What is a warehouse operations manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted Expert

Eric Olsen

A warehouse operations manager handles the daily operations of a warehouse. They manage a team of employees, ensuring efficient and accurate work. This includes coordinating shipments, managing inventory, and implementing safety procedures. They also work with other departments to fulfill customer orders in a timely manner and ensure products remain in the correct locations. A warehouse operations manager must have leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills. They contribute to the warehouseâ€™s ability to meet its goals.

What general advice would you give to a Warehouse Operations Manager?

Eric Olsen

Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business

Times of change are also times of great opportunities. We are going to need new technical solutions to address problems we are just learning about. You have to lean into the issues. Don't be a technologist - be a problem solver. That is why we also emphasize soft skills like lean six sigma, teamwork, and change management.

ScoreWarehouse Operations ManagerUS Average

Salary

2.7

Avg. Salary $34,871

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.2

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.42%

Asian 6.10%

Black or African American 11.11%

Hispanic or Latino 18.44%

Unknown 4.30%

White 59.63%

Gender

female 11.96%

male 88.04%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress Level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.3

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.9

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Warehouse Operations Manager?

Pros

Good salary and benefits
Opportunities for career advancement
Ability to work with a wide range of people and departments
Ability to contribute to process improvements and efficiency gains
Satisfaction of seeing tangible results from your work

Cons

Long hours, including weekends and holidays
Physical demands of the job, including standing or walking for long periods of time
Responsibility for the safety of employees and equipment
Limited flexibility in scheduling and work hours
High levels of accountability for mistakes or errors

Key steps to become a warehouse operations manager

Explore warehouse operations manager education requirements

Most common warehouse operations manager degrees

Bachelor's

36.4 %

High School Diploma

29.0 %

Associate

20.0 %

Start to develop specific warehouse operations manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Orders	16.07%
Pallets	11.59%
Logistics	6.92%
Customer Service	6.12%
Warehouse Operations	5.43%

Complete relevant warehouse operations manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New warehouse operations managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a warehouse operations manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real warehouse operations manager resumes.

Research warehouse operations manager duties and responsibilities

Manage all over the road deliveries through TMS.
Manage all aspects of local and national shipping, including internal fleet, small parcel and LTL.
Manage key performance indicators, reviewing them quarterly with each customer and developing KPIs to drive business results.
Design and oversee the routes for products delivery while managing the key performance indicators (KPIs) for different evaluation points.

Prepare your warehouse operations manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your warehouse operations manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a warehouse operations manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Warehouse Operations Manager Resume templates

Build a professional Warehouse Operations Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Warehouse Operations Manager resume.

Apply for warehouse operations manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a warehouse operations manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average warehouse operations manager salary

The average Warehouse Operations Manager salary in the United States is $34,871 per year or $17 per hour. Warehouse operations manager salaries range between $26,000 and $45,000 per year.

Average Warehouse Operations Manager Salary

$34,871 Yearly

$16.76 hourly

How do warehouse operations managers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Warehouse Operations Manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Pros

I love being able to mold my team and the distribution center to the culture of respect and accountability! Having senior and executive leadership support is a huge positive factor in making this happen!!

Cons

Long hours and calls outside of regular business hours are the norm!

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019

Pros

I like to tell tell people that a be manager a room to maltreat people under you. Also like been humble even though I am heading people because they can contribute ideas that makes you Excel in your position

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019

Pros

I love it and I wish I was back at my old job but I guess it is what it is

Cons

Not being loyal

What is a warehouse operations manager and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Warehouse Operations Manager?

What are the pros and cons of being a Warehouse Operations Manager?

Warehouse Operations Manager career paths

Key steps to become a warehouse operations manager

Explore warehouse operations manager education requirements

Most common warehouse operations manager degrees

Start to develop specific warehouse operations manager skills

Complete relevant warehouse operations manager training and internships

Research warehouse operations manager duties and responsibilities

Prepare your warehouse operations manager resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Warehouse Operations Manager Resume templates

Apply for warehouse operations manager jobs

How Did You Land Your First Warehouse Operations Manager Job

Average warehouse operations manager salary

How do warehouse operations managers rate their job?

Warehouse Operations Manager reviews

Warehouse Operations Manager jobs by state