We are looking for an experienced Operations Manager to lead eCommerce order fulfillment at a high-volume third-party logistics (3PL) warehouse in the Des Moines area. This is a full-time, salaried leadership role reporting to the Sr. Manager/Director of Operations. You will run the daily pick, pack, and ship operation for direct-to-consumer and business orders, and you will be accountable for meeting client service levels, inventory accuracy, and cost per order.
This is not an entry-level role. You need at least three years of leadership experience in eCommerce fulfillment, 3PL, or distribution, and hands-on experience with a warehouse management system (WMS), multi-carrier parcel shipping, and scaling up for peak season. An associate or bachelor's degree is preferred. Experience with Shopify, Amazon, or other marketplace integrations is a plus.
The warehouse moves fast and volume swings with the seasons. Expect long days and extra hours around peak and promotional events, time on your feet on the warehouse floor, and work around forklifts, pallet jacks, and moving freight. You will supervise fulfillment associates, shipping and returns staff, kitting staff, and shift leads.
Responsibilities
- Manage the daily flow of direct-to-consumer and business orders so they ship by same-day and next-day cutoffs.
- Move labor between client lines, picking, packing, and quality checks to match real-time order volume and units-per-hour targets.
- Set up pick paths, product slotting, and pack stations for single- and multi-line eCommerce orders across many SKUs.
- Oversee small-parcel and LTL shipping with UPS, FedEx, USPS, and regional carriers, including service selection, rate shopping, and shipping paperwork.
- Run kitting, bundling, and branded packaging work to each client's specifications.
- Plan staffing, capacity, and carrier cutoffs ahead of peak season and promotional events.
- Keep inventory accurate through cycle counts, bin and location checks, and quick resolution of exceptions.
- Receive, sort, and restock customer returns within the client's service window.
- Make sure WMS transactions, receiving records, and order data match client systems and marketplaces.
- Hire, train, schedule, coach, and evaluate fulfillment staff, and handle discipline according to company policy.
- Enforce safety programs, sanitation rules, and standard operating procedures in line with OSHA and other regulations.
- Act as the main operations contact for eCommerce clients, report on KPIs such as on-time shipping, order accuracy, and cost per order, and lead improvement projects.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Three or more years of leadership experience in eCommerce fulfillment, 3PL, or distribution operations.
- Experience with a warehouse management system (WMS) and multi-carrier parcel shipping systems.
- Experience scaling operations for peak season.
- Must pass a pre-employment background check and drug screen.
- Able to spend long periods on the warehouse floor and work extra hours during peak season.
- Strong written and spoken English for client communication and reporting.