Night Shift Production Manager

Night Shift Production Manager

Layman Distributing | Salem, VA

Position: Full-Time | Salaried Management
Schedule: Monday–Thursday, 5:00 PM until production is complete
Compensation: $75,000 - $85,000

Join Our Leadership Team

Are you a results-driven leader who thrives in a fast-paced warehouse environment? Do you have the ability to build strong teams, develop supervisors, solve operational challenges, and consistently deliver results?

Layman Distributing, a growing, family-owned wholesale distribution company, is seeking an experienced Night Shift Production Manager to lead our overnight warehouse production operations in Salem, Virginia.

This is a key leadership position responsible for the overall performance, efficiency, accuracy, and success of our night shift. The ideal candidate is a hands-on, highly organized leader who understands how to manage people, drive productivity, establish accountability, and create a culture of continuous improvement.

You will lead a team of warehouse associates, an Assistant Night Production Manager, and floor supervisors while ensuring customer orders are accurately picked, processed, and loaded for delivery.

We are looking for more than someone who can manage a shift. We are looking for someone who can lead an operation.

What You'll Do

Leadership & Team Development

• Provide overall leadership and direction for all night shift warehouse operations, including order selection, quality control, product processing, staging, merging, and truck loading.
• Directly lead and develop the Assistant Night Production Manager, floor supervisors, team leads, and warehouse associates.
• Establish clear expectations, responsibilities, and performance standards throughout the operation.
• Coach, mentor, and develop employees while building a strong leadership team capable of independently managing their departments.
• Hold supervisors and associates accountable for productivity, attendance, safety, accuracy, and adherence to company procedures.
• Partner with the Director of Operations on staffing needs, hiring, training, employee evaluations, disciplinary actions, and organizational improvements.
• Promote a positive, productive, team-oriented work environment that encourages communication, employee retention, and professional growth.

Production Management & Operational Execution

• Take full ownership of nightly production performance, ensuring all customer orders are processed accurately and efficiently for scheduled deliveries.
• Plan, coordinate, and manage nightly staffing and workflow based on anticipated order volume, departmental demands, and delivery schedules.
• Monitor production throughout the shift, identify bottlenecks, and proactively adjust labor and resources to maintain productivity.
• Establish and enforce production benchmarks, departmental expectations, and completion timelines.
• Oversee all warehouse production departments, including grocery, candy, tobacco, cigarettes, freezer, and cooler operations.
• Maintain a strong presence on the warehouse floor, providing active leadership and resolving operational challenges in real time.
• Ensure all picking, quality control, staging, and loading processes are completed according to established company standards.
• Coordinate with delivery operations to ensure trucks are properly loaded and ready for timely dispatch.

Performance Management & Accountability

• Monitor, analyze, and continuously improve key operational performance indicators, including:
• • Cost per pick and overall labor efficiency
  • Order selection productivity and production completion times
  • Picking accuracy, shortages, and fulfillment errors
  • Truck loading accuracy and missed or misplaced product
  • Labor utilization, overtime, and staffing efficiency
  • Employee retention, attendance, and individual performance
  • Quality control compliance and operational consistency
• Utilize production reporting, warehouse management systems, and performance data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Regularly review performance with supervisors and establish corrective action plans when expectations are not met.
• Provide clear and consistent reporting to the Director of Operations regarding production results, staffing challenges, operational issues, and improvement initiatives.

Quality Control, Safety & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and maintain strong quality control procedures throughout the entire production and loading process.
• Ensure all outgoing trucks are thoroughly verified, accurately loaded, and properly secured before release.
• Drive improvements that reduce customer shortages, loading errors, product damage, and unnecessary operational costs.
• Identify recurring process failures and implement sustainable solutions rather than temporary fixes.
• Ensure employees follow company safety policies, proper material handling procedures, and equipment operating standards.
• Partner with warehouse leadership, inventory integrity, receiving, and delivery operations to resolve issues and improve overall service quality.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen productivity, accountability, and operational consistency.

Communication & Cross-Department Collaboration

• Maintain strong communication with the Director of Operations, day shift management, delivery operations, and other department leaders.
• Conduct effective pre-shift meetings to establish priorities, review expectations, and communicate operational challenges.
• Ensure supervisors and associates receive clear direction and understand nightly performance expectations.
• Provide timely updates regarding production progress, delays, staffing concerns, and incidents requiring management attention.
• Support smooth communication and operational transitions between day and night shifts.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Previous management experience in a warehouse, distribution, logistics, or production environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large teams and manage multiple departments or operational functions.
• Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to develop supervisors, establish accountability, and motivate employees.
• Experience managing productivity, labor efficiency, quality standards, and operational performance metrics.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills.
• Ability to thrive under pressure, prioritize competing demands, and make sound operational decisions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Outlook.
• Comfortable utilizing warehouse management systems, production reports, and technology to manage daily operations.
• Willingness to work alongside the team when necessary while maintaining focus on overall operational leadership.
• Availability to work Monday through Thursday evenings until nightly production is completed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing high-volume warehouse picking, order fulfillment, or distribution operations.
• Experience leading through subordinate managers, supervisors, or team leads.
• Familiarity with productivity-based compensation, labor planning, and operational KPI management.
• A demonstrated history of improving warehouse efficiency, accuracy, employee performance, and retention.
• Experience implementing process improvements and developing standardized operating procedures.

What Success Looks Like

The successful Night Shift Production Manager will create an operation where:

• Nightly production consistently meets established completion and dispatch targets.
• Supervisors understand their responsibilities and actively manage their departments.
• Employees are trained, productive, engaged, and held accountable.
• Customer orders are picked, verified, and loaded with a high degree of accuracy.
• Operational challenges are identified early and addressed proactively.
• Labor is managed effectively, with a strong focus on productivity and cost control.
• Continuous improvement becomes part of the team's daily culture.
• Communication, teamwork, and accountability are evident throughout the shift.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Performance-based growth opportunities.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and paid time off.
• An opportunity to lead a critical department within a growing, family-owned organization.
• The ability to make a meaningful impact by developing employees, improving processes, and helping shape the future of our warehouse operations.
• A collaborative leadership team committed to operational excellence and long-term success.

Ready to Lead?

If you're a motivated warehouse leader who takes ownership, develops strong teams, and is passionate about delivering results, we want to hear from you.

Apply today at laymandistributing.com/careers

Layman Distributing | Salem, Virginia

Layman Distributing is one of the Mid-Atlantic’s leading full-service wholesale distributors, proudly serving a diverse customer base that includes convenience stores, restaurants, universities, vending operations, and independent grocers. Since 1948, we've grown from a small family business into a $350 million company — all while staying true to our founding values of integrity, respect, and partnership.

At Layman, we combine the strength of a large distributor with the personalized service of a family-run operation. Our team is committed to providing customers with unmatched product variety, fast and reliable service, modern technology solutions, and competitive pricing.

We’re proud of our long-standing reputation — and even prouder of the people who make it possible. If you’re looking for a workplace where your contributions matter, your ideas are heard, and your future is supported, Layman Distributing may be the perfect place to grow your career.