General Manager, Food Distribution Center

Context:

The Common Market is a nonprofit social enterprise building a more resilient and equitable food system. Through our regional chapters, we connect family farmers with schools, hospitals, universities, and community organizations.

Our Great Lakes distribution center handles and delivers fresh, perishable food to institutional customers. We are seeking a General Manager to lead daily operations across warehouse, fleet, food safety, and frontline teams.

Role Description:

The General Manager owns the daily performance of the Chicago food distribution center, from inbound receiving and inventory control to accurate order fulfillment and on-time delivery. This hands-on leader is accountable for service, safety, staffing, cost, and continuous improvement.

Working with the Executive Director, Sales, Customer Support, and VP of Operations, the GM makes day-to-day decisions independently, develops staff, and ensures that warehouse and transportation operations can support growth.

Candidate Profile:

We are seeking a hands-on distribution leader who can supervise warehouse associates and drivers while addressing operational issues directly in a lean, fast-paced facility. Experience with foodservice, fresh produce, refrigerated distribution, or comparable perishable-food operations is particularly valuable.

The strongest candidates pair warehouse and fleet leadership with food safety knowledge, sound financial judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities without large support teams.

Key Responsibilities:

Food Distribution & Warehouse Operations

Lead receiving, storage, picking, packing, staging, and shipment of fresh and perishable products, maintaining safe handling and cold-chain practices.

Maintain inventory accuracy, product rotation, traceability, and effective controls to limit shrink, spoilage, and waste.

Manage warehouse staffing, equipment, workflow, order accuracy, productivity, and service-level performance.

Oversee procurement coordination, inventory availability, and product flow while partnering with Sales and Customer Support to meet customer commitments.

Transportation & Fleet Management

Direct route execution, driver scheduling, safe loading, dispatch, and on-time delivery.

Oversee the five truck fleet, including preventive maintenance, vehicle inspections, repairs, and operational readiness.

Supervise drivers and oversee applicable DOT compliance, vehicle safety, route efficiency, and transportation costs.

Food Safety & Quality

Oversee site-level implementation of the SQF food safety program, including audit readiness, corrective actions, documentation, and staff compliance, in coordination with designated food safety personnel.

Maintain compliance with applicable HACCP, FSMA, sanitation, temperature-control, and customer requirements.

People, Financial & Operational Leadership

Lead hiring, onboarding, scheduling, coaching, and performance management for warehouse and driver teams.

Develop and manage site-level labor and operating budgets; analyze costs and make decisions that directly affect site-level financial performance.

Track operational KPIs, including productivity, order accuracy, safety, on-time delivery, labor efficiency, and product waste.

Resolve operational problems proactively and implement practical process improvements.

Success in This Role

Consistent delivery performance, inventory accuracy, safe food handling, and reliable fleet operations.

Successful food safety audits, timely corrective actions, and effective labor and operating cost control.

Strong frontline accountability and issues resolved without unnecessary escalation.

Qualifications:

·       Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.

·       7–12+ years in operations, logistics, or distribution, including 3–5+ years leading frontline or supervisory teams.

·       Experience in a food-handling environment required; direct food distribution, foodservice, fresh produce, refrigerated distribution, or comparable perishable-food operations strongly preferred.

·       Demonstrated experience with warehouse operations, inventory management, and order fulfillment.

·       Experience overseeing delivery drivers, transportation operations, and fleet maintenance; refrigerated trucking preferred.

·       Working knowledge of SQF, HACCP, FSMA, or comparable food safety systems, including audit or corrective-action processes.

·       Experience managing operational budgets, analyzing costs, and making decisions that affect site-level financial performance.

·       Ability to lead multiple functions in a lean operation; strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.

Location & Travel:

Full-time onsite at the Great Lakes distribution facility.

Address: 7424 S Lockwood Ave, Bedford Park, IL 60638

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: $100,000 annually

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

SIMPLE IRA with 100% employer match

Employer-paid life insurance, AD&D, short- and long-term disability

Paid vacation, sick time, and public holidays