Benefits on Day 1- Health/Rx
- Dental
- Vision
- Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
- Supplemental life insurance
- 401(k)
- Paid time off
- Paid sick time
- Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
- Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
- Holiday pay for company designated holidays
Overview
At KeHE, we’re obsessed with creating solutions, unboxing potential, and serving others – and it all starts with you. As an employee-owned distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products, we’re committed to making a positive impact and scaling our success together. With a culture that fosters development and opportunity, you’ll be embarking on a career that’s moving forward. When you join KeHE, you’re becoming part of a team that is a force for good.
Primary Responsibilities
The Production Operations Controller is responsible for coordinating, planning and executing efficient inbound and outbound operations. This role oversees daily and strategic planning, workforce management, and the achievement of site performance metrics. Additionally, it acts as the primary point of contact for distribution center support groups, including Finance, Inventory Management, Sales and others. As with all positions at KeHE Distributors, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE’s Mission, Vision, and Values.
Essential Functions
DUTIES, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Long term data-based coordination with site and supporting groups to understand and plan for staffing, cross training and customer needs.
- Routine collaboration with support groups to understand new or changing business needs.
- Daily Duties:
- Coordinate and flawlessly execute inbound and outbound activities.
- Pre shift plan with site leadership, reviewing staff levels, assignments and goals.
- Lead mid shift review and adjust activities to ensure commitments are met, developing immediate action plans where needed.
- Lead post shift debriefs with teams.
- Recap operations for senior leadership including recommendations for improvement.
- Serve as liaison between departments to maintain seamless workflows and satisfy customer needs, both internal and external – may work multiple shifts (including overnight and weekends).
- Provide continuous improvement efforts for the operation in the areas of safety, quality and productivity.
- Apply industry best practices for enhanced performance.
- Collaborate with internal teams such as Finance, Inventory Management, Sales, and others on operations and efficiencies.
- Other duties and projects as assigned.
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
- Extensive end to end distribution knowledge with the ability to identify and collaboratively troubleshoot bottlenecks, delays or barriers.
- Ability to produce and leverage data to understand performance and support decision making.
- Presentation Skills – effective in a variety of formal presentation settings: one-on-one, small and large groups, with peers, direct reports, and managers; is effective both inside and outside the organization, on both cool data and hot and controversial topics; commands attention and can manage group process during the presentation; can change tactics midstream when something isn’t working
- Ability to influence behavior and inspire collaboration with all levels and between departments to achieve operational goals. Can quickly find common ground and solve problems for the good of all
- Interpersonal Savvy – relates well to all levels inside and outside of the organization.
- Strong listener, communicator, collaborator and teacher with the skill to maintain mutual respect from peers, front line and senior leadership while holding all accountable for commitments. Using diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably
- Strong situational leadership.
- Ability to adapt approach as circumstances, priorities and personalities require
- Skilled at Lean tool application to drive improvement; root cause identification methods, problem solving, visual management, continuous flow, Gemba.
- No set shift - ability to work both inbound and outbound production hours and days to support the operation .
- Strong reasoning, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong proficiency with PC skills and Microsoft Excel.
- Ability to access all levels and areas of the facility
- Ability to interpret and understand policies and procedures and relate them to others
Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- High School Diploma or GED required.
- Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Supply Chain, or related field.
- Minimum of 4+ years of experience in warehouse operations, production or related field.
- Food distribution or warehouse experience preferred.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
Requisition ID
2026-30221Equal Employer Opportunity Statement
KeHE Distributors provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or faith, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training as well as the administration of all Human Resources and Talent Acquisition processes.