Wave Planner Jobs
Wave planner jobs are open across retail, e-commerce, distribution, and third-party logistics, from entry-level associates to senior and lead roles, with specializations in inbound flow, outbound sequencing, and labor-to-volume alignment. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 18+ Wave Planner jobs
Position Summary
Michael Lewis Company is seeking a detail-oriented and organized Wave Planner to support warehouse operations at our McCook, IL facility. The Wave Planner is responsible for planning, organizing, and releasing warehouse orders to optimize labor productivity, equipment utilization, and on-time order fulfillment.
This position plays an important role in coordinating warehouse planning with daily floor execution, ensuring balanced workloads and an efficient flow of orders through picking, packing, and shipping operations. The ideal candidate has experience in warehouse operations, logistics, or distribution and is comfortable working with warehouse management systems (WMS) in a fast-paced environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Warehouse Planning & Order Management
- Organize and release customer orders into optimized waves based on shipping deadlines, carrier requirements, product types, warehouse zones, and operational capacity.
- Prioritize order releases to ensure customer service expectations and shipment deadlines are met.
- Coordinate wave release timing to maintain consistent workflow and prevent operational bottlenecks.
- Adjust order priorities based on changing operational needs and workload demands.
Warehouse Management System (WMS)
- Utilize the Warehouse Management System (WMS) to allocate inventory, create picking waves, and release work assignments to warehouse personnel.
- Monitor system activity to ensure orders move efficiently through picking, packing, and shipping.
- Ensure wave releases align with operational priorities and shipping schedules.
- Assist in maintaining accurate system transactions and order processing.
Workflow Coordination
- Balance available labor, equipment capacity, and order volume to maintain efficient warehouse operations.
- Partner with the Shipping Supervisor to distribute work effectively and support daily productivity targets.
- Monitor workload distribution and adjust wave releases to minimize idle time and operational congestion.
Problem Solving & Issue Resolution
- Identify operational issues that may impact order fulfillment, including inventory discrepancies, stock shortages, order allocation issues, and system processing delays.
- Communicate operational challenges promptly to the Shipping Supervisor to support timely resolution.
Cross-Functional Communication
- Coordinate with Customer Service and Operations teams to prioritize urgent or expedited orders.
- Provide warehouse leadership with visibility into wave progress, workload balance, and potential operational constraints.
- Maintain clear communication with warehouse teams to support smooth execution of released work.
Safety & Compliance
- Ensure released work aligns with established warehouse procedures and operational standards.
- Support warehouse leadership in maintaining a safe, organized, and productive work environment.
Qualifications & Requirements
- 1–3 years of experience in warehouse operations, logistics, or distribution.
- Understanding of warehouse workflows, including picking, staging, packing, and shipping operations.
- Experience working with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) preferred.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment.
- Strong attention to detail and operational awareness.
- Effective communication skills with the ability to coordinate across warehouse teams and leadership.
- Ability to adapt to changing priorities and operational demands.
Physical & Other Requirements
- Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential functions of the position in accordance with applicable ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local requirements.
- Ability to maintain regular and punctual attendance.
- Ability to communicate effectively with team members and leadership.
What We're Looking For
We are looking for someone who is proactive, organized, and analytical, with a strong understanding of warehouse operations. The successful candidate will be able to anticipate workflow challenges, balance competing priorities, and work collaboratively with warehouse leadership to keep daily operations running efficiently.
Position Summary
Michael Lewis Company is seeking a detail-oriented and organized Wave Planner to support warehouse operations at our McCook, IL facility. The Wave Planner is responsible for planning, organizing, and releasing warehouse orders to optimize labor productivity, equipment utilization, and on-time order fulfillment.
This position plays an important role in coordinating warehouse planning with daily floor execution, ensuring balanced workloads and an efficient flow of orders through picking, packing, and shipping operations. The ideal candidate has experience in warehouse operations, logistics, or distribution and is comfortable working with warehouse management systems (WMS) in a fast-paced environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Warehouse Planning & Order Management
- Organize and release customer orders into optimized waves based on shipping deadlines, carrier requirements, product types, warehouse zones, and operational capacity.
- Prioritize order releases to ensure customer service expectations and shipment deadlines are met.
- Coordinate wave release timing to maintain consistent workflow and prevent operational bottlenecks.
- Adjust order priorities based on changing operational needs and workload demands.
Warehouse Management System (WMS)
- Utilize the Warehouse Management System (WMS) to allocate inventory, create picking waves, and release work assignments to warehouse personnel.
- Monitor system activity to ensure orders move efficiently through picking, packing, and shipping.
- Ensure wave releases align with operational priorities and shipping schedules.
- Assist in maintaining accurate system transactions and order processing.
Workflow Coordination
- Balance available labor, equipment capacity, and order volume to maintain efficient warehouse operations.
- Partner with the Shipping Supervisor to distribute work effectively and support daily productivity targets.
- Monitor workload distribution and adjust wave releases to minimize idle time and operational congestion.
Problem Solving & Issue Resolution
- Identify operational issues that may impact order fulfillment, including inventory discrepancies, stock shortages, order allocation issues, and system processing delays.
- Communicate operational challenges promptly to the Shipping Supervisor to support timely resolution.
Cross-Functional Communication
- Coordinate with Customer Service and Operations teams to prioritize urgent or expedited orders.
- Provide warehouse leadership with visibility into wave progress, workload balance, and potential operational constraints.
- Maintain clear communication with warehouse teams to support smooth execution of released work.
Safety & Compliance
- Ensure released work aligns with established warehouse procedures and operational standards.
- Support warehouse leadership in maintaining a safe, organized, and productive work environment.
Qualifications & Requirements
- 1–3 years of experience in warehouse operations, logistics, or distribution.
- Understanding of warehouse workflows, including picking, staging, packing, and shipping operations.
- Experience working with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) preferred.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment.
- Strong attention to detail and operational awareness.
- Effective communication skills with the ability to coordinate across warehouse teams and leadership.
- Ability to adapt to changing priorities and operational demands.
Physical & Other Requirements
- Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential functions of the position in accordance with applicable ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local requirements.
- Ability to maintain regular and punctual attendance.
- Ability to communicate effectively with team members and leadership.
What We're Looking For
We are looking for someone who is proactive, organized, and analytical, with a strong understanding of warehouse operations. The successful candidate will be able to anticipate workflow challenges, balance competing priorities, and work collaboratively with warehouse leadership to keep daily operations running efficiently.
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Find Wave Planner JobsWave Planner Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in wave planner jobs.
- Hands-on experience operating a warehouse management system such as Manhattan Associates or Blue Yonder
- Demonstrated ability to build and release inbound and outbound waves to meet production targets
- Proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets for labor planning, volume forecasting, and reporting
- Experience coordinating with transportation, inventory control, and operations teams in a distribution environment
- Familiarity with slotting, pick-path optimization, and cartonization logic
- High school diploma or equivalent required, with an associate or bachelor's degree in supply chain or logistics preferred
Tips for Your Wave Planner Job Search
Quantify your volume and throughput metrics
Wave planner resumes that land interviews show concrete output: units processed per shift, pick accuracy rates, or labor hours recaptured through wave sequencing changes. Pull those numbers from your performance reviews or WMS reports before you apply.
List every WMS and OMS platform you have used
Hiring managers filter resumes by system name. If you have worked in Manhattan Associates, Blue Yonder, HighJump, or any proprietary warehouse management system, name each one explicitly in your skills section rather than writing a generic software category.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists wave planner openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings that match your shift model
Wave planning roles are often tied to a specific shift structure, such as a fixed overnight wave or a rotating weekend production window. Applying to jobs whose shift model matches your availability saves both you and the employer time early in the process.
Prepare a scenario answer about a missed wave
Interviewers for wave planner roles almost always ask how you have handled a disrupted or blown wave. Prepare a specific story that covers what caused the disruption, how you re-sequenced labor, and what you changed afterward to prevent recurrence.
Negotiate start date around system access timelines
Wave planning roles require WMS access credentials and sometimes EDI integrations before you can be productive. When negotiating your start date, ask how long system provisioning takes so your first week is not spent waiting on IT.
Wave Planner Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most wave planners?
The companies hiring the most wave planners right now include Kenco, Americold Logistics, and Arvato, with the largest share of openings in Tennessee, Georgia, and Kentucky, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Large omnichannel retailers and third-party logistics providers consistently post the highest volume of wave planner openings nationwide.
How many wave planner jobs are remote?
About 0% of wave planner openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most distribution center operations. The sub-areas most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements are enterprise-level wave strategy, WMS configuration, and corporate supply chain planning roles rather than facility-floor execution positions.
How do you become a wave planner?
Start by building direct experience in a distribution center as a pick associate, inbound receiver, or inventory control clerk, where you learn how waves are structured from the floor up. Move into a lead or coordinator role that gives you access to the WMS and exposure to wave release decisions. Study the logic behind labor-to-volume balancing and ask to shadow or assist the planning team during peak periods. Most employers promote from within when they see initiative and system fluency.
Can I get a wave planner job with little experience?
Yes, some employers hire candidates with one to two years of distribution center experience into junior wave planner or wave planning associate roles. Focus your application on any exposure you have had to WMS screens, pick-rate reporting, or shift-level production planning. Roles at smaller third-party logistics sites often have less structured teams and are more open to candidates who are strong operationally but new to dedicated wave planning responsibilities.
What does the wave planner interview process look like?
Most wave planner interviews begin with a phone screen focused on your WMS experience and shift availability, followed by a panel or one-on-one interview with the operations manager and sometimes the transportation or inventory lead. Expect at least one scenario question about handling a disrupted wave or a volume spike. Some employers include a brief WMS walkthrough or ask you to explain how you would sequence a sample order batch, so be ready to talk through your decision-making process out loud.
Where can I find and apply to wave planner jobs?
You can find and apply to wave planner jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find roles that match your experience, shift preferences, and WMS background, then apply directly to each listing from the page.
See All 18 Wave Planner Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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