Job Description
This role requires someone who has successfully delivered large-scale distribution or fulfillment center projects and can manage multiple stakeholders while keeping the project on schedule, within budget, and aligned with long-term operational objectives.
What You'll Do
- Lead the full lifecycle of a new distribution center project from planning through operational go-live.
- Manage facility planning, building design, and warehouse layout to optimize operational flow and future scalability.
- Partner with architects, general contractors, engineering firms, automation integrators, and technology vendors throughout the project.
- Oversee project schedules, budgets, risk management, and overall execution.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams including Operations, IT, Finance, Procurement, and Executive Leadership.
- Direct warehouse automation implementation, including material handling equipment, conveyor systems, storage solutions, and warehouse technologies.
- Support warehouse management system (WMS) design, configuration, testing, and integration with automation systems.
- Oversee business process design, material flow, capacity planning, and operational readiness.
- Develop and execute commissioning, startup, and operational stabilization plans, along with local Operations Management team.
- Ensure project milestones are achieved while proactively identifying and mitigating project risks.
- Manage external vendors and consultants while maintaining quality, safety, and budget expectations.
- Support the transition from construction to fully operational warehouse.
Qualifications
- 15+ years of progressive experience leading the planning and delivery of large-scale distribution center, warehouse, logistics, or fulfillment center projects.
- Demonstrated experience managing new facility construction, warehouse expansions, or major distribution center implementations.
- Experience with projects involving facilities of approximately 200,000 to 500,000 square feet or larger preferred.
- Experience managing capital projects with budgets of approximately $50M+ preferred.
- Strong background in facility design, warehouse layout, and operational planning.
- Experience working directly with general contractors, architects, engineering firms, automation integrators, and equipment vendors.
- Knowledge of warehouse automation technologies including conveyor systems, ASRS, robotics, sortation, and material handling systems.
- Experience with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) implementation or integration.
- Strong understanding of warehouse operations, inventory flow, fulfillment processes, and supply chain operations.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, vendor management, and stakeholder leadership skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with greenfield distribution center development.
- Background leading highly automated warehouse projects.
- Experience supporting operational startup and stabilization after facility launch.
- Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.
- PMP (Project Management Professional) certification or equivalent, an asset.