Distribution Center Manager

About the role

Your top priority as a Distribution Center Manager is to lead all Distribution Center functions for Northern Tool + Equipment’s Fort Mill, SC facility with a disciplined focus on Quality, Agility, and Simplicity. This role is accountable for creating better end-to-end flow across receiving, storage, picking, packing, shipping, inventory control, safety, and labor planning so that products move accurately, efficiently, and reliably to stores, customers, and other Company operations. The Distribution Center Manager is expected to build a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and operational discipline that enables the Company to achieve service, sales, profit, safety, and productivity goals.

Responsibilities

• Establishes clear Distribution Center goals, operating standards, and daily management routines that improve safety, quality, flow, service, productivity, and cost performance across all inbound, outbound, inventory, and support functions.
• Works with the Director of Distribution to align site priorities to approved goals, monitors performance against key metrics, takes timely corrective action, and communicates risks, tradeoffs, and recommended changes with urgency and clarity.
• Provides direction and guidance over Distribution Center operations to ensure accurate receiving, stocking, picking, packing, shipping, and inventory handling.
• Maintains a strong floor presence to inspect what is expected, remove barriers, and reinforce quality at the source.
• Monitors established safety programs for compliance using Company requirements and Occupational Safety Health Administration regulations.
• Directs maintenance and monitoring of housekeeping standards to promote safe and efficient operations and directs changes and updates where necessary and needed.
• Monitors day-to-day warehouse operations for efficiency, simplicity, and flow; identifies bottlenecks, eliminates unnecessary complexity, improves handoffs between functions, and implements approved changes in process, layout, labor planning, systems, and equipment.
• Maintains working knowledge of current distribution, fulfillment, quality, inventory, WMS, labor planning, and continuous improvement practices.
• Applies practical methods, tools, and industry learning to improve service, reduce waste, simplify work, and ensure legal and Company compliance requirements are met.
• Directs management work assignments and areas of responsibility with clear ownership, measurable expectations, and visible follow-up.
• Holds leaders accountable for daily execution, root cause problem solving, associate engagement, and sustained improvement of flow, quality, safety, and productivity.
• Builds an agile operating environment that can flex labor, space, process flow, and priorities in response to changing customer demand, carrier performance, seasonality, promotional activity, inventory conditions, and business needs while maintaining quality and safety standards.
• Fosters strong cross-functional partnerships with transportation, inventory planning, retail, direct-to-customer, merchandising, IT, risk, and compliance teams to align priorities, improve end-to-end execution, resolve barriers, and ensure Distribution Center decisions support broader Company service, sales, profit, safety, inventory, and customer experience objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• 3–5 years of advanced technical training.
• 5–7 years of related distribution/warehouse experience.
• 5–7 years of management experience in a high volume distribution setting.
• Strong people skills with the ability to relate to other departments’ needs and concerns while still being able to accomplish the Company’s goals.
• Thorough knowledge of Company policies and procedures as they relate to the Operations department.
• Thorough knowledge of applicable distribution methods and procedures; preferably in a retail supply operation.
• Demonstrated ability to manage the on-schedule receiving, stocking, picking, and shipping of Company products.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Ability to administer policies and employee relations programs which emphasize both the Company and the employees.
• Strong leadership and sound decision making abilities.
• Strong background in warehouse management systems and engineered standards.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with all levels of Company personnel and outside vendors.

About Us

Northern Tool + Equipment is a family business with roots stretching back three generations to Minnesota’s Iron Range, where our blue-collar work ethic and commitment to serving the people who do the tough jobs was born. Our mission is to be the best in the world at serving the professional tradespeople and those who want to work like them. With over 130 retail stores across 24 states, top national brands and global manufacturing operations designed to create our own specialized tools and equipment, we are busting our knuckles to deliver the products, prices and advice our customers need to succeed. We’re looking for people who share our blue-collar work ethic.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: medical, dental, vision, and a 401(k) plan with an enhanced company match.
• Generous Employee Discount on company products.
• Daily Pay option for added financial flexibility.
• 7 paid federal holidays.
• Eligible incentive programs.