Description
General Manager, Wholesale Operations
Organization Information
GrowNYC is a 56-year-old environmental nonprofit organization helping more than 3 million New Yorkers by providing essential services and taking action to make NYC a livable city, one where every person can enjoy a healthier, more sustainable life. GrowNYC Programs include:
- Our network of Greenmarkets and the work of GrowNYC Wholesale ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, healthiest local food.
- We build and support community and school gardens through volunteer days, technical assistance, training, grants and more.
- We provide 70,000 children each year with programs that provide meaningful interactions with the natural environment.
Position Summary
The General Manager, Wholesale Operations reports to the Director of Wholesale Food Distribution and oversees day-to-day operations at GrowNYC Wholesale. The General Manager, Wholesale Operations is responsible for warehouse, food safety, inventory, transportation and logistics, equipment and maintenance, and operational systems across a 20,000 sq-ft food facility, a fleet of 6 trucks and vans, and a team of approximately 13 staff. This role ensures that Wholesale Operations runs safely, efficiently, and reliably in support of GrowNYC’s mission to bolster the financial viability of regional farmers and empower New Yorkers with equitable access to fresh, locally grown food. This position requires a seasoned operator already familiar with Wholesale Food Distribution who possesses strong organizational skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to achieve both mission-driven and financial goals. A core part of the role is staff development across the operations: systems, training, accountability, and consistent follow-through
Requirements
General Manager, Wholesale Operations Responsibilities (Include but are not limited to):
Wholesale Operations
- Manage day-to-day Wholesale Operations, including receiving, storage, inventory, order fulfillment, and outbound delivery
- Oversee warehouse operations performance, including inventory control, food safety, workplace safety, compliance and shipping, setting standards and priorities with the Warehouse Manager
- Oversee delivery and logistics performance, including on-time delivery, route optimization, driver safety, truck utilization, and compliance, setting standards and priorities with the Outbound Logistics Manager
- Own order cycle configuration in the order management system (order periods, lead times, aggregation and delivery cycles) in coordination with Purchasing and Sales
- Coordinate with Purchasing and Sales departments on receiving, inventory availability, fulfillment, and delivery service levels. Resolve fulfillment and delivery issues, and escalate customer or supplier relationship issues to the appropriate dept/function lead or the Director of Wholesale
- Serve as the designated backup for operational continuity in Director’s absence: make day-to-day operational decisions, serve as point of contact for Wholesale staff on urgent operational matters, and brief Wholesale Director on all decisions upon return
- Support operational execution of new service lines as directed by the Wholesale Director (e.g. new activations, expanded distribution programs, third-party cold storage)
Staff Supervision and Development
- Supervise, coach, and develop operations managers and their teams
- Establish management frameworks for the operations team, including weekly and monthly priorities, check-ins, owners and deadlines
- Oversee hiring for operations roles in partnership with the hiring manager and HR
- Support managers in onboarding new Wholesale ops staff, conducting performance reviews, addressing performance issues and ensuring well-documented practices across the operations team in partnership with HR
- Partner with operations managers and Wholesale Director to ensure training programs are in place for all operations roles
- Maintain a coverage plan for all operations roles, including who steps in when the Warehouse Manager, Outbound Logistics Manager, or a Lead is out; personally cover for either operations manager during absences; and ensure cross-training so all business critical workflows have adequate coverage and redundancy
- Work conjunctively with the Outbound Logistics Manager, Warehouse Manager and HR to issue Corrective Action Notices (CANs) and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), as needed.
Equipment, Maintenance and Systems
- Oversee repair, preventative maintenance, sanitation and service vendor relationships for Wholesale equipment, including contracts, warranties, and preventive maintenance schedules, for Wholesale equipment, including refrigeration, dock doors and lifts, material handling equipment, and the forklift charging station, when escalated from routine inspections and maintenance by the Warehouse Manager
- Maintain the refrigeration temperature monitoring and alarm system, in coordination with the Warehouse Manager, who oversees the maintenance of temperature records as PCQI and the Facilities Manager, who oversees the BMS
- Serve as primary after-hours contact for refrigeration and temperature alarms, and maintain an escalation protocol with the Warehouse Manager and Facilities Manager
- Manage waste carting and organics collection service agreements and vendor contracts for Wholesale; ensure biodigester SOPs and staff training are current
- Coordinate Wholesale fleet maintenance and fleet availability with the Fleet Administrator and Outbound Logistics Manager
- Coordinate with the Facilities Manager on building systems and construction, renovation, repair or maintenance activity affecting Wholesale operations
- Coordinate with building tenants and the Facilities Manager on shared spaces (including yard and docks), access, workplace safety, and food safety controls
- Serve as system administrator for Wholesale operational systems and shared program accounts, including order management, routing, databases, and Wholesale program aliases; maintain user access, credentials, integrations, and automations with a trained backup for each
- In coordination with the Wholesale Director and IT, evaluate and implement operational technology, prioritizing process documentation, integration and automation
Performance, Compliance and Continuous Improvement
- Maintain the “Hub Office Policies and Procedures” manual, in partnership with the Director of Wholesale, including evacuation and closure procedures, distribution, staff training and annual review; make operational closure and delay decisions in coordination with the Director of Wholesale
- Track and report operational KPIs (e.g. on-time delivery, order accuracy, storage utilization, truck utilization, safety incidents)
- Drive continuous improvement across Wholesale operations, setting standards for and approving operational SOPs developed by managers and operational leads
- Maintain operational reports and dashboards, with documented processes and a trained backup for each
- Manage the Wholesale operations budget and drive cost efficiency across labor (including overtime), fleet, equipment, supplies and services; provide input on the annual operations budget and operational cost reporting, and review and approve operations vendor invoices within delegated authority
- Collaborate with Wholesale Director, Facilities Manager, Safety and Risk Management Senior Advisor, and Fleet Administrator to ensure compliance with OSHA, USDA, DOT and any other relevant agency rules and regulations related to Wholesale operations
- Ensure a comprehensive warehouse safety program is in place and enforced, compliant with OSHA, covering safety techniques, PPE, equipment certification, hazard communication, emergency response, equipment and workplace safety inspections and recordkeeping including safety data sheets and incident reports
- Review all accidents and incidents and implement proper corrective actions and report to the Director of Wholesale and Senior Advisor, Safety and Risk Management
- Perform regular spot checks to ensure adherence to food safety protocols (HACCP, temperature logs), hygiene standards, and workspace safety practices with the Warehouse Manager serving as the facility’s PCQI.
- Partner with Facilities Manager and Safety and Risk Management Senior Advisor on fire and life safety testing and inspections in Wholesale areas; ensure egress and sprinkler clearances are maintained, deficiencies are corrected and staff trained on safety and emergency procedures
- Develop and implement shrink policy, tracking, analyzing, and reporting on shrink / spoilage rates to reduce food waste
Required Qualifications
- Five plus (5+) years of wholesale food distribution, warehousing or logistics experience
- Five plus (5+) years of experience in staff management, PIPs, professional development and performance reviews
- Demonstrated experience with managing operations budgets and controlling costs
- Demonstrable steady leadership and team management skills.
- Excellent communication skills and proven ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and knowledge levels
- Ability to manage concurrent projects in a fast-paced team environment
- Strong interpersonal skills and willing to work with people from diverse backgrounds
- Professional proficiency with Microsoft Office products, Google Workspace products, and other ERP, routing, communications, workflow management, and project management applications
Ideal Qualifications
- Ability to speak a second language, ideally Spanish
- Knowledge of regional food systems, social enterprises, and food business
- Experience in a union environment
- Valid NYS Driver’s License with clean driving record is a plus but not required
- Experience in the nonprofit sector
Schedule
This full-time position has a work schedule of Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm, 35-40 hours per week and requires occasional flexible hours including early mornings, evenings, and weekends.
Compensation
The position is exempt, full-time and salaried. It pays $100,000 - $110,000 per year and includes full benefits (medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability, incentive savings plan, paid time off, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and potential for parental leave for full-time regular employees who have been employed with GrowNYC for 175 days and FSA programs). This position is not union eligible/a part of the bargaining unit.
Location
This is an on-site position based at GrowNYC’s warehouse in Hunt’s Point Bronx. The role may require occasional meetings at our downtown Manhattan office and off-site visits to customer and partner sites.
Applications
Qualified candidates for the General Manager, Wholesale Operations position should submit a cover letter, resume, and three references. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis. Due to the volume of employment applications received, GrowNYC is unable to respond to each application individually. Applicants will be contacted directly if selected as a candidate. No phone calls or recruiters or recruiting agencies, please.
Application deadline is November 28th, 2026
Contact
GrowNYC
P.O. Box 2327
New York, NY 10272
212-788-7900
For additional information, please see our website: grownyc.org
**Upon tender of offer, GrowNYC expects that the candidate will be available to start the role within a maximum of 21 days.**
GrowNYC is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and hires without regard to race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or physical disability.
