Distribution Manager (West)

Farmer's Fridge Careers•Vernon, CA

1d•$100,000 - $110,000•Onsite

About The Position

Farmer’s Fridge makes fruits and vegetables accessible and approachable for everyone. We offer a variety of fresh, healthy, ready-to-eat meals and snacks through our fresh food vending machines, wholesale partners, and our office pantry solution — providing chef-curated meals to customers within seconds. Today, we operate a network of Fridges and partner with clients nationwide in high-foot-traffic areas, such as airports, hospitals, universities, and large office buildings — where there is limited accessibility to fresh, healthy, grab-n-go options. We care deeply about what we’re creating and aspire to make sure our customers feel that through every touchpoint. This shows up in many ways across the business. We are committed to prioritizing food safety, we are passionate about product quality, we value our employees, we champion the best idea no matter where it comes from, and we’re committed to making an overall positive impact as we scale. About this Role: We’re looking for a Distribution Manager to lead driver and fulfillment operations across our California markets, building the operational structure, accountability, and consistency needed to support a growing distribution network. Based in Vernon, California, you will oversee both salaried and hourly team members, with responsibility for hiring, performance management, coaching, and employee development while fostering a strong culture of execution, safety, and ownership. You’ll oversee cross-dock operations, fleet performance, and fulfillment execution, while driving process improvements that strengthen SLAs, operational metrics, and overall team performance. This role requires a hands-on leader who is comfortable reviewing and auditing metrics to identify opportunities for improvement, while also stepping directly into the field when needed to cover routes, support fulfillment workflows, or tackle other operational priorities. This role will require travel within our California markets, including Los Angeles and San Diego.

Requirements

3–5 years of management experience in a distribution, warehouse, logistics, or operations environment
Experience managing and developing both hourly and salaried team members in a fast-paced operational setting
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust, drive accountability, and navigate difficult conversations effectively
Comfortable working in a highly operational, hands-on environment, including time in refrigerated coolers (~38°F), with the flexibility to adapt quickly to changing business needs
Data-driven mindset with the ability to review metrics, identify operational gaps, and implement process improvements
Experience working cross-functionally across operations, logistics, fulfillment, or field teams
Proficient with Google Workspace and/or Microsoft Office, along with operational tools such as Slack, Zendesk, Salesforce, Asana, UKG, and NextMove
Valid driver’s license with the ability to travel between Los Angeles and San Diego as needed
Ability to obtain and maintain airport signatory and restricted badging access
Bachelor’s degree in a related field required

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish is a plus, but not required

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day driver, fulfillment, and cross-dock operations across our California markets, including oversight of salaried supervisors, hourly drivers, vehicles, daily and weekly scheduling, and end-of-day reporting
Own the full people-management cycle for the distribution team, from phone screen to offer, onboarding, coaching, performance management, corrective action, and terminations, while fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and ownership
Lead weekly metric reviews to identify gaps, improve SLAs, and make data-driven decisions related to operational efficiency, capacity, and on-time, in-full delivery
Oversee van maintenance and repairs with third-party vendors, and maintain and develop cross-dock processes in alignment with Farmer’s Fridge policies
Develop and iterate on delivery processes, SOPs, training programs, and quarterly bonus requirements, gathering employee feedback to prioritize the most impactful changes
Partner cross-functionally with Distribution, Logistics, Sales, Production, Data, and Tech teams to solve issues seen in the field, align on metrics, and share best practices across markets
Support new market launches by hiring and training new team members and leaders, identifying cross-dock and process flow, and ensuring all first stocking dates are met
Maintain compliance with state, county, and city regulations related to Farmer’s Fridge assets, including owning the Department of Health inspection process and managing fire safety and zoning requirements
Manage airport signatory and driver badging, including tracking badges for all drivers, keeping badging information up to date in Salesforce, and partnering with Sales Ops to service new and re-opening Fridges
Step directly into the operation when needed, including covering routes, supporting fulfillment workflows, cross-dock operations, or other critical operational priorities