Operations Excellence Business Partner

Why RealCold?
Established in 2022, RealCold was founded to address the unmet needs of the food cold chain sector. By combining high-growth strategic locations, state-of-the-art facilities, and exhaustive offerings that include
traditional storage programs and diverse value-added services (including DTC), the company has positioned itself as a collaborative and integrated provider for food retailers, producers, and distributors. This mission is reinforced through its highly bespoke solutioning and customer-centric approach. The RealCold platform
operates a national, omni-channel network, inclusive of traditional storage offerings, as well as comprehensive direct-to-consumer programs, which can reach the majority of U.S. consumers within 1 - or 2-day ground service.

Role Overview:
The Operations Excellence Business Partner serves as a critical support leader within the organization, functioning as the bridge between customer onboarding, operations execution, and continuous improvement initiatives. This role is instrumental in ensuring successful customer launches and maintaining operational consistency across the network. The Tactical Operations, Sr. Specialist position directly impacts customer experience, operational performance, and the scalability of the business. This role is responsible for leading new customer onboarding efforts, managing cross-functional operational projects, and supporting site leadership teams to drive consistency and operational excellence across a third-party cold storage network. The ideal candidate combines strong project management discipline with hands-on operational knowledge in warehousing, logistics, and cold chain environments.

Essential Functions and Key Responsibilities:
Customer Onboarding & Implementation (Primary Focus)
• Lead end-to-end onboarding of new customers across multiple cold storage facilities
• Coordinate cross-functional activities (Operations, IT, EDI, Transportation, Finance) to ensure successful go-live
• Develop and maintain onboarding project plans, timelines, and deliverables
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal stakeholders during onboarding
• Drive readiness activities including SOP development, system configuration alignment, and operational validation
• Ensure seamless transition from onboarding to steady-state operations
Operations Project Leadership (Primary Focus)
• Lead company-wide operations initiatives (process improvements, system implementations, network standardization)
• Manage project scope, timelines, risks, and stakeholder communication
• Partner with IT, CI, and Operations to implement scalable solutions
• Track and report project progress to leadership
• Identify opportunities for automation, efficiency gains, and cost reduction

Operational Excellence, Process Improvements, & Site Support (Secondary Focus)
• Support site leaders in driving key operational metrics (throughput, accuracy, labor efficiency, safety)
• Identify performance gaps and assist in developing corrective action plans
• Provide on-site support during peak periods, launches, or operational challenges
• Promote standard operating procedures and best practices across locations
• Act as a resource for troubleshooting complex operational issues

Requirements of the Position:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of experience in warehouse operations, logistics, or 3PL environments (cold storage preferred)
• Proven experience leading projects, customer implementations, or operational transformations
• Experience in temperature-controlled / cold chain operations
• Experience with multi-site operations or network-level projects

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong understanding of warehouse systems (WMS), and supply chain processes
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to operate effectively in both strategic and hands-on environments
• Exposure to systems such as Blue Yonder, NetSuite, Extensiv, or similar platforms
• Project Management & Execution
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Continuous Improvement Mindset
• Problem Solving & Analytical Thinking
• Operational Agility
• Customer-Focused Delivery

Work Requirements:
• Must be able to pass a background check.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• 30–50% travel across company sites (including new site launches, customer onboarding, and operational support)
• Flexibility to travel as needed based on business priorities
• Dress code is relaxed with a few rules to follow for safety; comfortable, closed-toe shoes are required.

Physical Work Environment:
Works in a cold storage facility with exposure to low to below zero temperatures. This job may involve occasional exposure to some disagreeable elements such as dust, noise, etc. Accidents are improbable other than minor injuries. Environment may be fast paced at times. You will be working around moving machines – order pickers and forklifts.