Distribution Center Director

Leslie's · Dallas, TX · 1 mo ago

On-siteManagementFull-time

About the role

Founded in 1963, Leslie’s is the largest and most trusted direct‑to‑consumer brand in the U.S. pool and spa care industry. The company serves residential and professional consumers with an extensive, largely exclusive assortment of pool and spa care products through 900+ retail locations, backyard service and repair, a robust digital platform, and manufacturing and distribution divisions across 35+ states. Leslie’s values the development and growth of its team and strives to create a positive, fun atmosphere where team members feel valued and enthusiastic about their contributions.

The Distribution Center Director is responsible for leading the overall performance, operational effectiveness, and strategic direction of the distribution center, including warehouse operations, transportation, customer service, administrative support, safety, and team member development. This role plans, organizes, staffs, directs, and controls all distribution center activities to ensure service, productivity, cost, safety, and quality objectives are consistently achieved. The Director partners with senior leadership to establish performance goals, drive continuous improvement, develop talent, and ensure alignment with company objectives and customer expectations.

Responsibilities

Communication and Leadership: Partner with senior leadership, corporate partners, field leadership, vendors, and customers to support business objectives. Lead regular management and team meetings to align priorities, communicate expectations, and support execution across the distribution center. Represent the company professionally in business, community, and industry settings as needed.
Operations: Develop and execute systems, processes, and procedures that support efficient warehouse, transportation, inventory, and administrative operations. Plan, direct, and monitor daily operations to meet productivity, service, safety, quality, and cost objectives while ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
Team Member Leadership: Lead, coach, and develop the warehouse and transportation management teams to achieve operational goals. Build a high‑performing team through effective hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, succession planning, and professional development. Partner with Human Resources on staffing, performance evaluations, compensation recommendations, corrective action, and separations as appropriate.
Customer Service: Establish, communicate, and maintain service standards that support retail locations, internal partners, and external customers. Ensure distribution center teams provide timely, accurate, and responsive operational and administrative support. Address customer and business partner needs with urgency, professionalism, and accountability.
Budgeting and Financial Stewardship: Develop, recommend, and manage the annual operating budget. Monitor labor, transportation, equipment, supply, and facility expenses to ensure operational performance goals are achieved within established cost parameters. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and strengthen financial performance.
Equipment, Facilities, Safety, and Security: Oversee equipment, facilities, sanitation, maintenance, housekeeping, security, and safety programs to support efficient and compliant operations. Ensure material handling equipment, systems, and facilities are maintained appropriately and recommend improvements, repairs, replacements, or technology upgrades when needed.
Reporting and Performance Management: Ensure records, reports, metrics, and operational documentation are accurate, timely, organized, and effectively maintained. Review operational goals, service levels, productivity standards, safety performance, and cost metrics regularly; identify trends, remove barriers, and implement corrective actions as needed.
Systems and Continuous Improvement: Ensure warehouse management systems, reporting tools, and related technology operate effectively to support daily execution and business visibility. Stay informed of logistics, automation, material handling, and systems advancements and recommend improvements that enhance productivity, accuracy, safety, and service.
Operational Visibility: Maintain a regular presence throughout the distribution center to observe operations, answer questions, reinforce expectations, identify issues, and support real‑time problem solving. When appropriate, participate in store visits or private fleet ride‑alongs to better understand service levels and operational impact.

Essential Competencies

Communication: Strong verbal and written skills; creates clear, accurate, professional correspondence, documentation, and reporting; engages effectively with all organizational levels, vendors, customers, and cross‑functional partners.
Presentation and Facilitation: Effectively facilitates meetings, training sessions, and presentations; communicates complex information clearly, establishes credibility, and influences diverse audiences.
Interpersonal Skills: Builds productive relationships, listens actively, establishes trust with team members, leaders, vendors, and business partners; provides effective coaching, feedback, and support in one‑on‑one and group settings.
Attention to Detail: Ensures information, documentation, training, and operational execution are accurate, complete, and aligned with company policies and procedures; maintains high standards without compromising safety, customer service, compliance, or operational excellence.
Customer Focus: Creates a service‑oriented culture that supports internal and external customers; responds professionally and effectively to operational needs, business partner requests, and customer expectations while balancing quality, productivity, and cost.
Sound Judgment: Exercises sound business judgment in operational, staffing, and leadership decisions; balances company priorities, team member needs, customer expectations, safety, compliance, and financial performance.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
Five to seven years of progressive experience in warehousing, logistics, distribution, transportation, or supply chain operations preferred.
One to three years of experience in a comparable distribution center leadership role preferred.
Demonstrated experience leading teams, developing talent, managing performance, and driving accountability in a fast‑paced operational environment.
Strong knowledge of warehouse operations, transportation, inventory management, material handling equipment, safety practices, and regulatory compliance.
Experience with budgeting, labor planning, cost control, productivity management, and operational reporting.
Proficiency with computers, Microsoft Office applications, warehouse management systems, and related operational technology preferred.
Strong planning, organizational, analytical, problem‑solving, communication, and decision‑making skills.
Ability to build effective relationships, lead through influence, and align diverse teams and business partners around common objectives.

Benefits