What Does A Fulfillment Manager Do?

WHAT DOES A FULFILLMENT MANAGER DO?

Updated: Jun 13, 2025 - The Fulfillment Manager drives continuous improvement in warehousing, distribution, and logistics by implementing cost-saving initiatives, enhancing service quality, and establishing key performance metrics to meet supply chain fulfillment goals. This position develops and implements standardized processes to align internal functions and external suppliers while managing staffing requirements and ensuring that talent management objectives are achieved. The manager also ensures compliance with corporate, state, and federal regulations related to employment, training, safety, quality, logistics, and international trade while proactively addressing challenges and anticipating market trends.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Fulfillment Manager

1. Fulfillment Manager Accountabilities

Order Management: Ensure all orders ship out in a timely, accurate, and efficient manner.
Fulfillment Optimization: Manage and optimize fulfillment, inventory management, staffing, shipping, and receiving operations.
Inventory Management: Monitor inventory and facilitate inventory transfers.
Shipping Operations: Optimize shipping formats (mailers, tissue, etc.) for products sold.
Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to streamline and improve (i.e., quality, speed) fulfillment processes.
KPI Monitoring: Monitor, track, and manage fulfillment KPIs - shipping speeds, productivity, and fulfillment errors.
Project Management: Serve as point of contact, manage projects, and help troubleshoot issues.
Troubleshooting: Serve as point of contact, manage projects, and help troubleshoot issues.
Fulfillment Standards: Manage and train partners on kitting formats and fulfillment standards.
Inventory Transfers: Coordinate inventory transfers between warehouses.
Stock Management: Manage and monitor existing stock – track damaged/defective products, perform weekly and monthly inventory counts, etc.
Purchase Orders: Receive inventory and ensure inventory received matches purchase orders.
Supply Purchasing: Purchase shipping materials and supplies.
Hiring and Staffing: Manage hiring and staffing to support forecasted order growth.
Team Building: Build a productive, engaged, and positive workplace.
Training and Onboarding: Train new hires, develop training materials, and manage onboarding.

2. Fulfillment Manager Functions

Health and Safety: Ensuring the health, safety, cleanliness, and security of the work environment.
Warehousing: Receiving, warehousing, and distribution operations.
Policy Enforcement: Initiating, coordinating, and enforcing program, operational, and personnel policies and procedures.
Client Collaboration: Work with the inventory manager (Component/Fulfillment) for all clients.
Data Accuracy: Making sure all data is accurate and updated promptly.
Team Management: Managing all shipping employees.
Team Motivation: Motivating, organizing, and encouraging teamwork within the workforce to ensure set productivity targets are met.
Task and Budget: Keeping staff on task, making teamwork efficient, and staying within the shipping budget.
Overtime Approval: Approving overtime for employees prior.
Training and Monitoring: Training staff on receiving, shipping, and inventory control and monitoring their performance.
Procedure Training: Training staff on new shipping procedures based on client needs and monitoring their performance.
Compliance: Adhering to Federal, State, DOT, OSHA, and Company rules and regulations.
Communication: Communicating with the supervisor and shifting priorities on short notice.
Professionalism: Maintaining a professional and positive attitude throughout the shift.
Work Attire: Wearing appropriate and professional work attire.

3. Senior Fulfillment Manager Job Description

Forecasting: Develop and maintain accurate forecasts in the current forecasting system, including new SKUs and maintain the forecast with promotional or customer information.
SKU Management: Set up new SKUs and maintain the forecast with new promotional or other customer information.
Forecast Accuracy: Turn off forecasts appropriately as we exit SKUs and minimize forecast error.
Sales and Operations Planning: Create the Sales and Operation Planning plan for all assigned factories and sources monthly.
Demand Review: Have appropriate demand reviews with Marketing/others.
Supply Planning: Work with factories to develop a supply plan that satisfies customer demand, safety stock, and inventory budget.
Inventory Budgeting: Annually construct the OP plan PSI/inventory budget for assigned factories and suppliers.
Product Ordering System: Set up and maintain SKUs in the product ordering system.
Production Orders: Place production orders to factories within agreed-upon PSI capacities utilizing the ERP ordering processes.
Order Release: Release production orders to finished goods suppliers with the agreed-upon frequency and with appropriate lead time.
Supply Issue Resolution: Resolve or escalate to resolve supply issues that would interfere with customer demand.
Process Improvement: Identify value stream process improvement opportunities.
Sales Analysis: Perform sales analysis to provide commercial insights to the Product Team.
Inventory and Service Issues: Investigate and report on inventory or service-related issues.
Ramp-up/Ramp-down Planning: Work with the NPI team to establish ramp-up/ramp-down plans for transitions.
Deployment Support: Work with deployment on initial/ongoing deployment needs.

4. Fulfillment Manager Overview

Order Volume Planning: Liaise with e-commerce and DTC commercial teams to generate order volume expectations by period.
Resource Planning: Develop resource plans – equipment and staff – across the 24-hour, 7-day operation to ensure that company commitments are met.
3PL Coordination: Work closely with the forecasting and planning department to resupply 3PL DTC operations across locations on time.
KPI Development: Establish and develop KPIs to monitor performance and adherence to plan.
Omnichannel Strategy: Participate in the development of future strategies designed to increase the ability to handle the increased growth of omnichannel fulfillment.
Workflow Management: Manages daily workflow to drive optimization and meet performance, quality, and cost targets in 24-hour, multi-site operation.
Order Fulfillment: Ensure all DTC orders are packed and shipped according to business commitment – all orders received by 14:00 hours should be shipped the same day.
Picking and Packing Optimization: Develop and streamline picking and packing activities to optimize headcount and performance.
Process Evaluation: Continually evaluate operational processes and introduce change.
3PL Partnership: Work closely with 3PL partners to ensure standards are being met and that new items are shipped to locations in time for promotion launches.
Inventory Replenishment: Arrange and facilitate the replenishment of 3PL facilities.
Labor Management: Ensure labor is in line with the budget as well as train and mentor staff.
Communication and Motivation: Apply sound communication and motivational techniques and help establish programs to supervise, coach, develop, and discipline associates.
Security Management: Assist in ensuring the security of the facility, its environs, employees, and all company assets.
Reporting: Prepares reports as it relates to employee productivity and attendance, as well as inventory accuracy documents and housekeeping audits.

5. Fulfillment Manager Details and Accountabilities

Fulfillment Coordination: Monitor and coordinate the entire fulfillment process by liaising with concerned internal departments and external parties.
Point of Contact: Become the center point of contact for all questions related to Fulfillment and work closely with all internal departments.
Workflow Improvement: Develop and implement a workflow concept to further improve internal processes.
Stock Management: Stock management with all concerned stakeholders (Internal and External), inventory data, and logistics to manage (e-commerce) inbound and outbound.
Relationship Building: Build and strengthen relationships within a network of Fulfillment and Logistics partners.
Inventory and Forecasting: Monitor inventory levels and lead forecast planning efforts.
Costing and Proposals: Participate in costing/developing client proposals.
Collaboration: Collaborate with the production and logistics departments.
Product Delivery: Deliver products to the warehouse and manage an expedition.
Custom Fulfillment Proposals: Develop custom fulfillment proposals/kitting, etc.
Solution Design: Collaborate with the team to design an optimal solution.
Quality Control: Ensure quality standards are implemented.
eCommerce and Inventory Management: Manage client eCommerce sites and inventory management.
Reporting: Compile reports on the volume and nature of processed orders and submit them to clients.
Client Billing: Monthly billing to clients.

6. Fulfillment Manager Additional Details

Quality Control: Oversee that the production of goods meets the required quality standards.
Quality Standards Setting: Set the quality standards of all finished products and communicate them to the production team.
Production Monitoring: Monitor the production processes and adjust schedules.
Team Supervision: Supervise and motivate production team members.
PO Process Management: Oversee the PO process and ensure orders are processed according to the organization’s customer service standards and shipping guidelines.
Order Communication: Communicate to the rep/sales team that the order has shipped.
Inventory Management: Ensure the warehouse has a sufficient amount of products to meet customer needs and satisfaction and minimize costs.
Cross-Department Communication: Communicate with all divisions of the company to ensure that all departments have what they need.
Strategic Input: May give input to strategic decisions that affect the functionality of the production process.
Budget and Schedule Input: May give input into the developing budget and schedule.
Issue Resolution: Capable of resolving escalated issues arising from operations and requiring coordination with other departments.
Data Analysis: Analyze data and put together a production report.
Production Scheduling: Recording and scheduling all production in Fishbowl.
Performance Review: Review workers' performance and identify training needs.
Order Execution: Lead executions of key customer orders, supervise and ensure all ordered products are packaged, and the boxes are correctly labeled with customer information, then dispatch the order to the shipping department.

7. Fulfillment Manager Essential Functions

Fulfillment Operations: Monitor and develop fulfillment operations in a brand new CFC - from receiving goods from suppliers to handing over finished picked orders to the last-mile delivery team.
Warehouse and Equipment Management: Supervise completion of the warehouse building and equipment installations, develop a robust ramp-up plan, and ensure successful testing and commencing of operations.
Team Leadership: Build, lead, and develop a large fulfillment team spanning multiple departments and ensure a strong working culture.
Talent Development: Support, grow, and develop talented and passionate team members, both in the short and long term, especially department managers, and develop a diverse and inclusive environment for people to thrive in.
Strategic Operations Management: Contribute to the Operations management team at the strategic level - continuously push the organisation to develop, learn, and improve performance.
Demand Planning: Oversee accurate and timely demand planning to enable successful fulfillment according to short and long-term forecasts.
Performance Management: Ensure performance against Health, safety, and environment, compliance, employee engagement, quality, efficiency, and capacity metrics and KPIs.
Budget Management: Secure budget attainment and support department managers in achieving cost targets.
Continuous Improvement: Plan and implement actions to facilitate continuous improvements in the fulfillment operation, constantly develop and optimize processes and ways of working.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Have close contact with support functions that facilitate improvements in both processes and the Warehouse Management System.

8. Fulfillment Manager Role Purpose

Material Planning: Support production and material planning, scheduling, and transportation of materials, as well as inbound and line delivery.
Inventory Management: Manage inventory levels to avoid excessive inventory, inventory shortages, and inventory inaccuracies within defined guidelines.
Data Accuracy: Ensure accurate data on both accrual and potential supply problems and delivery issues and provide timely communication and analysis to internal stakeholders.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work cross-functionally with various internal departments to develop executable production plans to meet the needs and goals of the organization.
Continuous Improvement: Identify continuous improvement opportunities by determining root causes and developing a corrective action plan while focusing on safety, quality, and waste elimination.
Process Auditing: Review workforce layouts, fulfillment methods, and handling efficiencies by auditing processes to improve material flow, reduce errors, and improve overall cost.
Capital Planning: Recommend short-term and long-term resource requirements, capital equipment, and facilities expenditures.
Team Delegation: Delegate duties within the fulfillment team effectively to ensure on-time and accurate material requirements are met for all areas of responsibility.
Order Flow Monitoring: Monitor the flow of allocated orders through all warehouse processes, taking appropriate actions on exception issues.
Service Improvement: Partner and implement continuous improvement initiatives that reduce the cost of operations and improve service level, capacity, productivity, and quality.
Order Fulfillment Optimization: Identify and collaborate on initiatives to improve order fulfillment processes from a cost and service standpoint.
Software Management: Manage ShipStation and Shopify, order processing software.
Inventory Reporting: Review sales reports to estimate stock requirements and report to the Director of Operations at appropriate intervals to ensure inventory is stocked and reordered by DOO.
Team Support: Report to team on items needed, assist in taking out the trash, tidy up stock room and packing areas, and give all products and tools a home.

9. Fulfillment Manager General Responsibilities

Team Collaboration: Fostering a collaborative environment while managing the production facility, fulfillment team, company assets, and equipment.
Staff Management: Recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing fulfillment staff with the Director of Operations' oversight.
Scheduling and Coordination: Preparing fulfillment team schedules and operational schedules and coordinating manufacturing activities.
Meeting Leadership: Leading fulfillment team meetings with the Director of Operations and participating in company business meetings when necessary.
Policy and Procedure Implementation: Training and implementing company policies and procedures as directed by management regarding operating methods, safety, and culture.
Communication: Providing direct communication regarding the facility and logistics activities between projects and appropriate departments.
Workload Estimation: Advising on and collaborating with account managers to determine the amount of work that will need to be done, estimating person-hours needed, and ensuring work is completed within the allotted time.
Compliance and Goal Alignment: Safely meeting objective and compliance requirements while aligning with creative, financial, and scheduled targets for everyday tasks and special projects.
Order Packaging: Packaging orders and tracking shipping and weight charges.
Facility Maintenance: Ensuring proper facility cleanliness and organization is maintained at all times.
Asset Management: Developing and maintaining efficient methods of asset storage, movement, and handling often for multiple concurrent projects during all phases of production and operations.
Improvement Solutions: Solutions for facility and equipment maintenance, organization, and improvements.
Order Fulfillment: Managing the full spectrum of order fulfillment, including inventory management, quality control, customer satisfaction, cost savings, and optimizing efficiency and speed.
Inventory Control Knowledge: Acquiring and maintaining knowledge of inventory control processes, shipping and receiving records, and order processes.
Inventory Auditing: Auditing inventory records, compiling evaluation reports, and investigating any discrepancies or shortages.

10. Fulfillment Manager Key Accountabilities

Continuous Improvement: Drive continuous improvement activities (cost-saving and service quality) in the areas of warehousing, distribution, or logistics through various processes and establish key performance metrics and benchmarks relating to supply chain order fulfillment to measure actual performance against goals.
Performance Management: Create and implement plans to ensure all performance measures and objectives are met. Monitor and measure supplier performance and ensure all business requirements are met.
Customer Alignment: Promote alignment by understanding and communicating customer needs and requirements throughout the organization.
Budget Administration: Assist in the development and administration of the operating budget for all assigned areas.
Process Standardization: Create and implement integrated and standardized processes among internal functions and with outside suppliers/vendors.
Staffing Management: Manage staffing requirements for the team.
Resource Planning: Analyze the resource requirements and establish a plan to meet staffing requirements.
Talent Management: Ensure that all talent management objectives are being met through development planning and setting individual and group performance objectives.
Coaching and Development: Coach other employees who supervise and/or are non-exempt employees.
Regulatory Compliance: Implement programs to ensure compliance with all function, corporate, state, and federal regulations as they relate to employment, training, health and safety, quality, pharmacy, warehousing, distribution, transportation, and international trade and export compliance.
Proactive Problem Solving: Proactively address challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and anticipate emerging and future customer, marketplace, and competitive trends.

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