Warehouse Operations Manager Jobs in Portage, WI

The Warehouse Manager is responsible for overseeing all warehouse operations within a food manufacturing environment, including receiving, storage, inventory control, shipping, sanitation, and team leadership. This role ensures that warehouse processes support production needs, customer requirements, food safety standards, and regulatory compliance while maintaining a safe, organized, and efficient facility.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage daily warehouse operations, including receiving, put-away, inventory control, order staging, shipping, and product transfers.
• Ensure proper handling, storage, rotation, and traceability of raw materials, packaging, ingredients, finished goods, and other food manufacturing supplies.
• Maintain compliance with food safety, quality, GMP, HACCP, allergen control, sanitation, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Production, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, Purchasing, Transportation, and Customer Service teams to support on‑time production schedules and customer shipments.
• Oversee inventory accuracy through cycle counts, reconciliations, physical inventories, and investigation of discrepancies.
• Ensure warehouse areas are clean, organized, audit‑ready, and maintained according to company and food safety standards.
• Lead, train, schedule, coach, and evaluate warehouse employees, including leads, forklift operators, material handlers, and shipping/receiving personnel.
• Monitor productivity, labor utilization, shipping accuracy, inventory accuracy, safety performance, and other key performance indicators.
• Enforce safe work practices, conduct safety observations, investigate incidents, and ensure proper use of material handling equipment.
• Develop and maintain warehouse procedures, work instructions, and best practices to improve efficiency, accuracy, and compliance.
• Support internal audits, customer audits, regulatory inspections, and corrective action processes as needed.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement, cost reduction, waste elimination, and improved material flow.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of warehouse, distribution, logistics, or supply chain experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or management role.
• Experience in a food manufacturing, food distribution, refrigerated, frozen, bakery, beverage, meat, dairy, or other regulated food production environment strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, food safety programs, sanitation practices, allergen control, lot tracking, FIFO/FEFO rotation, and audit readiness.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to train, coach, motivate, and hold team members accountable.
• Proven ability to manage inventory accuracy, warehouse workflows, shipping and receiving processes, and cross‑functional communication.
• Experience using warehouse management systems, ERP systems, inventory software, Microsoft Office, and related reporting tools.
• Forklift certification or ability to obtain certification preferred.
• Strong problem‑solving, organizational, communication, and decision‑making skills.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment with changing priorities and production demands.

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to work in warehouse and manufacturing environments, which may include cold, refrigerated, freezer, wet, dry, or temperature‑controlled areas depending on business needs.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, lift, and move throughout the facility for extended periods.
• Ability to lift or move materials consistent with company safety guidelines.
• Must be able to wear required personal protective equipment and follow all safety, food safety, and sanitation procedures.
• Flexibility to work extended hours, weekends, or off‑shift schedules as needed to support operations.

Reporting Relationship

This position typically reports to the Operations Manager, Plant Manager, Supply Chain Manager, or another designated member of site leadership.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to legally protected status. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.