Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

This hourly position supports the operations leadership team by contributing to identifying the root causes of quality issues, leading meetings, coaching for success, creating a safe and collaborative work environment, and driving process improvement. This position acts as a cultural ambassador who views the business holistically and utilizes strong technical and problem-solving skills to improve operational performance.

The Specialist, Operations Research works closely with Supervisors, Managers, Inventory Control, Quality, Training, and other support functions to investigate process failures, and drive overall performance. This role is responsible for identifying and addressing issues that impact key operational and quality metrics including SLA, inventory accuracy, UNNA, blocked inventory, order quality, productivity, and service performance through data analysis, root cause investigation, and countermeasure implementation.

Key Relationships (Internal):

Operations leadership, IC/QA, Training, and Continuous Improvement teams

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with supervisor and all other operational/support staff to meet daily SLA goals
• Understand and act as a role model in following all standard operating procedures (SOPs)

• Troubleshoot and problem solve for operational issues throughout the distribution center, escalating to senior management and support teams when applicable.
• Research and decipher operational data through reporting in Warehouse Management Systems( WMS) and Warehouse Control System (WCS)

• Develop and maintain a safe work environment
• Ability to reward and recognize performance
• Train and coach associates to achieve all operational goals
• Ability to develop and share best practices  
• Create a positive team environment that encourages all associates to provide insights and feedback to improve processes, adapt to an ever-changing business, and stay focused on customer satisfaction
• Utilize warehouse tools, including radio frequency handheld units (“RF Guns”) and computer kiosks, to research transactions within the warehouse management system (WMS) and Warehouse Control System (WCS)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Required to speak, read, write and comprehend the English language
• Excel, Outlook, Word and working knowledge of WMS principles
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively within a large group of co-workers
• Positive and enthusiastic approach
• Strong knowledge of DC operations, including systems and material flow
• Performance and metrics driven mindset

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is:

• regularly required to talk or hear; Sit, stand or walk; use fingers, hands and arms to feel, handle, grip, grasp, lift, push and pull for up to twelve (12) hours/day
• able to work in a warehouse environment
• able to reliably attend work/scheduled hours
• occasionally required to sit; bending, twisting, climb or balance; lift and carry items such as boxes weighing up to forty (40) pounds; and stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Minimum of two (2) years related distribution experience and/or training
• Required to speak, read, write, and comprehend English.