E-commerce Operations Manager — DTC Brand (Full-Time, Remote)

ABOUT US

We're a fast-growing DTC brand doing $200K+ per month selling physical products through Shopify.

We run a lean operation with a US 3PL, a China fulfillment center, and direct manufacturer relationships. The business moves fast — and breaks often. We fix problems quickly and move on.


WHAT THIS ROLE ACTUALLY IS

You are responsible for keeping product flowing correctly through the business.

If inventory is wrong, shipments fail, or suppliers make mistakes — you step in, solve it, and prevent it from happening again.

This role can be high-pressure. Mistakes in inventory or shipments directly impact revenue. You need to be comfortable making decisions quickly with imperfect information.

This is not task management. This is ownership of operations. Your job is not just to fix problems — it's to make sure the same problem doesn't happen twice.


WHO THIS IS FOR

- Has worked in real e-commerce operations — not just tracked tasks
- Has dealt with suppliers, shipments, and inventory issues firsthand
- Solves problems without waiting for instructions
- Can push back on vendors and partners when something is wrong
- Is comfortable making decisions under pressure and owning the outcome

WHO THIS IS NOT FOR

- Needs step-by-step instructions for every task
- Has only done basic admin or support work
- Avoids conflict or difficult conversations
- Escalates every issue instead of solving it


WHAT YOU'LL OWN

1. FULFILLMENT & 3PL OPERATIONS

You are the primary point of contact with our US and China fulfillment partners. You resolve shipment issues — missing inventory, mislabeled cartons, stuck orders. You monitor split fulfillment across two warehouses. When a single order ships from both locations, you ensure both halves go out correctly. The systems don't always talk to each other cleanly. Tracking conflicts, deleted SKUs, and duplicate shipments happen regularly and need hands-on resolution. You do daily order auditing across Shopify and the warehouse management system to catch anything unfulfilled or stuck. You also monitor the prepaid balance at the China warehouse — if it runs dry, fulfillment stops immediately.

2. SUPPLIER & FACTORY MANAGEMENT

You communicate daily with our manufacturer in China (English, via WhatsApp/email). You confirm production timelines, review packing lists, and catch errors before shipment leaves the factory. You coordinate QC inspections when production orders near completion — you schedule the inspection and don't authorize shipment until it passes. You push back and negotiate credits when units are shorted, mislabeled, or defective. You manage partial and emergency shipments when inventory is urgently low.

3. INVENTORY & REPLENISHMENT

You track SKU-level inventory across both warehouse locations. You monitor sell-through velocity and flag stockout risk before it becomes a crisis. You coordinate reorders with the manufacturer, including pricing negotiation and ETA confirmation. You maintain Shopify inventory configuration across zones so international customers can still purchase when US stock runs out. You reorder product inserts and packaging supplies for the China warehouse.

4. FREIGHT & LOGISTICS

You coordinate inbound shipments from China to US (air and sea). You work with freight forwarders and supplier agents on routing, documentation, and customs. You track shipments in transit and manage delays. You file claims for lost or damaged cartons. You confirm receipt at the 3PL and reconcile what arrived against what was shipped.

5. CUSTOMER SUPPORT OVERSIGHT

You manage and coach VAs handling the support inbox. You spot-check response quality and step in on anything off-brand or mishandled. You handle escalations the VA or AI support tool can't resolve (refund edge cases, missing shipments, sizing issues). You maintain and improve SOPs and response templates. You coordinate customer outreach when backorder or out-of-stock situations require proactive communication.

6. SYSTEMS & PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

You identify recurring operational issues and eliminate root causes. You build simple systems to reduce manual work and errors. You ensure key workflows (fulfillment, inventory, supplier coordination) are documented and repeatable. You hold partners and systems accountable to consistent standards. You audit 3PL invoices and catch billing discrepancies.


WHAT YOU WILL NOT BE DOING

Creative strategy, ad production, or media buying. Making ad spend decisions. Brand or marketing work. You may surface data that informs these areas, but execution stays with the founder and creative team.


REQUIREMENTS

- 3+ years in e-commerce operations (DTC / Shopify strongly preferred)
- Experience coordinating with manufacturers or suppliers (China experience a strong plus)
- Experience working with a 3PL or warehouse (receiving, inventory, fulfillment)
- Strong English communication — you'll be representing the brand to partners
- Comfortable with Shopify admin, spreadsheets, and Slack
- High attention to detail — you will catch costly mistakes that nobody else is looking for

NICE TO HAVE

- Experience with warehouse management systems
- Freight forwarding knowledge (air/sea from China to US)
- Experience managing VAs or small support teams
- Mandarin Chinese (not required)


WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Month 1 — You've taken over 3PL communication and daily order auditing. Fulfillment issues are being resolved without the founder involved.

Month 3 — You fully manage supplier coordination. You're reviewing packing lists before shipments leave China, catching errors proactively, and handling inventory planning. The founder hasn't touched an ops fire in weeks.

Month 6 — Operations run predictably. Inventory is under control. Processes are documented. Supplier accountability is tight. The founder focuses entirely on growth, creative, and strategy.


GROWTH

You'll be the #2 operator in a brand that's scaling fast. Direct exposure to founder-level decisions. As the product line expands, this role grows into Head of Operations.


HOW TO APPLY

Send:

1. Your resume or LinkedIn
2. A short answer (3–5 sentences): What is the most complex operations problem you've solved? What did you actually do?
3. Your expected monthly salary (USD)
4. REQUIRED — Answer this scenario: A shipment of 32 cartons arrives at your US warehouse from China. Only 31 show up. The warehouse also reports that several cartons are mislabeled — wrong sizes printed on the outside. The supplier insists everything was packed correctly. What steps do you take?

Do not send a generic application. We are looking for people who can think and solve real problems. Applications without #4 will not be reviewed.