Distribution and Logistics Manager

About Community Food WorksCommunity Food Works (CFW) is building a regional food system that connects farmers, food producers, schools, emergency food providers, and communities across the Hudson Valley and beyond. We operate food production, processing, warehousing, and distribution facilities that move locally produced and mission-driven food into schools, community programs, and other food access partners.About This RoleDistribution and Logistics management is at the core of our work: this is a critical role where you will have meaningful impact on our success in getting great local food to everyone in our community.As Distribution Manager you will oversee the movement of products from our processing facilities to schools, institutions, retailers, and community partners, ensuring efficient, reliable, and equitable distribution of locally produced food.You will develop and manage the distribution systems across a growing network of processing, storage, and distribution sites throughout the Hudson Valley. The Distribution Manager coordinates multi-site inventory movement, same-day pickups and deliveries, fleet operations, driver scheduling, warehouse coordination, and customer fulfillment.This is a hands-on management role focused on building the systems, processes, and infrastructure needed to support a growing regional food system.Why This Role Is SpecialThis is an opportunity to help build the future of local food distribution, and to become a champion for excellence in logistics.You won't be stepping into a finished distribution operation and simply managing it. You'll help build the systems that determine how food moves between facilities, how inventory is managed, how routes are designed, how technology supports the work, and how the distribution team grows as our regional food system expands.The work is complex, hands-on, and constantly evolving. There will be opportunities to solve problems, improve systems, and build new approaches as our facilities, products, customers, and distribution network grow. Most importantly, the work has a direct connection to getting good food where it needs to go, supporting farmers and producers, and serving schools, emergency food providers, and communities throughout the region.Why you might love this jobWe are looking for someone who is both a systems thinker and a hands-on operator. You will love this job if you:Enjoy being a part of a high performing team.Love building and improving systems rather than simply maintaining them.Think across people, facilities, inventory, production, vehicles, technology, schedules, and customers.Are highly organized while staying flexible when things change.Enjoy complexity and solving real-time operational problems.Move comfortably between planning and hands-on troubleshooting.Enjoy using data to understand problems and improve performance.Communicate clearly with everyone from drivers and warehouse staff to leadership and external partners.Like building strong teams with clear expectations and accountability.Are comfortable creating structure where it doesn't yet exist.Care about the mission behind the logistics and the connection between food, farmers, schools, emergency food providers, and communities.Key ResponsibilitiesDistribution OperationsDevelop and manage logistics systems and processes across a growing network of processing, storage, and distribution sites.Coordinate same-day pickups and deliveries, interfacility transfers, product staging, and changing customer and production needs.Develop schedules that align production, inventory, customer orders, and transportation capacity.Collaborate with Production, Sales, Procurement, and Facilities to anticipate and resolve challenges.Inventory and Warehouse ManagementManage inventory movement across multiple facilities and ensure products are available, staged, and moved efficiently.Develop systems for accurate, real-time visibility into product movement, transfers, availability, and storage locations in partnership with our tech team.Establish processes for interfacility transfers, inventory reconciliation, product staging, and warehouse coordination.Identify opportunities to improve storage utilization, product flow, and inventory accuracy.Fleet and TransportationManage the delivery fleet, including scheduling, routing, utilization, maintenance coordination, and compliance, in collaboration with the Facilities Manager.Oversee driver scheduling and route planning to ensure appropriate coverage and efficient use of vehicles and labor.Manage CDL-qualified drivers and ensure compliance with applicable licensing, training, inspection, and hours-of-service requirements.Manage relationships with external carriers and transportation providers.Identify opportunities to improve routes, fleet utilization, labor, delivery schedules, and environmental impact.Team ManagementOversee drivers and warehouse staff and ensure appropriate staffing and coverage for daily operations.Establish clear roles, responsibilities, schedules, workflows, and performance expectations.Develop training and SOPs that support safe, consistent, and effective operations.Build a culture of accountability, communication, safety, and continuous improvement.Systems and Process ImprovementDevelop and implement SOPs for warehousing, transportation, inventory movement, loading, delivery, and receiving.Partner with IT to implement technology and tools supporting routing, fleet management, order fulfillment, inventory, and distribution.Develop and track operational metrics and use data to identify bottlenecks and improve performance.Evaluate distribution infrastructure, staffing, technology, equipment, and processes as the organization grows.Build scalable systems that can support increasing facilities, products, customers, and volume.Customer and Partner CoordinationCoordinate delivery logistics for schools, retailers, institutions, and community organizations.Collaborate with Sales and Production to ensure timely and effective order fulfillment.Develop relationships with the Farm Hub, customers, food distribution networks, carriers, and other partners.Communicate proactively about schedules, product availability, changes, and issues.Food Safety, Compliance, and EquityEnsure food safety, traceability, temperature control, sanitation, and appropriate product handling throughout distribution and transportation.Ensure compliance with applicable transportation, fleet, workplace safety, and regulatory requirements.Design distribution models that improve access to locally produced food for underserved communities and lower-income residents.Develop innovative last-mile solutions for areas with limited food access.Build distribution models that can serve as examples for other regional food systems.Experience & Qualifications5+ years of experience in logistics, distribution, transportation, warehouse operations, supply chain, or a related field.Experience managing inventory across multiple locations and developing systems for inventory visibility and movement.Experience developing SOPs, workflows, and operational systems in a growing or changing organization.Excited about using technology and data to manage logistics, inventory, fleet, or distribution operations.Experience with food distribution, food manufacturing, agriculture, regional food systems, or another perishable-product environment.Experience with CDL requirements and commercial transportation regulations is required.