modeling and trade-off analysis across freight, inventory, facilities, labor, and operating costs; define service boundaries, warehouse capabilities, material-flow standards, and future-state operating models.
Lead deployment of warehouse technologies, including modern WMS and TMS.
Oversee warehouse operations supporting service and field execution, including receiving, staging, storage, inventory movement, transfers, replenishment, material organization, and local support.
Own the technician truck-stocking and replenishment model, including standards, min/max levels, routines, accuracy expectations, and exception management based on service demand and consumption data.
Partner with Service leadership and field teams to resolve truck-stock shortages, excess inventory, transfer needs, and urgent material requirements; optimize inventory placement to improve availability and first-time fix performance.
Establish and drive accountability for warehouse safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and inventory; enforce safe material-handling, storage, movement, equipment-use, and facility-organization practices.
Set network-wide metrics and standards, including inventory and order accuracy, dock-to-stock time, material availability, productivity, inventory velocity, space utilization, and service responsiveness.
Own inventory accuracy, cycle counting, stock adjustments, truck-stock accuracy, transfer controls, and inventory governance across the network.
Use operational and financial data to identify root causes and reduce waste, excess handling, emergency purchasing, and avoidable service delays.
Define warehouse technology requirements and partner with business and technology teams to improve WMS, TMS, ERP, CRM, reporting, and inventory capabilities.
Use Salesforce, JDE EnterpriseOne, Tableau, and other enterprise systems to improve inventory visibility, reporting, demand analysis, and decision-making; establish reliable network-level data and dashboards.
Develop and manage warehouse operating budgets, capital needs, and cost-improvement opportunities; balance service requirements with inventory, labor, facility, transportation, and operating costs.
Partner with Supply Chain and Logistics leadership on 3PL and 4PL relationships, freight-carrier performance, and external warehousing or transportation solutions as needed.
Collaborate with Manufacturing, Sales, Procurement, Service, and Supply Chain to align warehouse capacity and inventory availability with demand and growth.
Maintain a customer-first warehouse function focused on responsiveness, material availability, first-time fix performance, and measurable customer and field-service outcomes.
Work with Service managers and District teams to understand demand, customer priorities, and timing requirements; reduce service delays and friction through warehouse, network, and truck-stock practices.
Evaluate warehouse processes and standardize, simplify, automate, and improve them; maintain SOPs, checklists, operating routines, and audit expectations.
Apply operational metrics and continuous-improvement methods to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and inventory performance and build a scalable operating model.
Collaborate with operational and functional partners, serve as the primary escalation point for warehouse-network and material-related issues, and communicate priorities, performance, risks, investments, and initiatives to leadership.
Build partnerships with local and functional leaders while maintaining consistent warehouse standards and accountability.
Support and promote workplace safety, follow company and OSHA policies and procedures, use required PPE, and promptly report hazards, near misses, and incidents.