Freight Forwarding Operations Manager Jobs in Portland, OR

Operations Manager, Warehouse & Logistics

Jewett Cameron Company | North Plains, Oregon | Full-Time

About Us

Jewett Cameron is dedicated to enriching outdoor spaces through innovative product development. Our success is built on our core values:Innovate, Collaborate, and Deliver.We foster an environment where motivated professionals can grow while making meaningful contributions to our company, partnerships, environment, and local communities.

Position Overview

We are seeking a seasoned operations leader to oversee our warehouse, distribution, outbound logistics, inventory control, and customer service operations. This high-impact role is responsible for the performance, scalability, and continuous improvement of a high-volume distribution operation, including significant inventory, labor, transportation, and facility resources. The ideal candidate brings a strong track record of leading complex warehouse and distribution environments while balancing customer service, operational efficiency, cost, safety, and inventory accuracy.

Working closely with senior leadership and cross-functional partners, this individual will translate company objectives into measurable operational results and provide strategic direction on capacity, fulfillment, transportation, technology, and operational improvement. This is more than a traditional warehouse management role-it requires a business-minded leader who can move between strategic planning and hands-on execution, build high-performing teams, and help shape the future performance and capabilities of the company's distribution operation.

Scope of Leadership

The Operations Manager, Warehouse & Logistics will provide leadership across:

• Warehouse and distribution operations
• Outbound transportation and logistics
• Customer service and order fulfillment
• Inventory control and accuracy
• Labor planning, productivity, safety, and operational performance
• Facility utilization, systems, process improvement, and operational scalability

Key Areas of Responsibility

Strategic Operations & Distribution Leadership

• Develop and execute short- and long-term strategies for warehouse, distribution, outbound logistics, and customer service operations that support company growth, customer expectations, service levels, and financial objectives.
• Evaluate and optimize distribution resources, including facility capacity, labor models, warehouse processes, technology, equipment, and capital investments to improve efficiency, scalability, and operational performance.
• Serve as a strategic operational partner to senior leadership, providing data-driven recommendations and performance insights related to distribution capacity, customer service, operating costs, operational risks, and facility requirements.

Warehouse, Distribution & Customer Service Operations

• Lead high-volume warehouse, distribution, and customer service operations, with accountability for productivity, order fulfillment, service levels, inventory accuracy, safety, labor utilization, and operating costs.
• Establish standardized processes, systems, controls, and performance expectations that improve throughput, consistency, order accuracy, customer experience, and operational discipline.
• Drive continuous improvement and operational excellence through KPI analysis, root-cause identification, process redesign, corrective action, and effective use of operational data.

Inventory Control & Operational Performance

• Provide leadership for inventory control and warehouse inventory accuracy, with accountability for physical inventory integrity, cycle counting, product location accuracy, order accuracy, and inventory controls within the distribution operation.
• Develop and monitor operational KPIs that provide visibility into inventory accuracy, fulfillment performance, warehouse productivity, service levels, labor efficiency, and operating costs.
• Identify and resolve operational issues involving inventory discrepancies, shipping errors, fulfillment performance, warehouse inefficiencies, and other customer-impacting issues through disciplined root-cause analysis and corrective action.

Outbound Logistics & Transportation

• Develop and manage outbound transportation strategies that balance customer service, freight expense, capacity, reliability, and delivery performance.
• Lead carrier and transportation provider relationships across parcel, LTL, FTL, and other outbound transportation services, with accountability for cost, service, capacity, and performance.
• Monitor transportation performance and freight costs and implement improvements that increase delivery reliability, control costs, and support customer commitments.

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing operations leadership team, establishing clear accountability for results, service, safety, productivity, and continuous improvement.
• Develop organizational capability through workforce planning, succession planning, coaching, leadership development, and talent management.
• Lead operational change and organizational improvement associated with growth, process improvement, systems implementation, facility expansion, and evolving customer requirements while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, and customer focus.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in warehouse, distribution, logistics, or operations management, including significant responsibility for large-scale operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading high-volume distribution and warehouse operations with measurable accountability for productivity, customer service, inventory accuracy, cost, and operational performance.
• Experience managing $50M+ in inventory or a comparably significant inventory operation, with responsibility for inventory accuracy, controls, and operational integrity.
• Demonstrated leadership across multiple operational functions, ideally including warehouse, outbound logistics, inventory control, and customer service/order fulfillment.
• Experience leading managers and supervisors and building high-performing operational teams.
• Demonstrated experience developing and presenting operational KPIs, performance results, risks, and strategic recommendations to senior or executive leadership.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with operational budgeting, cost management, labor planning, resource allocation, and performance analysis.
• Strong experience with WMS, ERP systems, operational reporting, and data analytics.
• Demonstrated success leading continuous improvement, process redesign, operational transformation, or organizational change.
• Strong knowledge of warehouse safety, OSHA requirements, inventory controls, transportation operations, and distribution best practices.
• Advanced Excel and analytical/reporting skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Business Administration, Logistics, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience managing multi-site distribution operations or evaluating future warehouse and distribution capacity requirements.
• Experience with facility expansion, warehouse relocation, new distribution center launches, or distribution network optimization.
• Experience managing oversized, bulky, or complex product lines.
• Experience with ERP/WMS implementations, warehouse automation, or other operational technology initiatives.
• Lean, Lean Six Sigma, 5S, Kaizen, or similar continuous improvement experience.
• APICS, CLTD, Six Sigma, or related operations certification.
• Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills.

Why This Role Matters

This position has a significant impact on the company's ability to serve customers, efficiently manage its distribution operations, maintain inventory accuracy, control operating costs, and scale its warehouse and logistics capabilities.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape the performance and future of the company's distribution operation while building a strong, accountable operations organization.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive.Qualified applicants of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us so that we can discuss your needs and ensure an accessible hiring experience.