General Manager, Wholesale Operations

GrowNYC•New York, NY

9d•$100,000 - $110,000•Onsite

About The Position

The General Manager, Wholesale Operations reports to the Director of Wholesale Food Distribution and oversees day-to-day operations at GrowNYC Wholesale. The role is responsible for warehouse operations, food safety, inventory, transportation and logistics, equipment and maintenance, and operational systems across a 20,000-square-foot food facility, a fleet of six trucks and vans, and a team of approximately 13 staff. The General Manager ensures operations run safely, efficiently, and reliably in support of GrowNYC’s mission to bolster the financial viability of regional farmers and provide New Yorkers with equitable access to fresh, locally grown food. The position calls for an experienced wholesale food distribution operator with strong organizational skills and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders toward mission-driven and financial goals. A central focus is developing staff through effective systems, training, accountability, and follow-through. The General Manager oversees receiving, storage, inventory, fulfillment, and delivery; establishes operational standards and coordinates with Warehouse and Outbound Logistics managers; and collaborates with Purchasing and Sales on order cycles, service levels, and issue resolution. The role supervises and develops operations managers and their teams, maintains staffing coverage and cross-training, and supports hiring, onboarding, performance management, and training. It also oversees equipment maintenance, refrigeration monitoring and alarm response, fleet coordination, vendor relationships, shared spaces, operational systems, and technology improvements. The position is accountable for operational policies, procedures, KPIs, reports, budgets, cost efficiency, regulatory compliance, warehouse and food safety, incident review, and continuous improvement. It is a full-time, salaried, exempt, on-site position based at GrowNYC’s warehouse in Hunt’s Point, Bronx. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 35–40 hours per week, with occasional flexible hours, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends. Occasional meetings at the downtown Manhattan office and off-site visits to customer and partner sites may be required. The candidate is expected to be available to start within a maximum of 21 days after an offer.

Requirements

At least five years of wholesale food distribution, warehousing, or logistics experience.
At least five years of experience in staff management, Performance Improvement Plans, professional development, and performance reviews.
Demonstrated experience managing operations budgets and controlling costs.
Demonstrated steady leadership and team management skills.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and knowledge levels.
Ability to manage concurrent projects in a fast-paced team environment.
Strong interpersonal skills and willingness to work with people from diverse backgrounds.
Professional proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and other ERP, routing, communications, workflow management, and project management applications.

Nice To Haves

Ability to speak a second language, ideally Spanish.
Knowledge of regional food systems, social enterprises, and food business.
Experience in a union environment.
Valid New York State driver’s license with a clean driving record.
Experience in the nonprofit sector.

Responsibilities

Manage day-to-day Wholesale Operations, including receiving, storage, inventory, order fulfillment, and outbound delivery.
Oversee warehouse performance, including inventory control, food safety, workplace safety, compliance, and shipping; set standards and priorities with the Warehouse Manager.
Oversee delivery and logistics performance, including on-time delivery, route optimization, driver safety, truck utilization, and compliance; set standards and priorities with the Outbound Logistics Manager.
Configure order cycles in the order management system in coordination with Purchasing and Sales, including order periods, lead times, aggregation, and delivery cycles.
Coordinate with Purchasing and Sales on receiving, inventory availability, fulfillment, and delivery service levels; resolve operational issues and route customer or supplier relationship issues to the appropriate lead or Wholesale Director.
Serve as the operational continuity backup for the Wholesale Director, make day-to-day operational decisions during the Director’s absence, respond to urgent staff matters, and brief the Director on decisions upon return.
Support operational execution of new service lines as directed by the Wholesale Director.
Supervise, coach, and develop operations managers and their teams; establish management frameworks with priorities, check-ins, owners, and deadlines.
Oversee hiring for operations roles in partnership with hiring managers and HR; support onboarding, performance reviews, performance issue management, and documentation.
Partner with operations managers and the Wholesale Director to ensure training programs are in place for all operations roles.
Maintain coverage plans for operations roles, personally cover for either operations manager during absences, and ensure cross-training and redundancy for business-critical workflows.
Work with the Outbound Logistics Manager, Warehouse Manager, and HR on Corrective Action Notices and Performance Improvement Plans as needed.
Oversee repairs, preventive maintenance, sanitation, service vendors, contracts, warranties, and maintenance schedules for Wholesale equipment, including refrigeration, dock doors and lifts, material handling equipment, and the forklift charging station when escalated.
Maintain the refrigeration temperature monitoring and alarm system in coordination with the Warehouse Manager and Facilities Manager; serve as the primary after-hours contact for refrigeration and temperature alarms and maintain an escalation protocol.
Manage waste carting and organics collection agreements and vendor contracts; ensure biodigester procedures and staff training are current.
Coordinate fleet maintenance and availability with the Fleet Administrator and Outbound Logistics Manager.
Coordinate with the Facilities Manager on building systems and construction, renovation, repair, or maintenance affecting Wholesale operations; coordinate shared spaces, access, workplace safety, and food safety controls with building tenants and the Facilities Manager.
Administer Wholesale operational systems and shared program accounts, maintaining users, credentials, integrations, and automations and ensuring a trained backup for each.
Evaluate and implement operational technology with the Wholesale Director and IT, prioritizing process documentation, integration, and automation.
Maintain the Hub Office Policies and Procedures manual with the Wholesale Director, including evacuation and closure procedures, distribution, staff training, and annual review; make closure and delay decisions in coordination with the Director.
Track and report operational KPIs, including on-time delivery, order accuracy, storage utilization, truck utilization, and safety incidents.
Drive continuous improvement and establish standards for, and approve, operational SOPs developed by managers and operational leads.
Maintain operational reports and dashboards, with documented processes and a trained backup for each.
Manage the Wholesale operations budget and cost efficiency across labor, overtime, fleet, equipment, supplies, and services; contribute to annual budgeting and cost reporting and review and approve vendor invoices within delegated authority.
Collaborate with the Wholesale Director, Facilities Manager, Safety and Risk Management Senior Advisor, and Fleet Administrator to ensure compliance with OSHA, USDA, DOT, and other applicable rules and regulations.
Ensure a comprehensive OSHA-compliant warehouse safety program, including safety techniques, PPE, equipment certification, hazard communication, emergency response, inspections, and recordkeeping.
Review accidents and incidents, implement corrective actions, and report them to the Wholesale Director and Senior Advisor, Safety and Risk Management.
Conduct regular spot checks of food safety protocols, including HACCP and temperature logs, hygiene standards, and workspace safety practices, with the Warehouse Manager serving as the facility’s PCQI.
Partner with the Facilities Manager and Safety and Risk Management Senior Advisor on fire and life safety testing and inspections; maintain egress and sprinkler clearances, address deficiencies, and ensure staff training.
Develop and implement a shrink policy and track, analyze, and report shrink and spoilage rates to reduce food waste.

Benefits

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Life insurance
Long-term disability
Incentive savings plan
Paid time off
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Potential parental leave for full-time regular employees who have been employed by GrowNYC for 175 days
FSA programs