Director of Distribution and Logistics

Job Summary:

The Director of Distribution & Logistics owns the end-to-end physical flow of Step2 product across our network - four warehouse locations, an internal shuttle/fleet operation, and a micro-fulfillment partner. Reporting to the COO, this leader is accountable for the cost, service, capacity, and safety performance of our distribution and logistics operations, with a particular focus on optimizing the flow of large-format, space-intensive product.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone with a technical foundation and a continuous-improvement mindset. The Director will use data and disciplined process design to drive throughput, space utilization, and on-time delivery while critically evaluating our third-party logistics (3PL) and LTL freight strategy. They will lead a team of four direct and build the systems, metrics, and partnerships that scale with the business.

Location: Onsite (Streetsboro, OH Headquarters) with regular presence across our four warehouse locations. Occasional travel - approximately once per month - is expected to partner and facility sites.

Job Duties:

Key Responsibilities

Safety

• Champion a safety-first culture across all locations and the fleet - own warehouse and DOT safety programs, drive OSHA compliance, and lead efforts to eliminate injuries, incidents, and unsafe conditions.

Network & Operations Leadership

• Direct day-to-day operations across four warehouse locations, ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective receiving, storage, picking, packing, and shipping of large-format product.
• Lead, develop, and hold accountable a team of four managers/coordinators; set clear goals, KPIs, and standard work, and build bench strength across the function.
• Oversee the internal shuttle and fleet operation, optimizing routing, utilization, and inter-facility moves while ensuring DOT compliance and driver safety.
• Manage the micro-fulfillment partner relationship, integrating it into the broader network to improve speed and reach for direct-to-consumer and e-commerce demand.

Flow Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Optimize product flow and space utilization across the network - slotting, storage strategy, cube efficiency, and material handling - specifically engineered for high-volume, large-format SKUs.
• Apply Lean / Six Sigma and continuous-improvement methods to reduce touches, cycle times, damage, and cost per unit shipped.
• Establish and govern a metrics framework (throughput, fill rate, on-time delivery, cost-to-serve, damage, safety, labor productivity) and drive a culture of data-based decision-making.
• Build dashboards, capacity models, and labor/volume forecasts that inform staffing, layout, and investment decisions.

Logistics, Freight & 3PL Strategy

• Critically evaluate the performance, cost, and scalability of the current 3PL partner(s), and lead make-vs-buy and partner-selection analyses where warranted.
• Own LTL, truckload, and parcel freight strategy - carrier selection, rate negotiation, mode optimization, and service-level management - with attention to the freight challenges unique to oversized product.
• Drive transportation cost reduction and service improvement through network design, consolidation, and routing strategy.

Inventory, Systems & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Ensure inventory accuracy and integrity across the network, partnering with the Inventory Coordinator on cycle counting, reconciliation, and process controls.
• Champion the effective use and ongoing improvement of WMS/TMS and related operational technology, including automation and material-handling investments.
• Partner closely with Manufacturing, Planning, Customer Service, Sales, and Finance to align capacity, service commitments, and cost targets.
• Work with the Finance and credit team to identify, address, and minimize customer chargebacks - improving routing-guide compliance, shipping accuracy, and on-time/in-full performance to protect margin.
• Lead capital and operating budget planning for the function; build the business case for facility, equipment, and technology investments.

Qualifications and Experience Requirements:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Logistics, Operations, or a related technical field (advanced degree a plus).
• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in warehousing, distribution, and/or logistics, including multi-site responsibility.
• Demonstrated technical background - comfort with data, modeling, systems, and engineered process design - paired with a proven continuous-improvement track record (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent).
• Direct experience managing or evaluating 3PL partners and negotiating LTL/truckload/parcel freight.
• Strong command of WMS/TMS platforms, KPIs, and warehouse/transportation analytics.
• Proven people-leadership experience building and developing high-performing teams.
• Based in or able to relocate to the Streetsboro, Ohio area; able to work on-site and travel approximately once per month.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with large-format,…