Distribution Manager Jobs in Appleton, WI (NOW HIRING)

About Us:

Trilliant Food & Nutrition is a leading manufacturer of premium coffee and powdered beverages, proudly headquartered in Little Chute, Wisconsin. With a legacy rooted in quality, innovation, and service, Trilliant delivers branded and private label solutions across retail, foodservice, and e-commerce channels.

Horseshoe Beverage Company, based in Neenah, WI, is a leading ready-to-drink beverage manufacturer dedicated to delivering an exceptional beverage experience. By combining industry-leading talent, cutting-edge equipment, and a vertically integrated supply chain, we drive innovation and consistently deliver the highest quality products to our customers—first and fast.

Our brand portfolio includes Victor Allen’s®, Dutch Bros® beverages and Nurri™, our better-for-you protein beverage line. We are passionate about beverages – and about building a team that’s just as energized. We invite you to explore opportunities at Trilliant or Horseshoe, to see if your talents and career aspirations may fit with our openings.

Position Overview:

Reporting to the Warehouse and Distribution Manager, this position is responsible for coordinating all aspects of warehouse operations including shipping schedules, loading operations and material handling activities (processing, packaging and storage of supplies, materials, and equipment).

Hours are 5:45pm – 6:00am on a 2-2-3 schedule at our Neenah, WI distribution center.

Responsibilities:

Distribution, Transportation & Warehousing:

• Assisting in designing and managing optimal space and storage plan for existing and new warehouse facilities.
• Maintain warehousing and distribution center contacts.
• Participate in innovative warehousing and distribution programs and processes.
• Inbound and outbound transportation management from/to production and distribution facilities.
• Assist in developing a warehouse and distribution center team.
• Coordination of product deployment from internal or 3rd party manufacturing locations to distribution centers in accordance with overall planning strategies
• Work cross-functionally to supply offerings such as factory direct, modular pallets, and customer pickup shipments. Using transportation expenses as a guide, recommend the process for customer returns and sample order shipments.
• Assist with the activities relating to loss/damage claims in partnership with customer service. The specific activities include investigation, timely filing, and collection of the claims.
• Direct and coordinate all aspects of warehouse operations including shipping schedules, loading operations and material handling activities (processing, packaging and storage of supplies, materials, and equipment.
• Prepare schedules for shipping and receiving materials to control the flow of goods and optimize warehouse space.
• Develop, communicate, and monitor work schedules and policies/procedures.
• Oversee the inspection of incoming goods and ensure damaged goods are returned and/or credit is received as appropriate.
• Hires, develops, and reviews warehouse staff.
• Seek out and implement innovative warehousing and distribution programs and processes.
• Provide input and analysis as part of the annual warehouse budgeting process.
• Manages inbound scheduling process with vendors / carriers to control the flow of product into the building while maintaining level-of-service goals.
• Works with Inventory Planning to resolve vendor issues on delivery.
• Ensures receipts are reconciled against purchase orders and proper paperwork is forwarded to Accounts Payable and the inventory planning team.
• Ensures products meet standards for quality and product specifications for all inbound receipts.
• Maintains receiving accuracy in item identification, quantity acknowledged, and putaway activities.
• Ensures timely and accurate replenishment.
• Determines proper staffing levels needed based on work volume and productivity and effectively forecasts needs.
• Ensure service goals are met in all areas of responsibility.
• Works with other managers to plan and allocate resources across the building.
• Ensures BPMs are in place and followed.
• Responsible for data integrity and accurate data management within the ERP and WMS.
• Ensures housekeeping is maintained.
• Pursues initiatives to improve department efficiency leading to lower operating costs, improved quality, and/or improved safety.

Inventory & Production Planning

• Participate in inventory strategy development and execute inventory planning process and analysis.
• Ensure inventory accuracy to include proper age rotation and date code integrity.
• Ensure that systems and procedures are in place and executed to enable full trace of all production in the case of food safety or other product recall. This includes product residing in third party warehouses, contract manufacturers or co-packers.
• Review sales and finished goods inventory data in partnership with sales, operations, or customer service team members to adjust plans as needed to respond effectively to unexpected sales trends and/or inventory balances.
• Facilitate production planning tools and processes and assist scheduler with execution and decision making as needed.
• Participate in sales forecasting process.
• Monitor product age ensuring product freshness. Communicate with Marketing, Sales, and Finance on age issues or concerns.
• Ensure ERP system master data management, integrity, and maintenance for assigned area.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years of hands-on supervisory experience in a food industry or related manufacturing facility, preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent. Higher education preferred.
• Track record of successfully selecting, planning, and implementing new 3rd party vendors (warehouse, transportation, etc.) Experience starting up new internal warehousing including design, planning and execution while meeting service, quality, and cost requirements.
• Knowledge of food packaging principles, food industry quality and food safety requirements, and new product scale up dynamics.
• Demonstrated strength in process improvement, SOP documentation and employee training.
• Experience in managing information within an ERP system. ERP implementation experience is preferred.
• Understanding the basics of change management has effectively led large scale changes or process improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and simultaneous user needs.
• Strong project management skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Good team player able to work well with others and contribute to a positive work environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate well cross-functionally and work well at all levels of the organization.
• Strong analytical skills, troubleshooting and judgment skills.
• Results driven.
• Solid computer skills including Microsoft Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and related production and product information systems.
• Desire to work in a fast-paced high growth environment.
• Must be willing to be a hands-on performer and spend significant time both planning and executed processes, analysis and spending time on the plant production and warehouse floor.
• Other duties as assigned.

Hours, Location and Pay:

We offer a competitive-based pay rate and comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees. This position works at our Neenah, WI Distribution Center and follows a 2-2-3 schedule 5:45pm to 6:00am.

Physical and Mental Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, hear, use hands to type data, use a personal computer and telephone. This employee may occasionally have to operate business machines and lift and/move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required in this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Mental demands include multi-tasking, decision making, problem solving, comparing, copying, computing, compiling, analyzing, coordinating, and synthesizing data.
• Potential for exposure to chemicals, heights, loud noises, mechanical equipment, wet environments, and other potential hazards exist.

Safety Statement:

At Trilliant and Horseshoe, safety is every employee’s first responsibility. We expect all employees to adhere to all safety practices, have the moral courage to stop other individuals from performing unsafe acts, and immediately report unsafe conditions.

Disclosures:

• The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
• Responsible for following food safety/regulatory policies and procedures, executing responsibilities as identified in standard operating procedures, and reporting food safety/regulatory concerns to the Production or Quality Manager.
• Trilliant Food & Nutrition and Horseshoe Beverage Company are Drug Free Workplaces. All applicants are subject to a drug screen and background check as a condition of employment.
• Trilliant Food and Nutrition and Horseshoe Beverage participate in the E-Verify process.
• EEO/AA including Vets and Disabled
• If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at HR@trilliantfood.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
• Trilliant Food and Nutrition and Horseshoe Beverage are Equal Opportunity Employers.
• The principles of the OECD and UN have been taken into consideration and used as guidance in our human rights practices and procedures.