Warehousing Distribution Manager Jobs in California

Position Summary

Noodle & Boo is seeking a hands-on Warehouse & Distribution Manager to lead the daily operations of our distribution center and oversee inventory, fulfillment, safety, systems, and third-party logistics partners.

This role is responsible for ensuring that inbound product is received accurately, inventory is properly controlled, and all ecommerce, wholesale, specialty, and retailer orders are fulfilled accurately and on time. The Warehouse & Distribution Manager will also oversee inventory held at external 3PL locations and manage freight consolidation and logistics partners.

This is a highly visible leadership role that requires someone who is comfortable working on the warehouse floor, operating a forklift, coaching employees, resolving daily issues, and using systems and data to improve performance.

The ideal candidate combines strong warehouse execution with safety leadership, inventory discipline, systems knowledge, retail compliance experience, and the ability to manage both internal teams and external logistics partners.

Key Responsibilities

Warehouse Operations

• Lead all daily warehouse activities, including receiving, inspection, putaway, replenishment, inventory movement, picking, packing, staging, loading, and shipping.
• Set daily priorities, assign labor, and manage workflow based on inbound shipments, retail orders, ecommerce orders, Amazon replenishment, specialty orders, samples, events, and internal requests.
• Ensure orders are completed accurately and within required service levels and shipping windows.
• Maintain a clean, organized, secure, and efficient warehouse.
• Remain actively engaged on the warehouse floor and assist with operational work when needed.

Inventory Control

• Maintain accurate inventory across the Noodle & Boo distribution center and all 3PL locations.
• Oversee cycle counts, physical inventories, inventory transfers, adjustments, holds, lot information, and reconciliation.
• Investigate inventory discrepancies, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Partner with Demand Planning, Supply Chain, Finance, and Operations leadership on inventory availability, stockout risks, slow-moving inventory, and excess inventory.
• Support inventory accuracy targets of 99% or better.

Ecommerce and Wholesale Fulfillment

• Oversee ecommerce, wholesale, Amazon, specialty, department store, club, grocery, and retailer fulfillment.
• Ensure orders are picked, packed, labeled, documented, and shipped accurately.
• Maintain premium packing standards for DTC, gift, influencer, PR, and specialty orders.
• Support kit assembly, bundles, product launches, promotional programs, retailer displays, samples, and mission-related fulfillment projects.
• Coordinate urgent orders and special handling requirements with Ecommerce, Sales, Customer Service, and Operations.

3PL and Distribution Partner Management

• Manage day-to-day relationships with third-party logistics providers, freight consolidation partners, and transportation providers.
• Monitor 3PL inventory accuracy, receiving performance, order accuracy, shipping performance, damage rates, and service levels.
• Coordinate inventory transfers between internal and external warehouse locations.
• Reconcile inventory and shipment activity between Noodle & Boo and external partners.
• Resolve shortages, damages, late shipments, incorrect shipments, and inventory discrepancies.
• Hold partners accountable for agreed service levels and operating procedures.

Retailer Compliance and EDI

• Ensure shipments comply with account-specific requirements, including carton configuration, labeling, routing guides, pallet standards, appointments, shipping windows, and documentation.
• Support fulfillment requirements for Target, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Amazon, department stores, grocery, specialty retail, and international customers.
• Coordinate accurate and timely EDI transactions, ASNs, shipping documents, and related fulfillment activity.
• Work closely with Sales Operations, Customer Service, IT, and Operations to resolve EDI and shipping issues.
• Monitor retailer chargebacks, compliance deductions, shortages, and routing violations, and implement corrective action.

Systems and Data Accuracy

• Use NetSuite as the system of record for inventory, receiving, transfers, fulfillment, and shipping.
• Use RF-SMART to support receiving, putaway, replenishment, picking, packing, transfers, and cycle counting.
• Ensure warehouse employees follow approved scanning and system procedures.
• Partner with IT and Operations leadership to improve workflows, reporting, and system utilization.
• Support EDI platforms such as SPS Commerce and related retailer integrations.

Safety and Equipment

• Own the warehouse safety program and promote a strong safety-first culture.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA requirements and company safety policies.
• Conduct regular safety inspections, meetings, observations, and training.
• Investigate accidents, injuries, property damage, and near-miss incidents and implement corrective actions.
• Maintain forklift certification requirements, equipment inspection records, emergency procedures, and safety documentation.
• Safely operate forklifts, reach trucks, pallet jacks, and other warehouse equipment as needed.
• Ensure material handling equipment is inspected, maintained, and operated safely.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop warehouse supervisors, leads, and associates.
• Set clear expectations for productivity, accuracy, safety, attendance, teamwork, and professionalism.
• Train employees on SOPs, equipment operation, NetSuite, RF-SMART, inventory control, packing standards, and customer requirements.
• Monitor performance and provide timely feedback, coaching, recognition, and corrective action.
• Build a culture of accountability, urgency, respect, accuracy, and continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for warehouse and distribution activities.
• Evaluate warehouse layout, slotting, storage utilization, product flow, and picking efficiency.
• Identify ways to reduce travel time, unnecessary handling, errors, damage, and waste.
• Establish and monitor warehouse KPIs.
• Recommend improvements to staffing, equipment, systems, automation, racking, and warehouse infrastructure.

Key Performance Indicators

• Inventory accuracy
• 3PL inventory accuracy
• Retail OTIF
• On-time shipment performance
• DTC order turnaround time
• Order accuracy
• Receiving accuracy
• Receiving and putaway cycle time
• Fulfillment error rate
• Pick and pack productivity
• Labor productivity and overtime
• Retailer chargebacks and compliance deductions
• Damage and shortage rates
• Safety incidents and near misses
• Warehouse cleanliness and organization

 

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of warehouse, distribution, fulfillment, or logistics management experience.
• Experience leading daily operations in a warehouse or distribution center.
• Experience managing both internal warehouse operations and external 3PL partners.
• Strong inventory control experience, including cycle counts, physical inventories, reconciliation, and root-cause analysis.
• Strong warehouse safety background, including OSHA compliance, incident investigation, training, and accident prevention.
• Current forklift certification or ability to become certified immediately upon hire.
• Ability and willingness to safely operate a forklift and other material handling equipment.
• Experience managing and developing warehouse employees.
• Experience with ERP systems, warehouse management systems, RF scanners, shipping systems, and inventory technology.
• Experience supporting ecommerce and wholesale fulfillment.
• Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work onsite and remain actively involved on the warehouse floor.

Highly Desired Qualifications

• NetSuite ERP experience.
• RF-SMART warehouse management experience.
• EDI and ASN experience.
• SPS Commerce experience.
• Experience supporting national retailers such as Target, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Amazon, department stores, or grocery accounts.
• Experience with retailer routing guides, chargebacks, compliance requirements, and OTIF expectations.
• Experience with parcel, LTL, truckload, and freight consolidation.
• Experience in CPG, beauty, personal care, baby products, household products, or another inventory-driven consumer products business.
• Experience managing inventory across multiple facilities or warehouse locations.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, safety-focused distribution leader who is equally comfortable operating a forklift, coaching employees, reviewing inventory discrepancies, managing a 3PL, resolving an EDI issue, and presenting warehouse performance to leadership.

This person leads from the floor, understands the work, notices problems quickly, and takes ownership until issues are resolved. They bring strong inventory discipline, systems knowledge, retail fulfillment experience, safety leadership, and the ability to build scalable processes in a fast-growing company.