Vice President Inventory Controller Jobs in Chicago, IL

Vice President of Logistics & WarehousingAbout the Role

Reporting directly to the Senior Vice President of Operations & Supply Chain, the Vice President of Logistics & Warehousing will serve as a senior executive responsible for the full lifecycle of inbound and outbound logistics, warehousing operations, carrier partnerships, trade compliance, import operations, and distribution network strategy across MISUMI Americas.

This leader will oversee logistics and warehousing operations across MISUMI Americas while also partnering with MISUMI's global supply regions across Asia, Mexico, and beyond. They will help support and uplevel outbound logistics capabilities globally by sharing best practices, closing capability gaps, and ensuring strong end-to-end supply chain performance wherever support is needed.

This is a remote role requiring frequent travel, approximately 25–40%, to MISUMI warehouses, primarily within North America, customer locations, and MISUMI Americas operational hubs.

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Impact in This Role

The Vice President of Logistics & Warehousing will define and execute the Americas logistics and warehousing strategy in alignment with MISUMI's global supply chain vision. This role requires a hands-on, strategic leader who can manage complex distribution operations, optimize transportation networks, lead trade compliance efforts, and build scalable processes across a multi-site DC network.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in logistics, warehousing, import operations, carrier management, and global supply chain execution, along with a strong ability to lead teams, manage large budgets, and drive operational excellence through data, technology, AI, and continuous improvement.

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Areas of ResponsibilityStrategy & Leadership

• Define and execute the Americas logistics and warehousing strategy aligned with MISUMI's global supply chain vision.

• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing team of logistics managers, warehouse supervisors, and operations analysts.

• Serve as the senior logistics voice in executive planning, budgeting, and cross-functional initiatives.

• Build a culture of continuous improvement, safety, and accountability across all distribution center sites.

• Champion the adoption of AI and emerging technologies as core enablers of logistics strategy, embedding a data-driven, continuous improvement mindset across the logistics and warehousing organization.

Warehousing Operations

• Oversee day-to-day operations across all MISUMI Americas distribution centers, including inbound receiving, inventory management, pick/pack/ship, and returns processing.

• Drive KPI performance, including inventory turnover, warehousing contribution profit, order accuracy, on-time fulfillment, dock-to-stock cycle time, and warehouse productivity.

• Lead facility rationalization, relocation, expansion, and greenfield distribution center projects as business needs dictate.

• Oversee facility contract negotiations as needed.

• Continuously optimize the existing WMS and automation technologies to improve throughput, accuracy, and scalability.

• Ensure Business Continuity Plans for MISUMI Americas' warehousing operations are in place and ready to execute as needed.

• Identify and pilot AI-powered tools for demand forecasting, slotting optimization, labor planning, and inventory positioning to improve distribution center efficiency and reduce operational variability.

Transportation & Carrier Management

• Negotiate and manage relationships with parcel, LTL, FTL, and international freight carriers.

• Design and optimize transportation lanes to minimize cost-per-shipment while maintaining service SLAs.

• Oversee last-mile delivery strategy and the customer delivery experience.

• Manage freight audit, compliance, and claims processes.

• Leverage AI-driven route optimization and carrier performance analytics to reduce freight cost, improve delivery reliability, and enhance the end-customer experience.

Trade Compliance & Import Operations

• Own end-to-end import operations for products sourced from MISUMI's globally distributed supply regions.

• Ensure full compliance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection regulations, import/export controls, and applicable trade agreements.

• Proactively manage catalog HTS classifications.

• Submit and secure eRulings as needed to minimize risk and save costs.

• Manage relationships with customs brokers, freight forwarders, and trade compliance counsel.

• Monitor and adapt to changes in tariff classifications, duty rates, and trade policy that affect landed cost and supply continuity.

• Maintain accurate import documentation, HTS classifications, and country-of-origin records across all inbound product flows.

Global Supply Region Logistics Enablement

• Serve as a logistics subject matter expert and strategic partner to MISUMI's global supply regions, supporting and upleveling outbound logistics capabilities.

• Identify gaps in outbound logistics performance across supply regions and develop targeted improvement plans in collaboration with regional teams.

• Share Americas best practices, frameworks, and tools with global supply region counterparts to drive consistency and efficiency across the broader MISUMI network.

• Engage with regional logistics leads on a regular cadence to assess performance, prioritize support, and track progress against shared goals.

• Partner cross-functionally with Global Supply Chain, Procurement, and Regional Operations leadership to ensure end-to-end supply chain continuity.

• Own the Americas logistics P&L, managing budgets exceeding $10M+ annually with a focus on cost efficiency.

• Develop robust reporting frameworks and dashboards to surface operational insights to senior leadership.

• Identify and execute cost reduction initiatives through network optimization, labor efficiency, and vendor consolidation.

• Introduce AI-enabled visibility and analytics tools to global supply region teams where applicable, accelerating logistics maturity and performance improvement across the MISUMI network.

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Physical Demands

• Sitting for extended periods of time.

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Travel Expectations

• Frequent travel required to MISUMI Americas' QCTs across the United States and Mexico.

• Travel expectations are approximately 25–40% for this role.

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Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive supply chain, logistics, or warehousing leadership experience.

• 5+ years in a VP-level or equivalent senior executive role.

• Proven track record managing multi-site distribution center networks at scale.

• Expertise in WMS, TMS, and ERP systems.

• Experience in B2B industrial, manufacturing, or e-commerce fulfillment environments.

• Strong financial acumen with P&L ownership experience.

• Demonstrated ability to lead large, diverse teams across multiple geographies.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field.

• Available to travel frequently to MISUMI Americas' QCTs spanning the United States and Mexico.

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Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree in a relevant discipline.

• APICS CSCP, CLTD, or equivalent certification.

• Experience with high-SKU-count catalog businesses, including 100K+ active SKUs.

• Familiarity with MISUMI's configure-to-order or just-in-time business model.

• Deep experience in international trade compliance, import operations, and customs management across multiple origin countries.

• Hands-on experience managing outbound logistics capabilities for international or globally distributed operations.

• Demonstrated experience applying AI, ML, or advanced analytics tools within logistics or supply chain operations.

• Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent process improvement credentials.

• Experience deploying automation, robotics, or goods-to-person systems.

Salary Range:
$200,000 – $255,000 base salary per year, depending on experience, plus a variable compensation potential of $30,000 - $55,000.

Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage
• 401(k) plan
• Generous PTO and leave programs