Fractional Operations Manager

The Role

We're looking for an experienced fractional Operations Manager to own the operational backbone of the business, from quarterly inventory planning through manufacturing, fulfillment, and retail logistics. You'll be the connective tissue between our retail sales lead, our 3PL, our manufacturers, and our DTC marketing team, making sure product is bought, built, shipped, and paid for on time.

This is a hands-on coordination and accountability role. You'll inherit established processes, partners, and reporting tools, and you'll be expected to run them tightly, spot problems early, and improve them where you see the opportunity. With a Walmart launch landing at the end of the year and a new gummies category on the way, operational readiness will be critical over the next 12 months.

Who You'll Work With

• Retail Sales Brokers: Owns retail sales relationships and incoming retail purchase orders. You'll coordinate closely on PO fulfillment, retailer deadlines, and the retail inventory plan.
• 3PL & Fulfillment Team: Handles warehousing, kitting, and fulfillment for both DTC orders and retail shipments. You'll be their primary point of contact and accountability.
• DTC Marketing Team: Runs the DTC channel, campaigns, and promotions. You'll align inventory and fulfillment with their marketing calendar.
• Manufacturers & Suppliers: Co-packers and raw material suppliers (bottles, labels, packaging). You'll manage POs, lead times, and delivery coordination.
• Founders / Leadership: You'll report directly to leadership with regular updates on inventory, fulfillment, and retail performance.

What You'll Own

• Quarterly Planning & Inventory Forecasting
• New SKU Development
• Manufacturing & Procurement
• Retail Operations
• DTC Fulfillment & 3PL Management

About You

• 3+ years in operations, supply chain, or fulfillment for a consumer products (ideally food & beverage) brand.
• Experience managing 3PLs, co-packers, and retail EDI/PO workflows (ASNs, routing guides, retailer compliance).
• Comfortable owning inventory forecasts and per-SKU P&Ls, you're fluent in spreadsheets and sell-through data.
• A proactive communicator who flags problems before they become fires, and follows through without being chased.
• Comfortable working fractionally and asynchronously with a distributed team.
• Bonus: experience with Shopify, retail brokers, and big-box retail programs (e.g. Walmart, HEB, TJX).

Engagement Details

• Fractional / part-time engagement, estimated [X hours per week], with flexibility around quarterly planning peaks.
• Remote, with availability for regular check-ins on [timezone] hours.
• Compensation: [monthly retainer or hourly rate], reviewed after an initial [90-day] period.

How to Apply

Send a short note on your relevant experience (especially 3PL and retail PO management) along with your rate and availability to [email].