An Operations Manager at Sysco is at the very heart of the world's global leader in foodservice distribution. In this role, you are responsible for orchestrating the seamless movement of thousands of food and beverage products from suppliers to commercial kitchens, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. At Sysco, operations is not just a back-office function; it is the core engine of the business that directly impacts customer satisfaction, food safety, and overall profitability.

Your primary objective is to lead warehouse and distribution teams to execute daily inbound and outbound logistics with precision. You will manage large-scale facility environments, ensuring that inventory is received, stored, selected, and loaded safely and efficiently. Because Sysco operates on tight delivery windows and handles temperature-sensitive products, your ability to oversee cold chain integrity, enforce strict safety standards, and optimize labor allocation is critical to the company's daily success.

This role requires a unique balance of tactical execution and strategic leadership. You are not just managing processes; you are leading people. You will motivate diverse teams of warehouse selectors, loaders, and supervisors, fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. By driving operational efficiency and reducing waste, you directly contribute to Sysco's ability to deliver exceptional service at scale.

To succeed in the Sysco hiring process, you must be prepared to discuss both your technical logistics expertise and your leadership style. Interviewers will use behavioral and situational questions to assess how you handle the fast-paced, high-pressure environment of a distribution center.

The following questions represent common patterns identified from historical candidate interviews for this position.

Behavioral & Past Experience

These questions evaluate your career progression, your leadership philosophy, and how you handle challenging operational scenarios.

• Walk me through your past work experience in warehouse operations and explain how it prepares you for a high-volume facility like Sysco.

Preparing for an Operations Manager interview at Sysco requires a strategic approach that demonstrates your readiness to step into a high-stakes, fast-moving distribution environment. You must prove that you can manage complex logistics while keeping team safety and morale high.

Focus your preparation on the following key evaluation criteria:

Operational Excellence & Logistics Acumen – You must demonstrate a deep understanding of distribution center dynamics, including inbound receiving, inventory control, order selection, loading, and shipping. Be prepared to discuss how you analyze warehouse metrics to drive efficiency, manage labor costs, and optimize throughput.

Safety Leadership & Compliance – Safety is a non-negotiable priority at Sysco. You must show that you proactively enforce OSHA regulations, food safety standards (including cold chain maintenance), and facility security protocols. Interviewers will look for candidates who lead by example and cultivate a zero-accident mindset among their teams.

People Management & Mobilization – Managing a warehouse shift requires strong leadership and clear communication. You need to show how you coach supervisors, motivate frontline employees, manage performance issues, and build a collaborative, respectful work environment.

Cross-Functional Collaboration – An Operations Manager does not work in a vacuum. You must demonstrate how you partner effectively with adjacent departments—such as transportation, procurement, and sales—to solve supply chain bottlenecks and deliver exceptional service to Sysco customers.

The interview process for the Operations Manager position at Sysco is designed to evaluate your operational expertise, your leadership capabilities, and your cultural alignment with the company’s core values. The process typically combines remote assessments with in-person evaluations to give both you and the hiring team a comprehensive understanding of the fit.

While the exact flow can vary slightly by location and division, candidates generally experience the following progression:

• Phase 1: Preliminary Phone Screen: A brief conversation with a human resources representative to review your background, salary expectations, and basic qualifications for the role.
• Phase 2: Department Panel Interview (Zoom/Video): A more technical and behavioral discussion with key department heads, which may include a Transportation Supervisor, a Procurement Supervisor, or an Operations Director. This round focuses heavily on your cross-functional collaboration skills and situational problem-solving.
• Phase 3: In-Person Interview & Facility Tour: A comprehensive meeting at the local distribution center with the hiring manager (often the Director of Operations or General Manager) and sometimes an assistant manager. This round typically includes a walk-through of the warehouse floor, allowing you to observe the environment firsthand and discuss real-time operational challenges.

This visual timeline illustrates the typical progression from your initial contact with HR through to the final on-site evaluation. Use this structure to pace your preparation, focusing first on high-level behavioral storytelling for the initial rounds, and saving deep technical discussions and site-specific observations for the final in-person stage.

To stand out during your interviews, you must demonstrate mastery in several core competency areas that are critical to the daily success of Sysco's operations.

Warehouse & Distribution Logistics

This area evaluates your technical ability to manage a complex, multi-temperature distribution center. You must show that you understand how to maximize space utilization, streamline labor workflows, and maintain product integrity.

Be ready to go over:

• Cold Chain Integrity – Managing temperature zones (frozen, refrigerated, dry) and ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.
• Throughput Optimization – Strategies for improving order selection accuracy, reducing cycle times, and optimizing dock door management.
• Inventory Control – Best practices for cycle counting, shrink reduction, and managing product expiration dates.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Warehouse automation integration, slotting optimization algorithms, and cross-docking logistics.

Example scenarios:

• "Describe how you would handle a sudden refrigeration failure in a primary cold-storage zone."
• "How do you determine when it is necessary to re-slot high-velocity items in the warehouse?"

Team Leadership & Performance Management

At Sysco, your success as a manager is defined by the performance and safety of your team. Interviewers will closely examine how you lead, coach, and hold your frontline workforce accountable.

Be ready to go over:

• Labor Planning & Scheduling – Aligning staffing levels with fluctuating inbound and outbound volumes to control overtime costs.
• Coaching & Development – Identifying high-potential employees and training supervisors to lead their respective areas effectively.
• Performance Metrics – Setting clear, achievable goals for selectors and loaders, and managing underperformance constructively.

Example scenarios:

• "How do you address a high-performing selector whose productivity is excellent but who frequently violates minor safety protocols?"
• "Describe a time when you successfully reduced turnover on a demanding night shift."

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication

Operations is highly interdependent with other departments. You must prove that you can communicate effectively and solve problems collaboratively with partners outside of the warehouse walls.

Be ready to go over:

• Transportation Alignment – Coordinating with dispatch and transportation teams to ensure trailers are loaded accurately and dispatched on schedule.
• Procurement Coordination – Managing inbound delivery schedules and addressing product discrepancies or quality issues with buying teams.
• Customer Service Integration – Working with sales and customer service to resolve delivery issues, special requests, or product returns.

Example scenarios:

• "How do you resolve a conflict with a Transportation Supervisor when outbound loading delays are threatening delivery schedules?"
• "Describe how you communicate an unexpected inventory shortage to the procurement and sales teams."

As an Operations Manager at Sysco, you are responsible for the day-to-day execution of warehouse activities while keeping an eye on long-term performance trends. Your daily routine is fast-paced, highly collaborative, and centered around operational safety and efficiency.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Overseeing Daily Warehouse Shifts: Managing the execution of inbound receiving, replenishment, order selection, and outbound loading across multiple shifts and temperature zones.
• Enforcing Safety Compliance: Ensuring all operations comply with OSHA, FDA, local health department, and Sysco corporate safety standards. You will lead safety meetings, conduct audits, and address any hazards immediately.
• Managing Operational Budgets & KPIs: Monitoring and controlling labor costs, equipment maintenance expenses, and operational supplies. You will track and report on key performance indicators (such as cases per hour and order accuracy) to drive continuous improvement.
• Coaching and Developing Staff: Leading a team of warehouse supervisors and frontline associates. You will be responsible for hiring, training, performance evaluations, and fostering a positive, inclusive workplace culture.
• Collaborating with Key Stakeholders: Partnering closely with Transportation Supervisors, Procurement Supervisors, and inventory control specialists to streamline the end-to-end supply chain process and resolve delivery bottlenecks.