Operation Manager Intern (Starting Summer 2027) Flow Distribution Center - Riverside, CA

Target • Riverside, CA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This is a paid, 40-hour-per-week, hands-on internship within a Target Supply Chain facility, designed to prepare interns for operations leadership. The intern gains a realistic preview of an Operations Manager role, works with managers and team members to learn how the supply chain business operates, and receives guidance from a mentor while developing leadership and operational skills. The internship includes learning across inbound, outbound, and warehousing functions, with opportunities to lead a department or mentor’s work center under guidance. Training, ongoing developmental conversations, and participation in internship activities support the intern’s growth. The role involves working in a busy, 24-hour facility and may require different shifts rather than a Monday-to-Friday schedule.

Requirements

• Participation in school or extracurricular activities and experience in leadership roles.
• Strong interest in retail, specifically supply chain facilities.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Problem-solving skills and strong initiative.
• Team-oriented thinking and enthusiasm for continuous learning.
• Ability to access all levels and areas of the facility to respond to team-member issues.
• Ability to understand instructions, reports, and information.
• Ability to climb up and down ladders.
• Ability to scan, handle, and move merchandise efficiently and safely, including frequent lifting or moving of items up to 15 pounds and occasional movement of items up to 40 pounds.
• Flexible work schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays, and regular work attendance.

Responsibilities

• Help lead on the facilities floor and align team members around daily business priorities.
• Work alongside team members to execute daily priorities.
• Maintain quality and inventory accuracy by standardizing processes, including standard work, job breakdowns, and quality risk analysis, while ensuring employee accountability.
• Track safety, teamwork, quality, and productivity KPIs; identify gaps and drive actions to maintain performance.
• Carry out process-improvement initiatives using continuous-improvement methods such as Gemba, Fish Bone Analysis, and 5 Whys.
• Coordinate communication between IT and Operations to address system issues and conduct testing in the WMS.
• Recruit and mentor team members, encourage a continuous-improvement mindset, and support their development into leadership roles through inclusive leadership.
• Address team-member concerns and remove operational hurdles to support smooth operations and goal attainment.
• Lead daily operational meetings and communicate relevant company and site information.
• Lead or present at daily planning meetings with peers and leaders.
• Set daily goals and organize shift plans to achieve targets at the start of the shift.
• Summarize results at the end of the shift, including plan attainment, hurdles, successes, and key learnings.
• Audit adherence to safety, quality, and productivity standards; share feedback and coach team members based on observations.
• Conduct building safety walks to identify, resolve, and report findings.
• Follow up on team-member attendance and provide coaching when necessary.
• Partner with leaders on team-member performance by teaching, coaching, training, and providing timely feedback.
• Recommend solutions and ideas for business or team opportunities.
• Seek growth opportunities, learn Target’s leadership expectations, ask questions, and seek feedback.
• Participate in internship training, development opportunities, and events; take on new assignments and step outside the comfort zone.
• Promote ethical conduct, safety, compliance, and an inclusive, safe, and secure culture; hold team members accountable to these commitments.
• Carry out department duties and responsibilities through internship rotations as trained.
• Use business reporting and guest insights to understand, troubleshoot, and follow up on opportunity areas.
• Develop business acumen by learning about all business areas and work with building leaders to set goals and expectations.
• Set and plan department daily and weekly workloads to support business priorities and manage a team toward goals.
• Learn to conduct real-time observations, problem-solve, motivate a team, and drive results while prioritizing safety and productivity.

Benefits

• Eligible team members and dependents may receive comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, and life insurance.
• 401(k).
• Employee discount.
• Short-term disability.
• Long-term disability.
• Paid sick leave.
• Paid national holidays.
• Paid vacation.
• Potential shift differential of $2.00 to $3.50 per hour based on eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed