Operations Manager

Are you a hands-on operations leader who enjoys building strong teams, improving processes, and keeping business moving forward? Burkett is looking for an Operations Manager to lead our Warehouse, Logistics, Delivery & Installation, and Facilities functions. This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact by driving operational efficiency, controlling costs, developing people, and creating scalable processes that support Burkett’s continued growth.

If you thrive on taking ownership, solving problems, and bringing people and operations together to deliver outstanding results, we’d love to hear from you!

• Job Title: Operations Manager
• Reports To: VP of Operations
• FLSA Status: Salary, Exempt
• Span of Control: Manages 4 direct reports and ~10 indirect reports
• POSITION SUMMARY

The Operations Manager owns the physical side of Burkett’s business: the buildings we work in, the freight we move, the trucks and crews that deliver and install, and the warehouse that receives, stores, and ships our product. This is a new role created to support Burkett’s growth by consolidating responsibilities that today sit across several positions under a single accountable leader.

Reporting to the VP of Operations, the Operations Manager leads and is accountable for the cost, quality, safety, and timeliness of the Warehouse, Delivery / Install, and Logistics teams. The role also owns facility upkeep and maintenance, ensuring our facilities are adequate for current operations and ready for future growth.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who is equally comfortable walking the warehouse floor, negotiating with a freight carrier or HVAC contractor, coaching a supervisor, and building the metrics that show how the operation is performing.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Facilities

Own all contracts and vendor relationships related to Burkett’s facilities, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, roofing, dock equipment, forklifts and material handling equipment, janitorial, pest control, waste and recycling, security and alarm systems, landscaping, and snow removal.

Source, negotiate, and renew facilities contracts; hold vendors accountable to service levels, pricing, and response times.

Manage the total cost of Burkett’s facilities, including maintenance, repairs, utilities, and service contracts; develop and manage the annual facilities budget.

Ensure facilities are adequate for current operations and plan ahead for growth, including space utilization, layout changes, capital improvements, and expansion needs.

Perform minor repairs and routine maintenance; determine when work should be handled in-house versus by a contractor.

Build and maintain a preventive maintenance schedule for buildings and equipment.

Ensure facilities comply with safety, fire, building code, and OSHA requirements; coordinate inspections and maintain required records.

Logistics

Lead and develop the logistics team.

Own Burkett’s freight spend; drive down freight cost as a percentage of sales through carrier selection, rate negotiation, mode optimization, and consolidation.

Manage relationships with LTL, FTL, parcel carriers and freight brokers.

Oversee scheduling of local deliveries and full-truckload (FTL) deliveries to ensure efficient routes and on-time arrival.

Ensure the sales team receives accurate, timely freight and delivery quotes so freight is priced correctly into customer orders and projects.

Monitor freight invoices, accessorial charges, and freight claims; ensure claims for damage and loss are filed and recovered.

Delivery and Installation

Lead the delivery and install team, owning the quality and timeliness of all local deliveries and all project installations performed by the team.

Partner with the Project team and sales to plan installations, confirm site readiness, and set realistic customer expectations.

Own the delivery fleet, including vehicle maintenance, DOT compliance, driver qualification, and fleet replacement planning.

Establish installation standards, checklists, and sign-off procedures; investigate and resolve customer complaints and damage.

Ensure the team has the tools, equipment, and training needed to work safely and professionally on customer sites.

Warehouse

Lead the warehouse team, holding them accountable for receiving, put-away, picking, packing, staging, and shipping accuracy and timeliness.

Partner with purchasing to support inventory accuracy, cycle counts, and stockout reduction.

Drive warehouse productivity, space utilization, and layout improvements that support growth.

Champion a strong safety culture, including forklift certification, safety training, and incident investigation.

Leadership and Cross-Functional

Recruit, develop, coach, and evaluate direct reports; build bench strength and succession for key roles.

Set clear goals and KPIs for each team and review performance regularly.

Lead continuous improvement across the operation, standardizing processes and documenting procedures.

Collaborate with sales, customer service, projects, service, and purchasing to deliver seamless customer experiences from order to installation.

Use NetSuite and other systems to track performance, costs, and operational data.

Prepare and present operational reporting and budget performance to the VP of Operations.

Perform other duties as assigned.

HOW SUCCESS IS MEASURED

Success in this role is measured by cost, quality, and timeliness across all four areas. Targets will be set with the VP of Operations.

• Facilities: facilities cost vs. budget; preventive maintenance completion; vendor response time and contract compliance; overall facility usability and appearance
• Logistics: freight cost as a % of sales; freight quote turnaround for sales; freight claims recovered; local delivery service level adherence
• Delivery and Installation: on-time delivery rate; installation completed on schedule; damage and callback rate; customer satisfaction
• Warehouse: order and shipping accuracy; same-day / on-time shipment rate; inventory accuracy; receiving accuracy and timeliness; warehouse costs vs. budget
• Team: safety incidents and lost-time injuries; turnover; development of direct reports

Requirements

• Education and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in operations management, supply chain, logistics, business, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 5+ years of operations experience in distribution, logistics, or warehousing, with at least 3 years leading managers or supervisors.
• Experience managing facilities, service contracts, and vendors.
• Experience managing freight carriers and a delivery fleet preferred.
• Food-service equipment, construction, or project installation experience preferred.
• Skills and Abilities
• Proven ability to lead through others and hold teams accountable for measurable results.
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Budgeting and cost management experience; comfortable working with financial and operational data.
• Practical mechanical aptitude for minor building and equipment repairs.
• Working knowledge of OSHA and DOT requirements.
• Proficiency with an ERP system (NetSuite preferred) and Microsoft Office.
• Clear, professional communication with employees, customers, vendors, and leadership.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills; able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Physical Requirements and Work Environment
• Work is split between an office setting and the warehouse floor with periodic visits to customer job sites.
• Must be able to stand, walk, climb ladders, bend, and lift up to 50 pounds.
• Exposure to warehouse conditions, including temperature changes, noise, and moving equipment.
• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record required.
• Occasional after-hours availability for facility emergencies.