Senior Manager, Production Operations

Overview

Good people, working with good people, for our common good. Sound good? KeHE—a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor—is all about "good" and is growing, so there's never been a more exciting time to join our team. If you're enthusiastic about working in an environment with a people-first culture and an organization committed to good living, good food, and good service, we'd love to talk to you!

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for daily and strategic warehouse operations, including labor planning, safety, productivity, quality, and customer service.
• Lead, coach, and develop warehouse management staff and frontline leaders; support team growth, succession planning, and a positive work environment.
• Monitor and drive performance using KPIs (e.g., on-time shipping, productivity, inventory accuracy, safety incidents) to meet or exceed goals.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners (e.g., Transportation, Inventory, HR, Safety) to solve problems, implement initiatives, and align site strategy.
• Act as the primary point of contact for distribution center leadership and serve as liaison to internal support functions.
• Identify operational bottlenecks or inefficiencies; lead or sponsor process improvement initiatives using Lean or Six Sigma methodologies.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, food safety, and company-specific regulatory standards.
• Develop operational forecasts and resource plans in partnership with Finance and other departments.
• Promote a hands-on leadership style by maintaining visibility and active engagement on the warehouse floor.
• Work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays, to support business needs and operational demands.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Hands-On Leader: Actively engages with the team and leads by example on the floor.
• Results-Focused: Holds self and others accountable for measurable outcomes.
• Team Builder: Coaches and develops talent; supports career growth for direct reports.
• Adaptable & Solutions-Oriented: Comfortable navigating ambiguity and solving operational challenges.
• Collaborative: Strong communicator who works well across departments and levels.
• Strong end-to-end distribution knowledge, with a proven ability to drive operational success in a high-volume environment
• Proven leadership skills with experience managing frontline supervisors and salaried leaders
• Expertise in warehouse systems (WMS) and analytics to evaluate performance and support decision-making
• Excellent communication skills across all levels of the organization; strong presentation and reporting capabilities
• Ability to influence, resolve conflict, and build consensus across teams and functions
• Deep understanding of safety practices, regulatory compliance, and inventory control methods
• Experience implementing Lean or Six Sigma practices for continuous improvement
• High emotional intelligence with strong interpersonal and situational leadership skills
• Capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, ever-changing distribution environment
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (especially Excel); ability to learn and utilize internal systems quickly
• Comfortable accessing all areas and levels of the facility, including production floors and racking systems

Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 6+ years of progressive warehouse/distribution leadership experience, including 3+ years managing leaders or teams.
• Experience in the food, grocery, or consumer goods industry preferred.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) is a plus.