Vice President of Operations

livingHR, Inc.

. Develop and execute multi-year operational strategies supporting organizational goals, distribution effectiveness, service responsiveness, safety, compliance, and mission impact .

Posted 9/23/2026full-timeChicago • Illinois • United StatesLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates extensive experience in operational leadership, including warehouse operations, inventory management, transportation logistics, and regulatory compliance. Proven ability to develop and execute strategic operational plans while fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Operational LeadershipWarehouse Operations ManagementInventory ManagementRegulatory CompliancePerformance Metrics Development

ATS Keywords

Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills

Supply Chain ManagementLogisticsFood SafetyProcess OptimizationBudget ManagementLeanSix SigmaWarehouse AutomationTransportation OptimizationERP

Soft Skills

LeadershipCommunicationProblem-SolvingChange ManagementRelationship-Building

Tools & Technologies

WMSOperational Technology

Industry Keywords

OSHADOTFood DistributionManufacturingAudit Readiness

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

ERP

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and execute multi-year operational strategies supporting organizational goals, distribution effectiveness, service responsiveness, safety, compliance, and mission impact
Provide senior leadership for warehouse, inventory, center, production, transportation, logistics, safety, and operational readiness functions
Oversee warehouse operations, inventory management, receiving, storage, order fulfillment, staging, redistribution, and product movement
Ensure inventory standards, controls, reconciliation, reporting, data integrity, and inventory accuracy across locations
Oversee center operations, production activities, food processing, and facility-based operations across multiple locations
Align volunteer capacity with warehouse, production, repack, and distribution needs
Provide strategic oversight for transportation operations, logistics planning, routing, fleet utilization, driver safety, and distribution effectiveness
Lead and strengthen the operational safety culture and ensure OSHA, DOT, USDA, food safety, workplace safety, training, audit, inspection, and regulatory compliance
Oversee operational readiness across facilities, equipment, maintenance planning, documentation, emergency preparedness, and infrastructure needs
Develop operational performance metrics and reporting for decision-making, resource allocation, capacity planning, and continuous improvement
Lead process improvement, technology enhancement, automation, standardization, and operational best-practice initiatives
Evaluate capital investments, equipment purchases, facility needs, technology tools, and operational improvements through business cases and ROI analysis
Develop and manage budgets for warehouse operations, inventory, centers, production, transportation, safety, equipment, maintenance, and capital projects
Provide strategic oversight of facilities operations, maintenance, replacement, capital improvements, expansion, renovation, and major capital projects
Serve on the Vice President Leadership Team and contribute to organizational planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and operational decision-making
Build succession plans, leadership development strategies, and workforce capability plans
Lead, coach, and develop the Director of Warehouse & Inventory, Director of Centers & Production, Director of Transportation, Safety Manager, and Director of the Northwest Center
Represent Operations in organizational initiatives, cross-functional planning, emergency response, and special projects

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Business Administration, Food Systems, or a related field required; master's degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
Minimum of ten (10) to fifteen (15) years of progressive leadership experience in operations, logistics, warehousing, inventory management, production, transportation, distribution, supply chain, food distribution, manufacturing, or a related environment
Minimum of five (5) years leading managers, directors, or multiple operational functions across a complex or multi-site environment
Demonstrated experience overseeing warehouse operations, inventory management, transportation, facilities, food safety, workplace safety, production, distribution, or logistics functions
Strong knowledge of operational performance management, inventory controls, food safety, workplace safety, DOT requirements, OSHA expectations, audit readiness, and regulatory compliance
Experience leading multi-shift or multi-site operations and managing complex product flow, capacity planning, labor planning, equipment, facilities, and logistics decisions
Demonstrated ability to analyze operational data, develop performance metrics, manage budgets, allocate resources, evaluate capital investments, and drive continuous improvement
Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, process optimization, warehouse automation, transportation optimization, operational technology, ERP, WMS, or related systems preferred
Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, change management, project management, and relationship-building skills
Experience building high-performing teams and developing leaders through coaching, performance management, succession planning, and professional development
Commitment to fostering a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, operational excellence, and mission impact
Ability to represent the organization with professionalism, credibility, integrity, and a strong commitment to service and mission
Must have dependable transportation and ability and flexibility to travel throughout the organization's 13-county service area as needed

Benefits

Comp & perks

Full-time, 40 hours
Generally Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Some nights and weekends required based on operational needs
Regular travel to other organizational locations and partner sites
Local travel throughout the organization's 13-county service area
Professional development through coaching, succession planning, feedback, and leadership development
Opportunity to participate in organizational planning, budgeting, resource allocation, emergency response, and special projects