Branch Manager
hace 5 días
Lakeland
Job Description Position Summary The Branch Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and day-to-day operations of the Lakeland branch, encompassing both office and warehouse functions. This role ensures operational excellence across administration, warehousing, logistics, and customer service while serving as a visible, customer-facing leader who actively supports sales efforts in the field. This role will balance hands-on operational oversight with strategic planning, people leadership, and relationship management. The ideal candidate brings strong market expertise and hands-on experience working in or servicing the produce industry, with a deep understanding of the operational, logistical, and customer service demands unique to this market. Experience supporting produce growers, distributors, or produce-focused customers is essential. This individual thrives in a fast-paced, time-sensitive environment and is comfortable engaging directly with customers, growers, logistics partners, sales teams, and warehouse staff to drive service excellence, sustainable growth, and profitability. The successful candidate is highly organized, service-oriented, and capable of translating industry knowledge into operational execution and customer value. Key Responsibilities Office Operations • Lead and oversee all daily branch operations, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, safety, and alignment with company policies and procedures, • Ensure timely and accurate order processing, invoicing, inventory coordination, and customer communication, • Partner closely with warehouse, transportation, and supply chain teams to ensure product availability, freshness, and on-time delivery, • Monitor operational performance, costs, margins, and service levels; analyze trends and implement corrective actions where needed, • Establish and track operational KPIs related to service, accuracy, inventory flow, and customer satisfaction, • Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations and standards, including food safety, traceability, and workplace safety requirements, • Support continuous improvement initiatives to streamline processes and enhance branch performance Warehouse Operations • Lead warehouse functions, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, safety, and compliance with company policies and procedures, • Provide direct oversight of warehouse operations, • Manage warehouse workflows to support timely and accurate order fulfillment and on-time customer deliveries, • Oversee inventory accuracy and cycle counts, • Promote and enforce safe work practices, conduct safety meetings, and address hazards or incidents promptly, • Track operational KPIs related to warehouse productivity and inventory accuracy Customer Focus & Sales Support • Serve as a primary point of contact for key and strategic customers, building strong, long-term relationships, • Proactively address and resolve customer service issues, complaints, and delivery concerns to ensure customer satisfaction, • Support the sales team by participating in customer meetings, site visits, and industry events as required, • Assist with onboarding new customers, including pricing setup, service expectations, operational coordination, and internal communication, • Collaborate with sales representatives to identify new business opportunities, upsell opportunities, and customer retention strategies, • Provide field sales support during peak periods, vacations, or when additional coverage is required Leadership & Team Management • Lead, coach, and develop branch employees to promote accountability, engagement, and a customer-first culture, • Coordinate staffing, scheduling, onboarding, training, and performance management for office and support staff, • Foster strong collaboration and communication between sales, operations, logistics, and administrative teams, • Address employee concerns, performance issues, and workplace challenges in a timely and professional manner, • Ensure branch staffing levels and skill sets align with business needs and growth objectives Financial & Reporting Responsibilities • Support branch budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities, • Review branch financials, including sales reports, expenses, credits, and customer account issues, in collaboration with finance, • Monitor profitability and cost controls at the branch level, • Prepare and provide regular reports and updates to senior leadership on branch performance, customer trends, risks, and opportunities, • Assist with annual planning, growth initiatives, and operational forecasts, • Minimum 10+ years of progressive experience in branch management, office management, operations leadership, or sales operations within a distribution-focused organization, • Required experience working in or servicing the produce industry, including direct exposure to produce customers, growers, or produce-focused supply chains, • Prior experience in produce, food distribution, agriculture, or packaging distribution is strongly preferred, • Demonstrated understanding of produce-specific market dynamics, including product freshness, shelf life, lead times, inventory turns, food safety, traceability, and service-level expectations, • Proven customer-facing experience with the ability to build trust, credibility, and long-term relationships with produce customers, growers, vendors, and internal stakeholders, • Solid understanding of sales support functions, pricing structures, margin management, account management, and customer service expectations, • Experience partnering with sales teams to support customer growth, retention, and issue resolution in a time-sensitive, service-driven market, • Strong leadership, organizational, and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize and adapt in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, • Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities, with confidence addressing both customer and operational challenges, • Proficiency with ERP systems, CRM platforms, and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook); ability to analyze reports and operational data to drive informed decisions