Warehouse & Logistics Manager in Petaluma, California at Rustic Bakery Inc

The Warehouse & Logistics Manager is responsible for the end-to-end management of all warehousing and logistics functions at Rustic Bakery, including raw material storage, packaging inventory, finished goods warehousing, and outbound freight. The ideal candidate combines operational rigor with a continuous-improvement mindset and thrives in a high-care food manufacturing environment.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Warehouse Operations

• Direct daily warehouse operations including receiving, put-away, pick/pack, and shipping for all inventory categories: raw materials, packaging, and finished goods.
• Maintain accurate inventory counts and locations; lead cycle counts and annual physical inventories.
• Enforce FIFO/FEFO protocols and allergen segregation practices required in a food-grade facility.
• Manage temperature-controlled and ambient storage zones in compliance with SQF/food safety standards.
• Recruit, train, schedule, and performance-manage a team of warehouse associates and leads.
• Support day-to-day use of warehouse centric technology.
• Reach out to technical support resources as needed to troubleshoot issues as they arise for WMS, scanners, and label printers.

Logistics & Transportation

• Oversee outbound shipment planning and execution for all finished goods, including LTL and FTL transport.
• Track and improve carrier KPIs including on-time delivery, damage rates, and freight cost per unit.
• Manage inbound freight for raw materials and packaging in coordination with the procurement team.
• Provide support to Transportation Coordinator for transportation related technical issues.

Inventory Management

• Maintain target inventory levels for raw materials and packaging in alignment with production planning.
• Manage finished goods inventory and coordinate freshness-driven replenishment with the sales and production teams.
• Investigate and resolve inventory variances, shrink, and damages; implement root-cause corrective actions.
• Generate and present inventory KPI dashboards to senior leadership on a weekly and monthly basis.

Safety, Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure the warehouse operates in full compliance with OSHA, FDA/FSMA food safety regulations, and Rustic Bakery's SQF food safety program.
• Champion a culture of safety by conducting regular audits, leading incident investigations, and facilitating corrective actions.
• Drive lean/5S initiatives to optimize floor space utilization, reduce handling time, and eliminate waste.

• 5+ years of progressive warehouse management experience, with at least 2 years in a food or beverage manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Business, Logistics, or a related field — or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated hands-on proficiency with a Warehouse Management System (WMS), including configuration, user training, and day-to-day administration.
• Proven experience deploying and managing barcode scanning and/or RF scanning technologies across warehouse workflows.
• Working knowledge of ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite or other) and experience managing WMS–ERP data integrations.
• Solid understanding of LTL and FTL freight, routing guides, and freight billing auditing.
• Experience managing FIFO/FEFO inventory disciplines in a perishable or short-shelf-life product environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and the ability to build and interpret operational dashboards and KPI reports.
• Familiarity with OSHA warehouse safety standards and FDA/FSMA food safety requirements.
• Experience in artisan food, specialty CPG, or natural/organic products manufacturing preferred.
• APICS CSCP, CPIM, or equivalent supply chain certification preferred.
• Familiarity with SQF (Safe Quality Food) certification requirements for warehousing preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish a plus given Northern California workforce demographics.