Director of Inventory & Logistics/ Operations Manager

Director of Inventory & LogisticsLocation: Remote within the United States, subject to state law compliance.Reports To: FounderCompensation: On Target Earnings: $70,000- 120,000/ year (salary + incentives)FLSA Status: W2 Employee, Exempt (Administrative)Role SummaryThe Director of Inventory & Logistics is responsible for directing and optimizing the end-to-end supply chain, from global procurement and inbound logistics to multi-channel customer fulfillment (FBA, FBT, and FBM) for the Client and Affiliated Entities. This role requires the customary and regular exercise of discretion and independent judgment in managing all third-party logistics (3PL) providers and key vendors, negotiating all major contracts, and mandating high-level corrective action plans to ensure maximum efficiency, cost control, and compliance across all e-commerce platforms.Key ResponsibilitiesI. Inventory Planning & Purchasing ManagementInventory Strategy & Purchasing: Develop and implement short- and long-term inventory and purchasing strategies, optimizing total landed cost by coordinating global production and inbound freight.Vendor & Contract Management: Oversee all purchasing and production vendor relationships, including rate negotiation, contract structuring, and compliance enforcement. Approve vendor production schedules and shipping terms, including Incoterms.Product Launch Planning: Establish processes, inventory requirements, and production plans for new product launches, coordinating with partners to ensure error-free execution.Inventory Reconciliation Audit: Audit and approve all inventory reconciliation reports provided by the partners against internal systems. Lead root cause analysis for all significant inventory variances and mandate corrective action plans for the partners.Data Integrity Ownership: Responsible for data integrity for inventory (e.g.; SKU master, dimensions, weights) within the company's internal systems, ensuring accurate data flows with all internal and external systems.Cycle Counts & Quality Control: Manage mandatory cycle counts executed by partners. Analyze discrepancy reports to enforce quality and accuracy standards.II. Vendor & Contract Management (Sourcing & Manufacturing)Vendor Oversight: Oversee all purchasing and production vendor relationships, approving vendor production schedules and shipping terms, including Incoterms.Contract Negotiation: Lead negotiations with partners. Evaluate and recommend strategic contracts to secure favorable terms, rates, and capacity necessary for scaling operations.SLA Governance: Establish, enforce, and audit all Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with partners, ensuring strict adherence to performance metrics (e.g., dock-to-stock time, order accuracy).III. Fulfillment & 3PL Partner ManagementChannel Optimization: Independently determine the optimal fulfillment mix across all channels (e.g., allocating inventory between FBA, FBT, and FBM), making strategic decisions to manage platform fees, capacity limits, and service delivery standards.Partner Management: Directly manage and audit all 3PL relationships, including operational performance against negotiated KPIs, financial invoicing, and adherence to Master Service Agreements.Error Correction: Lead root cause analysis for all significant fulfillment errors, logistical failures, or inventory variances, and mandate high-level corrective action plans for the 3PL partners.Performance Review: Conduct mandatory, data-driven period reviews with all key partners, holding them accountable for performance failures and jointly developing continuous improvement plansIV. Logistics & Freight ManagementInbound/Outbound Freight Negotiation: Negotiate and manage high-volume contracts with all inbound and outbound freight carriers, focusing on cost reduction and capacity assurance for peak seasons.Invoice and Financial Auditing: Execute strict financial audits of all partner invoices against contractual rates and billed services. Approve or reject high-value invoices based on independent discrepancy resolution.V. Systems Integration and Process ControlSystems Integration: Coordinate with Finance/ Accounting to manage the functional integration between internal systems and all partner systems.Process Compliance: Approve and audit all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to receiving, picking, and shipping to ensure alignment with the company's quality and compliance requirements.Fulfillment Logic: Define and configure fulfillment rules within the company's systems, directing the partner execution.Bilateral Compliance: Directly ensure all logistical services provided align with the Bilateral Management Services Agreements, tracking partner usage metrics for accurate cost allocation and invoicing.Risk Management: Identify and mitigate critical supply chain risks, including peak-season capacity constraints, international shipping delays, customs compliance issues, and partner labor shortages.Required Qualifications and Skills:Experience: Extensive experience in Supply Chain Management, Global Logistics, and/ or Multi-Channel Fulfillment, focused experience with external 3PL/vendor relationship management, contract negotiation, and strategic decision-making at a management levelTechnical Skills: Deep proficiency with inventory and warehouse management systems; demonstrable expertise in data analysis and supply chain modeling (advanced Excel/SQL) for comprehensive cost and performance auditing across fulfillment channels (FBA, FBT, FBM).Work Style:Exceptional strategic, analytical, and communication skills required to manage high-level external relationships and enforce contractual compliance.Exceptional ability to work productively with a diverse range of internal departments and internal and external partners and stakeholders.Flexibility & availability to work with internal and external departments, partners, and stakeholders across global time zones.Benefits:Flexible scheduleWork Location: Remote