Wayfair Inc. removed any doubt this week that it intends to open a distribution center in Jacksonville by posting a job opening for an associate director of operations for the project.
“Wayfair is looking for a talented, self-motivated Associate Director with demonstrated capabilities to streamline and optimize day-to-day operations for the Jacksonville Warehousing team,” says the job posting.
The “functions/major responsibilities” start with “Management of our Jacksonville, FL distribution center to achievement of goals for operational metrics, including shipping time, order fill rate, inventory location, and count accuracy.”
Boston-based Wayfair, an online home furnishings retailer, has been posting job openings for what appeared to be the Jacksonville launch of what it calls a Large Parcel Home Delivery Operation.
City Council is reviewing legislation for incentives to Project Empire, a code-named project that matches the description of Wayfair.
Project Empire is described in a legislative summary as a national distributor of an assortment of household goods.
Empire is described as a 1 million-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility on 80 acres in AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center in West Jacksonville.
The $72 million project would create 250 full-time jobs by year-end 2021 at an average wage of $33,000, plus benefits, to serve customers in the Southeast U.S.
It seeks a grant up to $3.3 million over 10 years based on the property taxes it generates.
AllianceFlorida developer Hillwood is working toward development of two 1.5 million-square-foot warehouses, indicating a second large prospect is looking at Jacksonville as well.