DC Operations Manager for Inbound

Unity. Loyalty. Advancement. Charity. It’s what drives United Legwear & Apparel Co. to be the best global designer, manufacturer, and distributor of legwear, bodywear, apparel, and accessories. Founded in 1998 by Isaac E. Ash to make the very best legwear on the market, ULAC is an industry leader offering a full range of products for babies, kids, teens, and adults. We strive to sell our products at affordable prices for families. Hard work and exponential growth year on year has transformed ULAC into a global apparel and accessories company.

Our goal to deliver superior products that ensure superior customer satisfaction is made possible by our team of dedicated professionals who work together to make the company the best in business. Our manufacturing, distribution, and logistics division produces the highest quality products at the best possible prices without cutting corners. Integrity of goods is key, so compliance and quality assurance are top priorities, along with meeting every delivery date—whether shipping across the state or around the world.

We strive to foster an inclusive company culture that stands united to accomplish our mission. We are loyal to our people, supporting their development and ability to achieve excellence. We believe that when people bring their personal best to work each day, it leads to success, advancement, and upward mobility for all. We believe every individual has two hands: one to help themself, and one to help others. We pride ourselves in our value of charity and the commitments we make to help people in need. ULAC supports organizations that help those compromised by sickness, poverty, natural disasters, socioeconomic inequality, and other dire circumstances.

If you share our vision of delivering superior products in a culture of growth, excellence, and caring, then we want to hear from you!

For more information about United Legwear & Apparel Co., please visit: https://ulac.com/

• Lead Proactively: Anticipate and solve problems with foresight, reflection, and curiosity. Inspire, reinforce, and motivate team members to be solution-oriented and strive for performance excellence. Identify and drive creative solutions.
• Provide Positive & Frequent Performance Feedback: Maximize performance and motivation by acknowledging and reinforcing good performance, identifying opportunities for growth, and supporting continuous development.
• Initiate Structure: Establish, communicate, and achieve ambitious and specific team goals. Consistently plan and build structured processes that reinforce company objectives.
• Achieve Objectives: Develop, initiate, and enhance plans that enable the execution of work. Provide consistent guidance, follow-up, feedback, support, and encouragement to team members to overcome barriers to success. Understand, use, and monitor all relevant reporting system metrics to make informed decisions that impact our people, processes, and systems.
• Foster Positive Culture: Perpetuate positive change and continuous improvement in processes and culture by fostering an optimistic, trusting, innovative, and open work environment.
• Communicate Effectively: Encourage effective dialogue, problem-solving, and conflict resolution by actively listening to, seeking to understand, and fostering collaboration with peers, leadership, and direct reports.
• Motivate and Inspire: Cultivate and empower high-performing teams by modeling company values, demonstrating respect, and providing constructive feedback. Serve as a visionary to encourage individuals and teams to reach their greatest potential.
• Train and Develop Others: Fulfill employee training and development needs by serving as a coach, mentor, and facilitator of their knowledge transfer, skill development, and ability to achieve high performance.

1. Direct Daily Operations

• Oversee the daily operations of all aspects of distribution center, including receiving, warehousing, picking, packing, and shipping across all automated and manual functions in a fast-paced environment of over 200 team members.
• Develop and implement operational procedures and best practices in alignment with cross-functional teams to streamline workflows, maximize productivity and meet Service Level Agreements (SLA) requirements.
• Oversee and provide daily coaching, guidance and direction to team members (including Area Managers, 3-5 exempt level Supervisors and 100-250 nonexempt hourly employees), promoting a sense of urgency and the importance of consistently meeting operational targets.
• Use discretion and independent judgment while maintaining the integrity of ULAC Mission, Vision and Values statement in making all business decisions.

2. Inventory Management and Quality Control

• Collaborate with Inventory Control Manager to maintain inventory accuracy, optimize stock availability and minimize excess inventory and stockouts through regular audits, inspections and cycle counting.
• Collaborate with cross functional leadership teams to implement and enforce quality control processes, including ABC analysis and other inventory optimization techniques, ensuring accuracy and integrity of shipments in alignment with operational goals and strategies.
• Prioritize trailer unloads to maximize efficiency and prevent detention fees, ensuring seamless operations and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and industry requirements, conducting audits and implementing corrective actions as necessary to maintain a safe and compliant work environment.

4. Staff Supervision:

• Define and track KPIs related to productivity, accuracy and efficiency, utilizing performance data analysis to identify improvement areas and implement corrective measures.
• Lead a team of Area Managers, Supervisors, and associates, offering training, coaching, and oversight of performance to foster a culture of safety, teamwork and continuous improvement.
• Plan and organize work assignments, monitor and control departmental expenses including overtime in order to meet or exceed budgetary guidelines.
• Ensure adherence to established standards and procedures, providing guidance and support to optimize staff performance and achieve operational objectives.
• Responsible for driving performance accountability, initiating corrective action and coaching when necessary, and collaborating with HR when escalation to disciplinary action is required.

5. Communication and Collaborative Leadership: 

• Lead and participate in collaboration efforts with cross functional leadership teams such as Engineering, HR, Inventory Control, Account Support Dept, and Customer Service to build and execute productivity plans, productivity requirements and optimize operational processes and ensure seamless operations. 
• Deliver clear and timely communication of operational updates, challenges, and opportunities for innovation to the General Manager and other cross functional leaders, fostering transparency and alignment across all teams. 

6. Training and Development

• Provide tailored training and guidance on the operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of automated equipment and systems, ensuring that operational staff have the necessary skills to effectively utilize technologies.  
• Facilitate training sessions, workshops, and cross functional team meetings to promote continuous skill development and expertise in automation technologies, fostering a culture of learning and innovation.
• Ensure adherence to all safety programs and requirements, maintaining ULAC’s commitment to the highest standards of safety and compliance.

7. Continuing Education and Professional Affiliations

• Stay up to date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices related to overseeing automated distribution centers, optimizing supply chain operations, and enhancing logistics efficiencies.
• Pursue advanced certifications or specialized training programs tailored to areas crucial for the role, such as Certified Automation Professional (CAP), Warehouse Management Certification (WMC), Lean Six Sigma Certifications, or Project Management Certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Maintain active membership and engagement in relevant industry associations such as Material Handling Industry (MHI), Warehouse Education and Research Council (WERC), or Robotic Industries Association (RIA).
•  Participate in networking events, forums, and committees within professional associations to exchange ideas, share insights, and build strategic partnerships with industry peers.

• REQUIRED
  • Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, or related field or a minimum of 5 years of experience in 3^rd Party Logistics or warehouse.
  • Proficiency in Warehouse Management System (WMS) and Microsoft Office suite.
  • Demonstrated strong customer service, communications and interpersonal skills with ability to collaboratively address complex workplace challenges.
  • Ability to perform physical activity at a sustained pace including walking, bending, and lifting within an automated distribution center environment.
• PREFERRED
  • Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or a related field.
  • Certification in Logistics or Supply Chain Management.
  • Additional training or coursework in data analytics, lean management, process optimization, or project management.

• REQUIRED
  • At least 3 years of experience in an Operations Manager role or 5 years of supervisory experience.
  • Proven leadership skills with a track record of fostering employee engagement, talent acquisition, retention, and development, as well as conflict resolution and team building.
  • Experience in managing both exempt and non-exempt hourly staff.
  • Demonstrated ability to meet or exceed strategic performance and objectives goals. 
• PREFERRED
  • Previous supervisory experience within an automated distribution center.
  • Experience utilizing advanced data analysis tools and software.