COO Jobs in Columbus, OH

NOW HIRING: DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Food Distribution | Warehouse & Route Delivery Operations | Full-Time | Columbus, OH

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Director of Operations to lead the day-to-day activities of our small, owner-operated food distribution business. Working directly with the owner, this leader will take ownership of warehouse operations, inventory, purchasing coordination, food handling, order fulfillment, route delivery, fleet management, staffing, cost control, and operating performance.

This is not a desk-only corporate role. The right candidate will lead by example, solve problems, hold people accountable, build dependable systems, and reduce the need for the owner’s involvement in routine decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct purchasing, receiving, storage, picking, packing, shipping, and customer delivery.
• Maintain accurate inventory, FIFO rotation, expiration controls, proper temperatures, sanitation, food safety, and a clean, safe warehouse.
• Improve order accuracy and reduce spoilage, damage, discrepancies, wasted labor, and unnecessary inventory.
• Plan efficient delivery routes; manage driver scheduling, training, accountability, documentation, returns, credits, and customer issues.
• Oversee vehicle condition, maintenance, mileage, fuel use, and fleet costs while improving on-time delivery and route profitability.
• Control labor, freight, fuel, vehicle, inventory, and other operating expenses; establish KPIs and improve margins.
• Hire, train, schedule, motivate, and manage warehouse, driver, and operations personnel.
• Maintain strong communication among sales, purchasing, warehouse, delivery, and ownership; report performance, challenges, and recommended solutions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of operations management experience, preferably in food distribution, wholesale, logistics, or warehousing.
• Experience managing warehouse employees, drivers, delivery routes, inventory, shipping, receiving, and purchasing.
• Knowledge of food safety, product handling, rotation, and temperature-controlled distribution.
• Proven ability to improve productivity, control costs, solve problems, and manage multiple priorities.
• Comfort with inventory, ERP, routing, and business software.
• Strong leadership, organization, decision-making, and communication skills.

Ideal Candidate

Accountable, proactive, decisive, organized, dependable, business-minded, customer-focused, and willing to work alongside the team. This person takes initiative, follows through, establishes clear expectations, and understands that service, efficiency, route profitability, and margins all matter.

Success in the First 6–12 Months

Success means gaining firm control of daily operations; clarifying employee responsibilities; improving warehouse organization, inventory accuracy, product rotation, fulfillment, route efficiency, on-time delivery, and team productivity; reducing spoilage, losses, fuel, maintenance, labor, and other costs; establishing meaningful performance measures; improving profitability; and creating systems that operate without constant owner involvement.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive salary based on experience and capability, plus a potential performance bonus tied to operational results and profitability. Paid time off, holidays, and additional benefits will be discussed.

How to Apply

Submit your resume and a brief description of your experience managing distribution, warehouse, and route delivery operations.