The warehouse in any operational business has the responsibility of ordering and storing supplies—anything from paper products to equipment to food and beverage. The warehouse needs to run like a finely tuned machine, and the person in charge of this is the warehouse manager. This position plays a vital role in the overall success of the warehouse and the company as a whole.

Warehouse Duties

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The warehouse manager’s job centers on keeping track of all items that come into and go out of the warehouse. This requires a very organized system of inventory tracking. A warehouse manager has to keep a detailed paper trail not only so he knows his inventory levels but also to show the accounting department when it comes time to do inventory. The warehouse manager also has to keep abreast of the costs involved with purchasing new product and continually strive to get the best product for the best price. Usually, the warehouse manager must operate within cost percentage guidelines to ensure the company's profitability.

Other Duties

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The warehouse manager also has several secondary functions that do not figure directly into running the warehouse. Often, a company will have its packages delivered to the warehouse loading dock, and the manager must keep a good log of these packages and make sure they get where they need to go. The warehouse manager will also need need to keep track of a company’s fleet of vehicles. This way, a single person knows the location of all the vehicles and the people who have them, as well as holds the responsibility of keeping them maintained at all times. Finally, the warehouse manager may need to take out company vehicles for the purpose of deliveries. She must have the ability to operate those vehicles in a safe and efficient manner.

Managing Employees

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Finally, the warehouse manager leads the team of warehouse employees. He must hire the right kind of people who can work in the warehouse environment. If an employee strays off course, the manager has a responsibility to counsel and guide the employee. This manager must also take the responsibility for firing employees if necessary. Overall, the warehouse manager must strive to establish a team of employees that will follow the operational guidelines set by management and make sure all warehouse employees carry out those guidelines.