Area Manager, Inbound Hub Operations

Location: 400 Smoketree Plaza, Suite 100, North Aurora, IL 60542

Shift: Must be willing to work any shift, including nights and weekends, based on business demand.

Role Description:

The Area Manager, Inbound Hub Operations is a people first leader responsible for directly managing and developing a team of leads and associates at one of ShipBob’s receiving hubs. A hub is dedicated exclusively to receiving inbound inventory from merchants and injecting it into ShipBob’s network as quickly and accurately as possible—goods are received, quality-checked, verified, 3D-scanned, stow-tagged, and transferred on to regional spoke fulfillment centers, where picking, packing, and shipping take place. They’ll be heavily involved in driving inbound process improvement across the full hub flow—dock management, receiving against warehouse receiving orders (WROs), quality control and product verification, and coordinating timely transfer to spoke locations—while maintaining a safe work environment, safeguarding inventory accuracy, and meeting hub service-level agreements, including the 3-day hub-arrival-to-stow SLA. Area Managers receive exposure across departments and shifts to contribute to operational and cultural excellence, diversifying their experience and exposing them to all aspects of our fulfillment and logistics operations. As ShipBob continues to grow, it is imperative to receive and distribute merchant inventory accurately and on time so that downstream spoke fulfillment centers can serve our clients’ needs while maintaining sustainable growth and scalability from an operations perspective. This role reports to the Operations Manager, Inbound Hub Operations, who also serves as the backup for this role.

What you’ll do:

• Manage, build, and develop a team of 30+ inbound associates across dock, receiving, and processing (Temp and FTE).  
• Review weekly inbound volume and WRO forecasts—scheduled dock appointments and expected receipts—and identify productivity and staffing requirements to meet overall building objectives. 
• Partner with other Area Managers to balance labor ensuring we are operating an efficient shift while meeting all goals. 
• Own inbound hub metric reporting, including, but not limited to, receiving UPH, hub-to-transfer (dock-to-stow) cycle time against the 3-day hub SLA, WRO processing time, receiving and inventory accuracy, on-time receipt against ASNs/WROs, and Injury Rate. Identify areas for improvement, troubleshoot problems, and implement solutions to maintain standards. 
• Manage dock scheduling and inbound appointment flow, coordinating with carriers and merchants to align inbound deliveries with available labor and dock capacity.
• Oversee receiving against Products, WROs, and purchase orders—ensuring accurate counts, quality checks, product verification, 3D scanning for optimal packaging, and stow-tagging, with prompt and accurate processing to protect inventory accuracy.
• Drive hub-to-transfer (dock-to-stow) cycle time and reduce inbound dwell so received inventory consistently meets the 3-day hub SLA, escalating receipt discrepancies, damages, and OS&D (over, short, and damaged) issues for prompt resolution.
• Coordinate the timely internal transfer of received inventory to the correct regional spoke fulfillment centers, partnering with transportation to meet hub SLAs and keeping WRO statuses (arrived at hub, processing, transferred) accurate and current.
• Responsible for ensuring teams are properly trained on processes and procedures, understand metrics and performance goals, and that their needs are addressed so they can best perform in their roles. Assign tasks, provide coaching and accountability, and motivate team towards achieving performance goals. 
• Develop Lead talent ensuring Lead associates are provided necessary tools, training, and resources to meet standards. 
• Actively foster employee engagement onsite by participating in activities, events, and programs that contribute to workplace culture, a positive work environment, and employee wellbeing. 
• Review and approve associate timecards daily. 
• Serve as the contact for escalated issues, with the ability to mitigate risk and resolve quickly and effectively. 
• Support all safety programs and OSHA compliance to ensure a safe work environment for all associates.  
• Additional duties and responsibilities as necessary. 

What you’ll bring to the table:

• 2+ years of people management and operational leadership experience within a high-volume 3PL fulfillment environment, with direct experience leading inbound/receiving operations (receiving, putaway, and stow) strongly preferred. Preferred experience in ecommerce, retail, and manufacturing industries.
• Ability to manage performance, deliver feedback, train, and develop talent for professional growth.
• Solid computer skills and have a working knowledge of programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel, PowerBI and TMS systems. 
• Strong analytical skills and experience tracking and achieving KPIs.
• Excellent attention to detail and communication skills.
• Comfortability to navigate and manage ambiguity.   
• Hard working with a focus on learning, detail oriented, and passionate about helping small businesses compete online.  
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with business stakeholders, inbound carriers, and supplier/merchant partners.
• Must be willing to work rotating shifts and non-traditional hours as needed to support business operations.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs without restriction.
• Able to stand and walk continuously during and up to a 8-10 hr shift.
• Able to bend, stoop, reach above, and push/pull frequently.

Perks & Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, Vision & Basic Life Insurance
• Paid Maternity/Parental Leave Program
• Paid Holidays & Flexible Time Off Program
• Paid Sick Leave
• Wellness Days (1 day/quarter)
• 401K Match
• Comprehensive Benefits Package >>> https://www.shipbob.com/careers/
• See Our High-Performing Culture &