Operations Manager Intern (Starting Summer 2027) Flow Distribution Center, Chicago- Pulaski, IL

Pay

The pay range per hour is $27.00–$28.00. You may also earn additional compensation in the form of a shift differential, ranging from $2.00 to $3.50 per hour, based on eligibility. Pay is based on several factors including labor markets, education, work experience, and certifications.

Benefits

Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include:

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance
• Life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Employee discount
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Paid sick leave
• Paid national holidays
• Paid vacation

About the Role

This internship is a paid 40-hour-per-week, hands-on training program designed to develop and prepare you for an operations leadership role within a Target Supply Chain Facility. As an Operations Intern, you’ll gain a realistic preview of life as an Operations Manager while working closely with managers and team members to understand how Target’s supply chain business operates.

You will lead and support daily operations, work alongside team members, and learn to motivate and influence a team, including leading a department. The program includes mentorship, extensive training, and opportunities to step into leadership roles within your mentor’s work center.

Responsibilities

• Spend time on the facility floor helping to lead team members and align daily business priorities.
• Work alongside team members to execute daily priorities while maintaining high standards of quality and inventory accuracy.
• Track KPIs such as safety, teamwork, quality, and productivity to identify gaps and drive performance improvements.
• Carry out process improvement initiatives using methodologies like Gemba, Fish Bone Analysis, and 5 Whys.
• Facilitate communication between IT and operations teams to address system issues and conduct WMS testing.
• Recruit and mentor team members to foster a continuous improvement mindset and leadership development.
• Address team member concerns and remove operational hurdles to ensure smooth operations.
• Lead daily meetings to share company and site-specific information, plan goals, and organize shift plans.
• Provide summaries of results, share hurdles, successes, and key learnings at the end of each shift.
• Conduct audits for safety, quality, and productivity adherence, and coach team members based on observations.
• Conduct safety walks to identify, resolve, and report findings.
• Manage team member attendance, coaching, and performance feedback in partnership with leaders.
• Provide new ideas and recommend solutions for business or team opportunities.
• Seek out growth opportunities, ask questions, and actively participate in training and developmental activities.
• Demonstrate ethical conduct, safety, and compliance while fostering an inclusive and secure culture.
• Understand business reporting and guest insights to troubleshoot and follow up on opportunity areas.
• Gain an understanding of all business areas to develop business acumen.
• Work with building leaders daily to set goals and expectations.

Skills and Qualifications

• Participation in school or extracurricular activities with experience in leadership roles.
• Strong interest in working in retail, specifically within supply chain facilities.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Problem-solving skills and strong initiative.
• Team-oriented thinking with enthusiasm for continuous learning.
• Ability to access all levels and areas of the facility to respond to team member issues.
• Ability to understand instructions, reports, and information.
• Ability to climb up and down ladders.
• Ability to scan, handle, and move merchandise efficiently and safely, including frequently lifting or moving up to 15 pounds and occasionally up to 40 pounds.
• Flexible work schedule (e.g., nights, weekends, and holidays) and regular work attendance.

About Target

As a Fortune 50 company with over 400,000 team members worldwide, Target is an iconic brand and one of America’s leading retailers. Working at Target means helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. We prioritize relationships, fuel talent growth, and invest in our communities. Our purpose is ingrained in how we care, grow, and win together.

About the Internship

This internship provides meaningful experiences to help you build and develop skills for a career, including:

• Experience in building and managing a team culture.
• Problem-solving and change management skills.
• Knowledge of retail business fundamentals.
• Experience setting and planning daily/weekly workloads to support business priorities.
• Experience managing a team of hourly team members and creating business strategies and goals.
• Knowledge of departments within the distribution center, including Inbound, Outbound, and Warehousing.