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Director of Warehouse Operations & Logistics

Terraboost

Joliet, IL

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JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$90,000–$110,000 Per Year
SKILLS
Analysis Skills, Auditing, Billing, Cargo/Freight, Coaching, Communication Skills, Continuous Improvement, Cost Control, Cross-Functional, Customer Satisfaction, Data Analysis, Documentation, Entrepreneurship, Forklift, Inventory Cycle Counts, Inventory Management, Leadership, Less Than Truckload (LTL), Logistics, Maintain Compliance, Marine Cargo, Microsoft Office, Negotiation Skills, Order Picking/Packing, Order/Customer Fulfillment, Organizational Skills, Performance Metrics, Problem Solving Skills, Procedure Implementation, Process Improvement, Profit & Loss, Purchasing/Procurement, Relationship Management, Safety Standards, Sales, Scorecarding, Shipping/Receiving, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Time Management, Training Program, Transportation and Logistics, Trend Analysis, Warehousing
LOCATION
Joliet, IL
POSTED
2 days ago
Director of Warehouse Operations & Logistics : Location: Joliet, IL

We're looking for a high-ownership, entrepreneurial Director of Warehouse Operations & Logistics to run day-to-day warehouse and logistics operations for a growing company. This is not a desk job and not a corporate "middle manager" role.

You will own execution - people, process, inventory, and transportation - with clear KPIs, real authority to improve systems, and direct impact on profitability and customer satisfaction.

This role starts hands-on and execution-focused, and evolves as processes tighten and the operation matures - allowing more time for planning, analysis, optimization, and strategic cost control.

If you thrive wearing multiple hats, building structure, and treating operations like a business within a business, this role is for you.

What You'll Own (Your Scorecard):

You are accountable for performance across these core KPIs:
  • On-time, in-full (OTIF) shipping
  • Inventory accuracy & cycle count variance
  • Labor productivity & overtime control
  • Freight and transportation cost per order / per pound
  • Transportation cost variance vs. expected / quoted
  • Safety, cleanliness, and SOP compliance
  • Order accuracy & quality errors
You will have the authority - and expectation - to improve these metrics.

The Role (How You'll Spend Your Time):

This is a hands-on leadership role with increasing strategic responsibility over time.
  • You will spend significant time on the warehouse floor early on:
  • Leading by example
  • Coaching associates and supervisors
  • Removing bottlenecks
  • Enforcing SOPs and safety standards
  • Establishing consistent execution and accountability
  • As processes, training, and KPIs stabilize, your focus will increasingly shift to:
  • Planning and optimization
  • Data analysis and reporting
  • Transportation strategy and cost control
  • Continuous improvement initiatives
You are expected to flex your time based on what the operation needs, not a fixed schedule.

Key Responsibilities:

People & Leadership
  • Lead, train, and hold warehouse associates accountable to clear standards
  • Run daily huddles to align on priorities, volume, and performance targets
  • Build a culture of ownership, safety, and continuous improvement
  • Ensure labor compliance (breaks, lunches, scheduling)
  • Identify skill gaps and implement training programs that reduce dependency on constant supervision
Warehouse Operations
  • Oversee all warehouse functions: receiving, put-away, inventory control, picking, packing, and shipping
  • Ensure accurate, on-time order fulfillment
  • Perform and manage cycle counts; maintain high WMS accuracy
  • Conduct regular quality audits on inbound and outbound orders
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and safe facility aligned with SOPs
Transportation, Logistics & Cost Control
  • Own inbound and outbound transportation strategy, including domestic and ocean freight
  • Manage carrier relationships across parcel, LTL, FTL, and ocean transportation
  • Understand and manage all transportation-related costs and accessorials, including:
  • Fuel surcharges
  • Detention, demurrage, and port fees
  • Accessorial charges and pass-through costs
  • Create and maintain auditing processes to ensure freight invoices match contracted rates, quotes, and expected costs
  • Bid out freight, select carriers, and negotiate cost-effective and reliable rates
  • Create ASNs, loads, and BOLs; ensure compliance with customer routing and documentation requirements
  • Actively identify transportation cost savings and eliminate billing variances
  • Partner with purchasing and sales to align inventory flow, inbound timing, and outbound commitments
Continuous Improvement & Analysis
  • Identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements across warehouse and transportation
  • Improve SOPs, layouts, workflows, and carrier performance
  • Track KPIs, analyze trends, and report results transparently
  • Build repeatable systems that reduce errors, cost leakage, and manual effort
  • Treat the operation like a business within the business
Who Thrives in This Role
  • You like owning outcomes, not just tasks
  • You're comfortable making decisions and being accountable for results
  • You enjoy building structure where it doesn't fully exist yet
  • You think in terms of cost, efficiency, and scalability
  • You prefer a smaller, agile environment over heavy bureaucracy
  • You can shift between the floor and analysis without losing effectiveness
Qualifications
  • 3+ years of warehouse and/or logistics leadership experience
  • Strong understanding of inventory control, WMS, and fulfillment operations
  • Solid working knowledge of transportation, including ocean freight and associated fees
  • Experience managing carriers, freight spend, and invoice auditing
  • Comfortable working hands-on in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
  • Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills
  • Proficiency with WMS systems (Katana preferred) and Microsoft Office
  • Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent experience considered
  • Forklift / reach truck certification preferred or ability to obtain
Compensation & Growth
  • Base salary: $90,000-$110,000, depending on experience
  • Performance bonus up to 10% of base tied to: OTIF shipping, Inventory accuracy, Labor efficiency & overtime control, Transportation and freight cost reduction, Invoice accuracy and variance elimination
  • Health and wellness benefits
  • Paid time off
  • Real opportunity to grow responsibility, scope, and influence as the company scales
Why This Role Is Different
  • Clear KPIs and real ownership - not micromanagement
  • Authority to improve processes and build systems
  • Direct impact on transportation costs, service levels, and profitability
  • Leadership visibility and a genuine growth runway
  • A chance to build, optimize, and scale, not just maintain

If you're looking for a role where you can take ownership, wear multiple hats, and run warehouse and logistics operations like a business - we want to hear from you!

About the Company

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Terraboost