Warehouse Manager

What we offer you | Knivesandtools | Apeldoorn

A lot happens every day at Knivesandtools. That’s only logical with more than 19,000 SKUs and between 1,100 and up to 4,000 orders per day during peak season. As Warehouse Manager, you are the one who brings calm, structure and direction to this operation.

You lead a team of around 25 FTE, spread across Inbound, Outbound, Engraving, Returns, Pick & Pack (Aftikkers) and Cycle Counting. You work closely with hands-on, working team leaders, whom you coach, guide and help develop. And when things don’t run smoothly, you make sure they get back on track.

Your role is visible and pragmatic. What you organize better today, the team will notice tomorrow. You don’t manage from behind a desk. You are present on the warehouse floor, build the team every day, see what’s really happening and improve processes step by step — always with an eye on quality, pace and collaboration.

What this role offers you

• Full responsibility for a complete warehouse operation

• Real influence on processes: your ideas are implemented, not parked

• Hands-on leadership on the warehouse floor, close to the team and team leaders

• Working in an organization where quality, trust and collaboration are key

• Room to improve, professionalize and help build further growth

What you’ll do (without management jargon)

Run the daily operation

• Ensure daily warehouse activities run smoothly

• Create and monitor the planning, adjusting when reality requires it

• Anticipate bottlenecks and solve them before they become problems

Lead together with hands-on team leaders

• Manage and act as a sparring partner

• Coach on setting priorities, escalation and communication

• Together, create clarity and structure on the warehouse floor

Step in when needed

• Support the operation when required

• Safeguard quality, pace and safety

• Be visible, approachable and clear for the team

Make processes smarter

• Continuously look for ways to work smarter, faster or more efficiently

• Turn improvement ideas into concrete actions

• New working methods or a new packing machine? You make sure they actually work on the floor

Keep the workplace safe and organized

• Ensure a safe, tidy and well-organized working environment

• Address colleagues when needed — straightforward and respectful

• Report incidents and use them as learning opportunities

Reporting

• At the end of the day, provide a short update to the CFO or, when needed, the Management Team

• Every Monday, update the team’s key KPIs

• No reporting for the sake of reporting. Just clear and to the point

Working hours

• Day shift: 08:00 – 16:30

• Evening shift: 14:00 – 22:30

We plan ahead. But you understand: logistics is logistics.

Who you are

You:

• Take responsibility without overcomplicating things

• Keep an overview during busy periods (peak season: late November through January)

• Lead people in a clear and approachable way

• Think in solutions and improvements

• Don’t see “this is how we’ve always done it” as a stop sign, but as the starting point for an improvement plan

• Are someone who brings energy to the warehouse floor and takes the team along in change

What you bring

• MBO-level working and thinking ability (preferably in logistics / warehouse management)

• At least 3 years of experience in different logistics or warehouse environments

• Strong communication and coordination skills

• Able to give clear instructions and constructive feedback

• Stress-resistant and hands-on

• Team player with a positive attitude

• Good physical condition

• Living in or near Apeldoorn is a plus

Interested?

Send us your CV with a short motivation. No long stories needed — we’d rather get to know you in a conversation.
We’ll take care of the coffee. You take care of the overview. ☕