Director, Continuous Improvement

About our family of companies:

We’re on a mission to bring learning to life! Across our family of companies—Learning Resources®, Educational Insights, and hand2mind—we create children’s toys, pet toys, educational products, and supplemental curriculum trusted by teachers and loved by families. As a growing, family-owned business and a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace, we are dedicated to helping kids succeed in school and develop a lifelong love of learning. If you’re curious, collaborative, and a kid at heart, you’ll feel right at home here. Join us in shaping the future of learning with our award-winning team!

Team & Position Description:

We are seeking a Director of Continuous Improvement to lead the design, optimization, and performance of warehouse systems, analytics, and infrastructure across our distribution network. This role is responsible for ensuring that our warehouse operations are supported by scalable technology, strong data visibility, and high-performing external partners. The Director will play a central role in the successful implementation and go-live of a new automated distribution center, while building the systems, dashboards, and processes that drive ongoing operational performance. This position will partner closely with warehouse leadership, IT, and external vendors to deliver data-driven improvements across fulfillment, labor productivity, system performance, and cost. The ideal candidate brings a combination of warehouse go live implementations, warehouse systems expertise, strong analytical capability, and the ability to execute complex cross-functional initiatives. This role does not directly manage day-to-day warehouse operations, but is accountable for the systems, analytics, automation, and continuous improvement processes that enable operational performance.

What We’re Looking For (Key Performance Objectives):

• By Q1 2028, lead a successful go-live of a new 700k sq ft automated distribution center with stable operations, fully functional system integrations, and no material disruption to fulfillment service levels.
  • Own end-to-end execution of the implementation, coordinating the integrator, IT, engineering, and operations teams.
  • Lead installation, configuration, integration, testing, commissioning, and cutover activities.
  • Drive rapid issue resolution during go-live and stabilization.
  • Maintain project governance through risk management, status reporting, and executive communication.
• Establish the systems, analytics, and operating disciplines that improve warehouse visibility, performance, and decision-making.
  • Within 120 days, implement KPI dashboards covering service, productivity, cost, and system performance. 
  • Establish weekly and monthly Operational performance review processes that drive accountability and continuous improvement.
  • Lead a four person team of analysts and engineers to deliver measurable gains in cost, throughput, and service.
  • Assume ownership of the warehouse systems roadmap, optimization strategy, and continuous improvement pipeline
• Lead cross-functional initiatives and strategic partnerships that improve operational performance and scalability.
  • Solve complex operational challenges spanning systems, processes, vendors, and cross-functional teams.
  • Deliver major improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, throughput, service, or cost performance.
  • Establish performance metrics and communication cadences with key external partners.
  • Lead quarterly business reviews and continuous improvement efforts with strategic vendors.

Requirements / Ideal Attributes:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, Logistics, Information Systems, or a related field preferred.
• Experience in warehouse/distribution operations and implementations with strong exposure to systems and analytics
• Hands-on experience with WMS platforms (D365 preferred) and warehouse technologies (WES/WCS).
• Proven ability to build KPI frameworks, dashboards, and data-driven operating processes. PowerBI experience preferred.
• Strong communication skills across technical and operational audiences
• Ability to prioritize and execute in a fast-paced environment
• Experience leading teams and developing talent
• Self-directed with the ability to solve complex, ambiguous problems

Physical Demands: 

• Standing – up to 50%
• Sitting – up to 50%
• Computer usage – 70%
• Ability to travel as needed – less than 5%
• Ability to lift up to 50lbs unassisted

We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.

Please note: This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.

Compensation Range: $150,000 – $170,000 annual salary – Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as: years of experience, skill set and location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here). 

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