Warehouse Lead Hand – Shipping, Receiving & Inventory

About the Role

We are a growing fresh produce importer and distributor servicing retail and food-service customers across Canada, including major national grocery chains.

We are looking for an experienced and dependable Warehouse Lead Hand – Shipping, Receiving & Inventory to join our warehouse team.

This is a hands-on warehouse position with additional responsibility for receiving, inventory accuracy, product quality and warehouse organization.

The successful candidate will perform normal warehouse duties—including picking orders, moving product, loading and unloading trucks and preparing shipments—but will also take greater ownership of the day-to-day flow and organization of the warehouse.

This person will help ensure that incoming product is received correctly, inventory is accurate, coolers are properly organized, product is rotated appropriately, outgoing orders are checked, and issues are identified and communicated before they become problems.

This is an excellent role for an experienced warehouse employee, receiver or lead hand who is ready for more responsibility but still enjoys working directly on the warehouse floor.

The position reports to the Warehouse Supervisor and will work closely with warehouse employees, Quality Assurance, Sales and Operations.

Key Responsibilities

Receiving

- Receive inbound trucks, containers and local deliveries.
- Count and verify incoming product against purchase orders, packing lists and receiving documents.
- Confirm product descriptions, quantities, lot information and condition upon arrival.
- Assist with unloading and direct product to the appropriate cooler, storage or inspection area.
- Complete receiving documentation accurately and ensure inventory is entered or communicated for entry into the ERP/inventory system.
- Identify shortages, overages, damaged product, incorrect product or other receiving discrepancies.
- Immediately communicate significant receiving issues to the appropriate manager.
- Help plan warehouse and cooler space in advance for incoming containers and deliveries.

Product Quality

Because we handle fresh produce, the Lead Hand must have a strong eye for product condition and quality.

Responsibilities include:

- Perform initial visual inspections of incoming fresh produce.
- Identify obvious quality issues such as decay, mold, dehydration, bruising, temperature damage, leakage, poor condition or packaging damage.
- Identify labeling issues and other discrepancies against shipping documents.
- Separate questionable product and refer significant quality concerns to Quality Assurance or management.
- Ensure damaged or rejected product is clearly identified and segregated.
- Monitor product condition while working in the coolers and report deterioration or potential problems.
- Assist Quality Assurance with locating, moving, sampling or holding inventory when required.
- Ensure product placed back into inventory following returns or inspections is properly identified and stored.





The Lead Hand is not expected to replace the QA department, but should act as an important first set of eyes on the warehouse floor.

Inventory Control

- Perform regular cycle counts and physical inventory counts.
- Investigate differences between physical inventory and system inventory.
- Verify quantities, lot codes and warehouse locations.
- Report unexplained shortages, overages or inventory movements.
- Ensure inventory movements are properly recorded or communicated.
- Assist with customer returns and ensure returned inventory is correctly identified, coded and placed back into the appropriate location.
- Help locate missing inventory and investigate inventory discrepancies.
- Support periodic full warehouse inventory counts.

Cooler and Warehouse Organization

A major responsibility of this position will be maintaining an organized and efficient warehouse.

The Lead Hand will:

- Maintain logical and organized product locations within the coolers.
- Ensure pallets are placed in appropriate designated locations.
- Keep similar products, varieties, sizes and lots properly separated.
- Maintain clear aisles, staging areas and loading areas.
- Monitor available cooler space and help plan locations for incoming shipments.
- Ensure older inventory is easily identifiable and appropriately rotated.
- Help ensure FIFO and lot-control procedures are followed where applicable.
- Identify slow-moving, aging, damaged or misplaced inventory.
- Recommend product relocations where they would improve warehouse space utilization or accessibility.
- Help prevent unnecessary double handling of pallets.
- Maintain general warehouse cleanliness and organization.

Floor Leadership and Coordination

This position will report to and will assist the Warehouse Supervisor and be expected to take ownership and provide direction when needed.

Responsibilities may include:

- Help organize the day's warehouse priorities.
- Provide practical direction to warehouse employees regarding picking, receiving, put-away and product movement.
- Coordinate employees during container unloading and truck loading.
- Help ensure urgent orders and priority shipments are completed on time.
- Communicate workload, staffing or operational concerns to the Warehouse Supervisor.
- Help new employees understand warehouse procedures and proper product locations.
- Reinforce safe working practices and proper handling procedures.
- Identify recurring operational problems and suggest practical improvements.
- Act as a reliable point person on the warehouse floor when the Supervisor is occupied or unavailable.





The Lead Hand should be comfortable taking initiative without overstepping management authority.

As needed Shipping and Order Picking

- Pick and prepare customer orders accurately and efficiently.
- Verify product, quantities, lot codes and other order requirements before shipment.
- Stage completed orders in the appropriate shipping or cooler areas.
- Load trucks and assist with the movement of pallets and product throughout the warehouse.
- Check outgoing shipments against sales orders, pick sheets and shipping documentation.
- Help ensure orders are completed and ready for scheduled pickup or delivery times.
- Identify shortages, substitutions, damaged product or other shipment issues and escalate them promptly.
- Assist other warehouse employees with picking, loading and general warehouse duties during busy periods.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate is someone who has already worked in a busy warehouse and understands that good warehouse operations require much more than simply moving pallets.

We are looking for someone who:

- Has at least 2–3 years of warehouse, shipping, receiving or inventory experience.
- Has experience receiving and verifying incoming shipments.
- Is comfortable picking and shipping customer orders.
- Has strong counting and inventory-control skills.
- Pays close attention to product condition and shipment accuracy.
- Is highly organized and takes pride in keeping a warehouse properly arranged.
- Can identify a problem and take action rather than simply walking past it.
- Is comfortable giving practical direction to other warehouse employees.
- Can work independently with limited supervision.
- Can prioritize multiple urgent tasks in a fast-paced setting.
- Communicates clearly with supervisors, warehouse employees and office staff.
- Is reliable, punctual and accountable.
- Is comfortable using basic computer systems or ERP systems.
- Has experience in fresh produce, food distribution, refrigerated warehousing or grocery distribution; this would be a strong asset.

Equipment Experience

Experience operating warehouse equipment is strongly preferred, including:

- Electric walkie/pallet jack
- Reach truck or other material-handling equipment
- Counterbalance forklift

Appropriate certification or demonstrated safe operating experience is an asset.

Physical Requirements

This is an active warehouse-floor position.

The employee must be comfortable:

- Standing and walking for extended periods.
- Working regularly inside refrigerated coolers.
- Bending, reaching, lifting and moving product.
- Operating material-handling equipment.
- Working around trucks, loading docks and warehouse equipment.
- Handling the normal physical requirements associated with produce warehouse operations.

Compensation: $22.00–$28.00 per hour, depending on experience.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure: Artificial intelligence may be used to assist in screening, assessing or selecting applicants for this position.

Pay: $22.00-$28.00 per hour

Benefits:

- On-site parking

Work Location: In person

📌 Warehouse Lead Hand (Canada)
🏢 Monco Produce
📍 Canada