Operations Manager

Location: Central London

Working Pattern: 4 days in the office (Hybrid)

Job Purpose

The Operations Manager is responsible for the companies UK operations run more efficiently, reliably and cost-effectively. The role sits at the centre of our artist merchandise and e-commerce business, covering everything from buying stock and managing suppliers to fulfilment, delivery and customer service, and works across the brands to support the companies studios and our media businesses where needed.

We are looking for someone with 3–5 years of operations experience, which must include hands-on experience of running e-commerce operations and of procurement. The postholder will find where processes, suppliers and systems are falling short, put improvements in place and measure the results. Alongside the UK focus, they will work with the CFO from time to time to assess and support our operations in the US and EU, so they will need to understand how operations differ across markets.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

UK Operations Improvement responsibilities:

• Review how UK operations currently work from order to delivery, identify bottlenecks, unnecessary cost and risk, and lead improvement projects to address them
• Set up and report on key performance indicators, such as order accuracy, dispatch times, delivery performance, stock availability, returns rates and cost per order
• Document clear, standard ways of working for core processes so they can be followed consistently and improved over time
• Make the case for, choose and help roll out new systems and tools, working with finance, e-commerce and tech colleagues

E-commerce Operations responsibilities:

• Manage the day-to-day operational side of our artist e-commerce stores (built on platforms such as Shopify), making sure products, stock levels and order flows are accurate
• Plan operations for product launches, pre-orders, album releases and tour merchandise drops so that spikes in demand are met without delays or overselling
• Work with the fulfilment partner and carriers to manage stock, dispatch, delivery and returns, holding them to agreed service levels
• Work with customer service to understand why customers get in touch, and fix the root causes of common problems

Procurement & Supplier Management responsibilities:

• Run procurement for merchandise and operational spend, including sourcing suppliers, requesting quotes, negotiating prices and terms, and placing and tracking purchase orders
• Build and manage a reliable supplier base for blanks, printing, manufacturing, packaging and logistics, reviewing quality, lead times, cost and ethical standards
• Set up and maintain supplier contracts and service agreements with input from finance and legal advisers, and track savings and supplier performance
• Forecast demand with the merchandise and finance teams to plan purchasing, keep stock at the right level and reduce leftover stock
• Manage the import process for goods brought into the UK, working with freight forwarders and customs brokers on customs declarations, duty and documentation
• Make sure the supply chain meets UK requirements such as the Modern Slavery Act 2015, product safety rules and packaging Extended Producer Responsibility reporting

International Operations (US & EU) responsibilities:

• Work with the CFO from time to time to review how our operations in the US and EU are run, comparing cost, service levels and processes against the UK
• Support decisions on fulfilment, warehousing and carriers in those markets, such as whether to fulfil locally or ship from the UK
• Help address cross-border issues, including customs, duties and import taxes on goods sent to the US and EU, and local requirements for selling online in those markets
• Share good practice and standard processes across markets where it makes sense, and travel to the US or EU occasionally when needed

Budget, Reporting & Cross-Team Support responsibilities:

• Manage the operations budget, monitor spend against it, and provide cost information to the finance team for forecasts and month-end
• Produce regular operations reports for the Senior Leadership Team, highlighting performance, risks and planned improvements
• Support operational needs across the business, such as logistics for events and suppliers for the Studios productions

Knowledge, Skills, Training & Experience

Essential:

• 3–5 years of experience in an operations role, ideally in retail, consumer products, fashion / apparel or a fast-growing business
• Proven, hands-on experience of running e-commerce operations, including managing an online store, stock and fulfilment (Shopify experience is a strong advantage)
• Proven experience in procurement, including sourcing suppliers, negotiating prices and terms, managing purchase orders and supplier performance
• Experience of working with third-party fulfilment centres, warehouses, carriers and freight forwarders
• A track record of improving processes and measuring the results
• Working knowledge of UK importing and customs procedures since Brexit, and of UK consumer law that applies to online sales
• Strong Excel or Google Sheets skills, and confidence using data to forecast, track performance and support decisions
• Experience managing a budget

Desirable:

• Experience in fashion or apparel industries
• Experience supporting operations in the US or EU, including cross-border shipping, customs and local fulfilment
• A procurement or supply chain qualification, such as CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) Level 4 or above, or a Lean or Six Sigma certification
• Experience with inventory, order management or ERP systems, and with integrations to e-commerce platforms
• Experience working with AI programs to drive process improvement

Personal qualities:

• Using own initiative and demonstrating commitment to the overall vision of the company
• Organised and practical, able to manage several projects and day-to-day issues at once
• A confident negotiator who builds strong, fair relationships with suppliers and partners
• Analytical, finding the root cause of problems rather than just fixing the symptoms
• Good communication skills, able to explain changes clearly and bring colleagues across different teams with them
• Comfortable working with senior leaders, including the CFO, and with colleagues in other countries