VP of Operations (Fulfillment)
This is a highly visible executive leadership role with responsibility for the performance, scalability and continued development of the organization’s fulfillment business. The Vice President will initially maintain a close connection to day-to-day operations while establishing the processes, systems, leadership structure and operating discipline required to build a best-in-class fulfillment platform.
The ideal candidate combines strategic leadership with a willingness to get into the operation, understands what high-performing fulfillment looks like, and has successfully led meaningful operational transformation within a warehouse, distribution or third-party logistics environment.
Responsibilities
- Provide leadership and strategic direction for fulfillment and distribution operations.
- Evaluate current operating practices and develop a roadmap to improve productivity, service, quality, labor efficiency and overall financial performance.
- Establish consistent operating processes, performance expectations, standard work and accountability throughout the fulfillment organization.
- Develop and execute strategies that improve throughput, inventory accuracy, order quality and on-time performance.
- Build labor planning and productivity management processes that align staffing with customer demand and changing volume requirements.
- Partner with Finance to manage operating expenses, labor costs, budgets, capital priorities and profitability.
- Establish meaningful KPIs and operating rhythms that give leadership clear visibility into performance and opportunities for improvement.
- Lead the continued advancement of warehouse technology, systems, reporting capabilities and automation.
- Identify opportunities to improve facility layout, workflow, material movement and capacity utilization.
- Partner with commercial and customer-facing teams to ensure operational performance supports customer expectations, retention and future growth.
- Participate in customer-facing operational discussions and develop corrective action plans when service expectations are not achieved.
- Develop, coach and strengthen the fulfillment leadership team while creating clear expectations around ownership, accountability and performance.
- Establish succession planning and leadership development processes that support long-term organizational growth.
- Lead change effectively within an established workforce, balancing the need for operational improvement with employee engagement and retention.
- Build scalable systems and processes capable of supporting additional customers, increased volume and continued business growth.
Desired Skills and Experience
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience within fulfillment, distribution, warehousing or logistics operations.
- Experience leading complex, high-volume operations with multiple levels of leadership.
- Demonstrated success improving, restructuring or scaling warehouse and fulfillment operations.
- Experience managing operational and financial performance, including labor, operating expenses, budgets and profitability.
- Strong understanding of warehouse productivity, inventory management, labor planning and service-level performance.
- Experience implementing or optimizing warehouse management systems, operational technology or automation.
- Demonstrated ability to create and implement SOPs, KPIs, management routines and accountability systems.
- Experience leading through organizational or operational change.
- Ability to operate effectively at both the executive and operational levels.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant leadership experience.
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Led by a group of seasoned search industry professionals, SkyWater Search Partners brings new focus to a novel concept, “Short List Search.” Our purpose is to leave a lasting impression on the clients we serve by providing individuals who will make a measurable difference in their business. We strive to consistently deliver great results to our clients in a very timely manner.
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