Vice President Operations

Global Recruiters of Covington (GRN) · Bluffton, United States

We’re seeking a Vice President of Operations to lead operations across retail, e-commerce, and wholesale for an established, growing lifestyle brand.

This executive will lead the operational infrastructure connecting company-owned retail stores, e-commerce, and wholesale , with responsibility for logistics, fulfillment, inventory controls, and business systems.

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will help build the processes and capabilities that support continued growth. We’re looking for a leader who can establish strategy, develop a lean team, and stay personally involved in solving problems and implementing improvements.

This role is based in Bluffton, SC and will be on site.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead operational strategy across retail, e-commerce, and wholesale, aligning inventory movement, fulfillment, technology, and business processes.
• Own the operations budget, establish KPIs, and improve efficiency, accuracy, service levels, and profitability.
• Oversee the third-party logistics relationship, including performance standards, contract evaluation, costs, and capacity planning for peak selling periods.
• Strengthen inventory receiving, reconciliation, and operational controls across stores and distribution.
• Improve inventory visibility and data accuracy across ERP, POS, e-commerce, and logistics platforms.
• Lead the IT function, prioritize business systems improvements, and reduce manual processes through better integration.
• Oversee store facilities, maintenance, vendor agreements, remodels, and operational planning for new locations.
• Partner with Sales, Merchandising, Purchasing, Finance, and retail leadership to resolve operational challenges and support growth.
• Develop the operations team and establish clear accountability for internal teams and external partners.
• This role owns the infrastructure supporting store operations. Retail leadership retains responsibility for store staffing, visual merchandising, brand presentation, and retail sales strategy. Merchandising and Purchasing own assortment, allocation, and replenishment decisions.

Qualifications

• Significant progressive operations leadership experience within an omnichannel retail, consumer products, or lifestyle business. Experience in a growing, founder-led or privately held company is a plus.
• Direct operational responsibility for a retail network of at least 10 locations , including inventory receiving, reconciliation, POS processes, and store-level operational controls.
• Experience overseeing warehouse or distribution operations, internally or through a third-party logistics provider, with a strong understanding of e-commerce fulfillment, shipping, and cross-channel inventory flow. Wholesale distribution and 3PL contract negotiation experience are preferred.
• Experience improving ERP, POS, and inventory management systems and their integrations. NetSuite, Lightspeed, and implementation of allocation or replenishment systems are a plus.
• Senior leadership accountability for operating budgets, KPIs, cross-functional decisions, and measurable results, supported by strong analytical and financial skills.
• Demonstrated success implementing scalable processes, leading teams, and holding internal and external partners accountable while remaining personally involved in execution.
• Experience with store facilities, maintenance, remodels, lease negotiations, or new store development is preferred.
• Ability to work on-site in Bluffton, South Carolina.