Shipping Supervisor

Our Story
Powering fast, reliable fulfillment for Adorama, Scuba.com and SunnySports, the shipping warehouse is the backbone of our e-commerce business. Distributing from two warehouses, we ensure that creators, adventurers, and enthusiasts alike get the gear they need—accurately and on time.

Whether it’s camera equipment, dive gear, or outdoor essentials, our warehouse teams handle every step of the process with precision, care, and a deep commitment to the customer experience. We don’t just ship products—we help deliver moments of inspiration, exploration, and creativity.

We’re a team that takes pride in doing things right—working together to ensure every package that leaves our warehouses reflects the quality, reliability, and service our customers expect from each of our brands.

Our Leadership Principles

• Growth Mindset: We set high standards, embrace failure, and are open to change.
• Be Customer-Centered: We focus on the end-to-end customer experience.
• Take Ownership & Dig Deeper: We are proactive, use data, and avoid shortcuts.
• Think Like a Start-Up: We move fast, stay flexible, and celebrate every win.
• Be Humble & Respectful: We assume positive intent, listen actively, and support one another.

Position Summary

The Shipping Supervisor provides hands-on leadership for a fast-paced e-commerce shipping operation responsible for sorting, packing, processing, and loading customer orders and inventory transfers.

This role is accountable for ensuring orders are packed accurately, protected appropriately, and shipped on time, while maintaining strong productivity, quality, safety, security, and process compliance.

The Shipping Department operates multiple manual and automated packing processes, PTL sorting, Pick & Pack, parcel shipping, LTL, inventory transfers, and specialized ABS/TLC shipments. The department typically operates with 30–35 associates and may increase to approximately 45–50 during peak season.

This position works alongside another Shipping Supervisor. Both supervisors are expected to understand and support the full Shipping operation, with primary and secondary areas of responsibility assigned as needed.

Key Responsibilities

Daily Execution & SLA

• Develop and execute the daily Shipping labor and production plan based on staffing, order mix, live volume, and carrier deadlines.
• Continuously monitor live order flow, workload, throughput, packing queues, and remaining orders throughout the day, adjusting the plan as volume fluctuates to ensure same-day orders received by the 4:30 PM cutoff are shipped within SLA.
• Identify bottlenecks early and move labor or adjust priorities before they impact customer SLAs or carrier cutoffs.
• Ensure sufficient productivity across all packing areas and take corrective action when performance falls below expectations.
• Coordinate closely with Picking and the Flow Lead to ensure picked volume reaches the correct Shipping process and sufficient product flow is maintained across packing areas.
• Escalate operational risks early and ensure shipping exceptions are resolved or communicated before end of day.

Packing & Order Processing

• Oversee workflow, staffing, productivity, and quality across all packing processes, including Manual Pack, Cold Seal, CVP, Packsize, Pick & Pack/ships-in-own-box, PTL sorting for multi-item orders, LTL, and specialized shipments.
• Ensure associates follow established processes for scanning, packing, labeling, carton selection, product protection, and order verification.
• Monitor packing quality throughout the shift and coach associates immediately when standards are not being followed.
• Ensure the correct balance between productivity and packaging quality so orders are processed efficiently without compromising the customer experience.

Shipping, Dock & Carrier Execution

• Ensure packages receive all required outbound scans before leaving the facility and are properly staged and loaded onto the correct carrier and service, including UPS Ground, UPS Air, Amazon Shipping, U.S. Mail, and LTL.
• Monitor carrier cutoff times and dock readiness, ensuring trailers are loaded properly and released according to schedule.
• Maintain strict security and carrier handoff controls, ensuring shipments are released only to the correct authorized carrier and all required verification and handoff procedures are followed before freight leaves the facility.
• Resolve unscanned packages, error labels, routing exceptions, and other shipping discrepancies.
• Maintain an organized dock and prevent packages from being left behind, incorrectly routed, or loaded onto the wrong carrier.

Transfers & Specialized Shipments

• Oversee inventory transfers and shipments to Adorama Store and Salt Lake City, ensuring products are verified, properly packed, documented, and shipped to the correct location.
• Support ABS/TLC specialized pack-outs, which may include large, high-value, or multi-pallet orders requiring additional verification, protection, and attention to detail.
• Ensure specialized shipments receive the appropriate level of care based on product and customer requirements.

Quality & Customer Experience

The Shipping Supervisor is accountable for both productivity and quality.

• Ensure customers receive the correct products, properly packed and protected for carrier transportation.
• Maintain strong standards for scanning, labeling, carton selection, dunnage, packaging, and product handling.
• Monitor and reduce packing defects, incorrect scans, mis-shipments, damages, and routing errors.
• Review recurring defects, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Reinforce SOPs and process discipline even during high-volume periods.

People Leadership

• Provide visible, hands-on floor leadership throughout the shift.
• Assign and adjust labor based on live workload, employee skills, and business priorities.
• Monitor individual and team productivity against established expectations and provide real-time coaching.
• Hold associates accountable for productivity, quality, attendance, safety, and process compliance.
• Partner with Operations leadership and HR on employee performance when necessary.
• Cross-train employees to create flexibility across Shipping functions and ensure adequate backup coverage for critical processes.
• Develop leads and high-performing associates for increased responsibility.
• Maintain a positive, accountable, safe, and respectful work environment.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify bottlenecks, quality issues, unnecessary touches, and inefficient processes.
• Use operational data and floor observations to identify root causes and improve performance.
• Partner with Picking, Inventory, ICQC, Maintenance, IT/WMS, and other departments to resolve issues impacting Shipping.
• Support implementation of new equipment, technology, processes, and operational improvements.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum 3 years of supervisory or leadership experience in e-commerce fulfillment, distribution, warehousing, or a high-volume shipping environment.
• Experience directly leading hourly warehouse employees in a production-driven operation.
• Demonstrated experience managing daily workload, labor allocation, productivity, and shipping deadlines.
• Strong understanding of packing, shipping, scanning, order accuracy, and carrier processes.
• Experience managing employee performance using productivity and quality metrics.
• Strong floor presence with the ability to identify developing problems and make timely decisions.
• Ability to manage a live, fluctuating order environment and adjust labor and priorities throughout the day.
• Strong communication, organization, coaching, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working with warehouse systems and operational reporting.

Preferred

• E-commerce fulfillment leadership experience.
• Experience with automated packing equipment, conveyors, PTL/sortation, and RF scanning.
• Experience with UPS, Amazon Shipping, USPS, LTL, or similar carriers.
• Experience managing multiple packing processes and high-volume peak operations.

Measures of Success

• Orders shipped on time and within SLA.
• Consistent throughput throughout the day despite fluctuating order volume.
• Effective labor utilization and workload balancing.
• High packing and order accuracy with appropriate product protection.
• Proper outbound scanning and secure carrier handoff.
• Reduced shipping, scanning, routing, and packaging defects.
• Strong employee productivity, accountability, and cross-training.
• Early identification and resolution of risks before they impact customer orders or carrier cutoffs.