Area Manager

Kannapolis Fulfillment Center | Kannapolis, NC

About REBEL

REBEL is the first and largest tech platform transforming retail’s $1 trillion returns problem into a smarter, more sustainable model. As the only Certified B Corporation returns recommerce marketplace backed by top-tier investors, we’re leading the returns revolution—partnering with over 2,500 top brands to give shoppers unbeatable deals of up to 70% off on open-box products, while keeping millions of pounds of returns out of landfills every year.

Candidates must be able to commute to the fulfillment center location in Kannapolis, NC 4 to 5 days a week.

About the Role

As Senior Operations Manager, you own the budget, people development, and operational objectives for a major function of the Kannapolis FC — Inbound or Outbound — across throughput, accuracy, safety, cost, and customer experience. You’ll report directly to the General Manager, develop a team of Operations and Area Managers, drive the Lean and process initiatives that move the business plan, and partner across the company to keep operations running as a strength rather than a constraint.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the safety, quality, performance, and customer experience of your function, sustaining 5S discipline and leading root-cause corrective action across shifts.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Operations and Area Managers — setting expectations, measuring performance, and building leadership bench strength within the FC.
• Own weekly and monthly performance across multiple shifts, driving consistent throughput from inbound receiving through condition grading, put-away, pick/pack, and outbound shipping against unit cost, processing time, and time-to-fulfill goals.
• Plan three to six months out on capacity, labor, and seasonality, including contingent labor through peak.
• Partner with Merchandising, Tech, and Customer Experience to resolve deal-batch, purchase order, Shopify order, and product database issues before they hit the floor.
• Drive quality, process change, and Lean initiatives that help the FC exceed plan; use operational data to surface trends, test solutions, and share best practices across the network.
• Work closely with HR, Finance, Facilities, Safety, and Technology to secure resources for your initiatives.
• Apply AI tools to surface bottlenecks, optimize inventory flows, and support labor and volume planning.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent operations leadership experience.
• 7+ years of direct management experience, including a salaried workforce, in a fulfillment, distribution, manufacturing, or production environment — with experience leading other people leaders.
• Track record with performance metrics, process improvement, and Lean techniques.
• Experience across the full staffing lifecycle: interviewing, hiring, performance management, promotions, and termination.
• Strong data fluency — proficient in Excel, comfortable in a WMS, able to turn data into clear recommendations.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States. Sponsorship not available.

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or Operations
• Experience in recommerce, returns processing, or any environment where product condition is variable.
• Continuous improvement credentials (Lean, Six Sigma) and experience managing a contingent workforce through peak.

Working Conditions

• Non-climate-controlled warehouse environment; temperature varies seasonally.
• Flexible schedule required — hours align with production volume; weekend availability expected.
• Regular physical activity: standing, walking, bending, and lifting up to 50 lbs throughout the shift.

Pay Transparency

This is a full-time, exempt position eligible to receive a base salary. Final salary offered will be determined based on factors including but not limited to the candidate's skills and experience.

Initial base salary range for this on-site position = $75,000 - $100,000

Equal Opportunity

REBEL is committed to employing a diverse workforce and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law. REBEL is committed to compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact careers@fromrebel.com

REBEL may, from time to time, use AI-integrated technology to help us process and evaluate applications more efficiently. This includes tools that screen and assess candidate qualifications based on the requirements for this role. While these tools assist our workflow, all final selection decisions are made by our hiring team.