William Kirkland

Forklift Operator / Warehouse Associate - SYSCO - Grand Rapids, MI

(2026-01)

Manage high-volume inbound and outbound inventory using SAP, ensuring data accuracy and timely order fulfillment — foundational to purchase order management and supplier compliance tracking.
Verify shipments, log discrepancies, and perform cycle counts to maintain inventory integrity, directly applicable to spend tracking and material forecasting.
Collaborate daily with logistics, quality, and operations teams to resolve shipment issues and adapt to volume fluctuations, demonstrating cross-functional influence in a matrixed environment.
Maintain strict safety, sanitation, and compliance standards in a federally regulated foodservice setting, paralleling the supplier compliance and audit readiness required under ITAR.
Certified in forklift operation, providing hands-on understanding of production floor and supplier capacity constraints.

Owner / Courier / Delivery Contractor - WEST DISTRIBUTORS LLC - Grand Rapids, MI

(2023)

Manage and execute delivery schedules across multiple client contracts, ensuring on-time performance and service level adherence — core skills for supplier delivery and performance management.
Perform visual inspections of products prior to delivery to ensure quality standards, reinforcing the quality control and attention to detail required for complex procurement.
Coordinate directly with clients to resolve scheduling and delivery issues, building the customer-facing communication and problem-solving abilities essential for supplier relationship management.

Batch Operator / Maintenance (Contractor) - SNACKCRAFT - Grand Rapids, MI

(2023-12)

Managed custom batch production in a gluten-free, dairy-free, high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment, directly mirroring the complexity of non-standard, non-repeat buying.
Coordinated material readiness with inventory systems (SAP), flagged raw material shortages, and supported production scheduling — hands-on material forecasting and producibility decision-making.
Collaborated with quality, maintenance, and production teams to resolve material discrepancies and maintain continuous improvement, demonstrating cross-functional problem-solving in a matrix setting.
Supported sanitation and preventive maintenance programs to ensure regulatory compliance, analogous to managing supplier compliance and audit standards.

Truck Driver - BUBBAS HEAVY HAUL - Dyersburg, TN

(2023-09 - 2023-12)

Transported goods on a contract basis, ensuring secure, on-time delivery while maintaining rigorous DOT compliance and detailed trip documentation.
Conducted pre-trip and post-trip inspections and routine vehicle maintenance, reinforcing preventive maintenance and safety discipline applicable to supplier equipment and capacity assessments.

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