Warehouse Operations Manager

University of Chicago • Chicago, IL

1d

About The Position

The Warehouse Operations Manager works in the University of Chicago Press Distribution Center, which fulfills orders for UChicago books and those of roughly 125 other scholarly publishers. The role reports to the Director of Warehouse and Building Operations and assists in managing staff involved in inbound operations, pick/pack/ship, returns, and inventory controls. The manager coordinates daily operations and special projects with warehouse unit managers.

The position supports workflow supervision of more than 60 stock clerks across three departments, allocates and reallocates labor as operational needs change, trains union staff, and helps enforce work procedures and inventory accountability. It administers corrective action procedures in accordance with university guidelines, collaborates on written work procedures, manages production-area inventory controls, and supports building management and maintenance. The role also oversees work requests and projects, liaises with central facilities staff and outside contractors, maintains shipping and receiving activities and records, resolves related distribution problems, and coordinates with vendors and Budget on supplies and equipment.

This is a people-manager role with 40 scheduled hours per week. It is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization. The position is based in a warehouse environment and requires standing for extended periods and performing standard warehouse functions as needed. The University of Chicago states that AI-assisted tools may augment some recruitment processes but are not used to make hiring decisions.

Requirements

• A college or university degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five to seven years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Understanding of warehouse operations.
• Ability to manage union employees and interact with managers from other warehouse departments.
• Ability to stand for extended periods in a warehouse environment and perform standard warehouse functions as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Five years of experience supervising or coordinating work in a production environment.
• Word-processing experience and ability to work with and understand complex computer reports.
• Microsoft Office skills and experience with Warehouse Management systems.
• Experience with material handling equipment.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Strong leadership and delegation skills.
• Good communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support workflow supervision of more than 60 stock clerks across three departments.
• Develop an understanding of departmental work processes and allocate or reallocate labor resources as daily circumstances evolve.
• Train union staff and participate in enforcing work procedures to ensure work continuity and inventory accountability.
• Administer and participate in corrective action procedures in accordance with university guidelines as needed.
• Collaborate with Warehouse Unit Managers to update or establish written work guidelines and procedures.
• Manage production-area inventory controls.
• Collaborate with the manager on building management and maintenance.
• Place and monitor work requests.
• Supervise projects and serve as a liaison to central facilities staff and outside contractors.
• Maintain shipping and receiving activities and records.
• Resolve shipping, receiving, and distribution problems.
• Coordinate with vendors and Budget to ensure the quality and pricing of supplies and equipment meet expectations.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Benefits

• The position is benefits-eligible; the University offers benefits programs and resources including health, retirement, and paid time off.

What This Job Offers

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