Distribution Manager

At Faber-Castell, our vision is to unleash creative potential and our mission is to create experiences that inspire self-expression. Faber-Castell USA is a recognized leader in delivering high-quality products and experiences for creative-minded consumers through our art materials, mixed media products and highly acclaimed Creativity for Kids brand.Faber-Castell USA is seeking a highly motivated, hands-on Distribution Manager to lead outbound order fulfillment and shipping operations at our distribution center in Independence, Ohio. Reporting to the Director of Operations, this position oversees the Transportation team and Truck and Small Parcel leads, with responsibility for accurate and timely fulfillment, team development and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will work closely with internal partners to strengthen customer service, improve productivity and manage costs.What You Will Do

• Lead daily outbound fulfillment across truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), small-parcel and direct-to-consumer channels, meeting safety, quality and customer service expectations.
• Set clear priorities and performance expectations; coach, train and develop employees and team leads, conduct performance reviews and address performance concerns promptly.
• Partner with Sales, Sales Operations and Transportation to prioritize orders, maintain an executable truck schedule, communicate capacity constraints early and resolve competing demands constructively.
• Ensure compliance with retailer routing guides, shipping windows, labeling, pallet configurations and shipment documentation; investigate chargebacks and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Use performance measures such as order backlog, on-time shipping, order accuracy, labor productivity and overtime to identify gaps and drive improvement.
• Use order forecasts and operational reports to plan shipping capacity and staffing at least two months ahead, adjusting for changing demand, seasonal peaks, temporary labor and extended-hour or split-shift coverage. Manage temporary staffing agency relationships and coordinate onboarding and performance feedback.
• Develop and manage departmental labor budgets and staffing forecasts; monitor spending, productivity and overtime and adjust resources to balance service and cost.
• Evaluate workflows, challenge inefficient practices, simplify handoffs and establish standard work. Use root-cause analysis to solve recurring operational problems.
• Improve use of ERP, warehouse management systems, RF-enabled workflows and reporting tools. Partner with IT, Finance and Operations on technology and automation initiatives, including implementation and team adoption.
• Partner with Transportation and third-party logistics providers to evaluate carrier service, freight costs and opportunities to improve efficiency.
• Maintain a safe, organized and respectful workplace and oversee departmental time, attendance and expense approvals in accordance with company policy.What You Will Bring
• Five or more years of progressively responsible warehouse or distribution experience, including direct leadership of hourly operations teams, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience.
• Substantial outbound fulfillment experience serving major national retailers or big-box customers, including retailer routing, labeling, shipping compliance and chargeback requirements.
• Hands-on experience with truckload/LTL and small-parcel fulfillment, daily labor planning, capacity management and operational performance measures.
• Experience managing labor costs, overtime, staffing plans and temporary labor, including working directly with staffing agencies.
• Practical experience using ERP/WMS systems, RF-enabled workflows and operational reports to manage work and identify improvements.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including creating, interpreting and analyzing reports to identify trends and support shipping, staffing and capacity planning.
• A record of improving processes, leading employees through change and sustaining results, with strong communication, problem-solving and coaching skills.
• Ability to build effective working relationships across departments and support seasonal extended operating hours and peak-period coverage.Preferred Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, operations, logistics or a related field.
• Experience with both retail distribution and eCommerce/direct-to-consumer fulfillment.
• Knowledge of carrier performance, third-party logistics, freight procurement and cost optimization.
• Experience improving WMS/ERP use, applying Lean practices or supporting technology-enabled warehouse improvements.