Warehouse Operations Director

Great Lakes Wine and Spirits • Highland Park, MI

3d • $100,000 - $130,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Great Lakes Wine & Spirits is Michigan's Largest Alcoholic Beverage Wholesaler, servicing all 83 Michigan counties. Employing over 1,000 people with facilities throughout the state, We Are Local, Everywhere. Founded as a family business nearly 80 years ago, the tradition of good business principles has remained the cornerstone of Great Lakes Wine & Spirits success. Honesty, hard work, fair dealing, service and an ongoing commitment to the customers and staff. Great Lakes Wine & Spirits strives to provide an ever escalating standard of innovation and service to its customers and to responsibly enhance demand for its products.
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits continues to grow as we seek a Warehouse Operations Director to work at our spirits depot in Highland Park.
The Warehouse Operations Director is a high-energy leader overseeing operations for one of our key warehouse facilities. This role is ideal for someone who excels at motivating teams, supporting a unionized workforce, improving processes, and driving operational excellence. Key responsibilities include but not limited to:

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in business, supply chain, or related field (equivalent experience considered)
• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive warehouse or operations management experience.
• Experience supervising and developing leaders at the supervisory/manager level.
• Experience leading in a unionized environment.
• Proficient with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, data analysis, etc.).
• Six Sigma Certification (green or black preferred).
• Ability to use technology to improve reporting, operational visibility, and efficiency.
• Comfort with learning and adapting to new systems and tools.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, leadership, and decision-making skills.
• Adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in the employee policy manual and any applicable contracts, signed agreements, and work rules.
• Cooperates with all management and staff of GLWAS.
• Follows all MLCC rules and regulations, as they apply to the position.
• Use alcohol in a responsible manner when related to business activities.
• Ability to read, write, and communicate in English.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading or participating in Kaizen initiatives or continuous improvement projects (preferred).
• Strong understanding of Lean and continuous improvement principles (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day warehouse operations.
• Lead, mentor, and develop supervisory teams and frontline union employees.
• Manage interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and performance evaluations
• Ensure safety, efficiency, and compliance across all warehouse functions.
• Drive process improvements that enhance productivity and operational quality.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives across warehouse operations.
• Collaborate with internal teams to support business and customer service goals.
• Maintain strong labor relations and ensure adherence to collective bargaining agreements.
• Complete other duties and special projects as assigned by management.

Benefits

• Salary $100,000 and $130,000 (paid semi-monthly)
• 6 Paid Holidays
• Vacation and Personal Time
• Competitive benefits including Medical, Dental, and Vision, Life Insurance, Disability, Employee Assistance Programs, and Group Legal coverage.
• Buy-Up Life Insurance and Disability coverage available.
• Eligible for 401K enrollment upon date of hire.
• Professional development and leadership training.
• Opportunities for career advancement within Great Lakes Wine & Spirits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager