General Manager, Wholesale Operations

GrowNYC•Bronx, NY

8d•Onsite

About The Position

GrowNYC is an environmental nonprofit organization whose programs support access to local food, community and school gardens, and environmental education. The General Manager, Wholesale Operations oversees day-to-day operations at GrowNYC Wholesale, supporting the organization's mission to strengthen regional farmers' financial viability and provide New Yorkers with equitable access to fresh, locally grown food. The role reports to the Director of Wholesale Food Distribution and is responsible for operations across a 20,000-square-foot food facility, a fleet of six trucks and vans, and a team of approximately 13 staff. The position requires experience in wholesale food distribution, strong organizational and leadership skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders toward mission and financial goals. The General Manager oversees warehouse, food safety, inventory, transportation and logistics, equipment and maintenance, operational systems, staff development, performance, compliance, and continuous improvement. They establish standards and priorities with the Warehouse Manager and Outbound Logistics Manager, coordinate with Purchasing and Sales, and serve as the operational continuity backup for the Wholesale Director. The role also manages operational budgets, vendor relationships, procedures, reporting, and staff coverage and training. This is a full-time, exempt, salaried, onsite position based at GrowNYC’s warehouse in Hunts Point, Bronx. The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for 35–40 hours per week, with occasional flexible hours including early mornings, evenings, and weekends. Occasional meetings at the downtown Manhattan office and visits to customer and partner sites may be required. Salary is $100,000–$110,000 per year.

Requirements

At least five years of experience in wholesale food distribution, warehousing, or logistics.
At least five years of experience in staff management, including PIPs, professional development, and performance reviews.
Demonstrated experience managing operations budgets and controlling costs.
Demonstrable 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 businesses.
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, inventory control, food and workplace safety, compliance, and shipping; establish standards and priorities with the Warehouse Manager.
Oversee delivery and logistics performance, including on-time delivery, route optimization, driver safety, truck utilization, and compliance; establish standards and priorities with the Outbound Logistics Manager.
Own order-cycle configuration in the order management system in coordination with Purchasing and Sales.
Coordinate with Purchasing and Sales on receiving, inventory availability, fulfillment, and delivery service levels; resolve fulfillment and delivery issues and escalate customer or supplier relationship issues as appropriate.
Provide operational continuity during the Director’s absence by making day-to-day operational decisions, serving as the point of contact for urgent staff matters, and briefing the Director on decisions upon their 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, priorities, check-ins, ownership, and deadlines.
Oversee hiring for operations roles in partnership with hiring managers and HR; support onboarding, performance reviews, performance management, and documentation.
Partner with operations managers and the Wholesale Director to ensure training programs are in place for all operations roles.
Maintain a coverage plan for operations roles, personally cover for either operations manager during absences, and ensure cross-training and redundancy for critical workflows.
Work with the Outbound Logistics Manager, Warehouse Manager, and HR on Corrective Action Notices and Performance Improvement Plans as needed.
Oversee repairs, preventative maintenance, sanitation, and service vendor relationships for Wholesale equipment, including contracts, warranties, and maintenance schedules.
Maintain the refrigeration temperature monitoring and alarm system 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 with building tenants and the Facilities Manager on shared spaces, access, workplace safety, and food safety controls.
Administer Wholesale operational systems and shared program accounts, maintaining access, credentials, integrations, and automations, with 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, including evacuation and closure procedures, staff distribution and training, and annual review; make operational 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, set standards for operational SOPs, and approve 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 drive cost efficiency across labor, 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 relevant regulations.
Ensure a comprehensive OSHA-compliant warehouse safety program, including safety practices, PPE, equipment certification, hazard communication, emergency response, inspections, and recordkeeping.
Review accidents and incidents, implement corrective actions, and report them to the Director of Wholesale 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 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 eligible full-time regular employees after 175 days of employment
FSA programs