Warehouse Manager

Mercana•Newport News, VA

About The Position

The Warehouse Manager is accountable for the full operation of Mercana’s Newport News site, including receiving, put-away, storage, picking, packing, shipping, dropship, inventory control, and facility operations. The role translates the Director of Distribution’s plan into safe, accurate, timely site operations and reports performance against KPI and budget targets. The Manager leads the site’s Supervisors directly and the frontline team through them. Responsibilities include setting expectations, developing Supervisors as people leaders, making hiring decisions within approved headcount, and resolving performance issues in partnership with Human Resources. The Manager owns the site labour plan and operating budget, leads workflow and layout improvements, and sets standards for safety and customer commitment across every shift. The role oversees site operations, people management, inventory, budget and cost control, continuous improvement, health and safety, and facility security. It requires regular warehouse-floor work as well as desk-based planning, budgeting, and reporting.

Requirements

Five to seven years of progressive warehouse leadership experience, including at least two years managing Supervisors or team leads.
Post-secondary degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Proven record of managing KPI, labour, and budget targets in a high-volume warehouse.
Strong understanding of warehouse operations, inventory control principles, and cycle counting.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including leading performance conversations and documentation.
Strong technical skills with spreadsheets and data management tools.
Experience with import container receiving, dropship programs, and LTL and third-party logistics coordination.

Nice To Haves

Experience with MS Dynamics 365 Business Central or Navision and Power BI.
Experience handling furniture, home décor, or other bulky and fragile goods.
Forklift certification.

Responsibilities

Own daily, weekly, and monthly site performance across inbound and outbound operations, including pick/pack, shipping, receiving, dropship, transfers, and put-away.
Set daily priorities with Supervisors, protect urgent, aging, and deadline-sensitive orders, and maintain customer service standards.
Plan capacity for container arrivals, seasonal peaks, and promotional volume, adjusting labour and dock schedules in advance.
Coordinate with Customer Operations, Logistics Coordination, and Operations team members to ensure timely delivery of goods to customers.
Communicate expectations and ensure staff, Leads, and Supervisors follow handling procedures and safety protocols.
Lead and hold Supervisors accountable; ensure Leads and Associates are scheduled, trained, and managed to standard through them.
Hold regular one-to-ones with Supervisors, review team performance and people metrics, and coach on scheduling, feedback, documentation, and difficult conversations.
Make hiring decisions for site roles within approved headcount in partnership with Human Resources, and ensure onboarding, training, and certification are completed.
Review disciplinary documentation, lead escalated cases with Human Resources, and make termination recommendations to the Director of Distribution.
Conduct mid-year and annual performance reviews for direct reports and calibrate site ratings consistently.
Work with Human Resources to identify coaching and training needs, build succession for Supervisor and Lead roles, and act on engagement survey results.
Own the cycle count program and annual inventory, and investigate discrepancies to root cause with the Director of Distribution and Finance.
Maintain inventory control procedures that align system and physical inventory at bin level.
Ensure accurate receipt and delivery of inbound materials, including supplies; track warehouse supply inventory and communicate stock levels to the Director of Procurement.
Oversee QC and quarantined inventory with the Quality Control Manager so disposition is decided promptly.
Build and manage the site labour plan and operating budget with the Director of Distribution; approve overtime and temporary labour against plan.
Track labour productivity and cost per unit, explain variances, and implement corrective action.
Manage staffing agency labour against agreed terms and volume needs.
Execute warehouse realignment and slotting to improve workflow, with a focus on bin optimization.
Apply Lean and 5S principles, foster continual improvement, and standardize changes in SOPs.
Use Business Central and Power BI to identify trends and prepare weekly and monthly KPI reporting for the Director of Distribution.
Recommend equipment, layout, and system changes to the Director, supported by a business case.
Own the site health and safety program, including risk assessments, inspections, incident investigations, and corrective-action follow-up under WorkSafeBC requirements.
Provide regular safety talks, support the joint health and safety committee, and promote a culture of safety.
Ensure equipment is maintained, operator certifications are current, and the building and stock are secured.
Flex work hours around container arrivals, peak volume, and incidents, including early starts and extended hours; attend outside standard hours when needed for facility security.