Title: VP of Operations

Reporting to: COO

Work Location: St Louis, MO OR remote (travel required)

OVERVIEW

Native Pet is seeking a well-rounded, innovative leader to become the first VP of Operations. This is a unique opportunity to scale our operational capabilities in support of our fast-growing brand. The VP of Operations will oversee core operational functions, as we continue to expand into brick & mortar and ecommerce.

As a demonstrated leader in the CPG industry, this individual will play a key role in Native Pet’s growth, profitability, and overall business goals. You will directly lead the team overseeing end-to-end supply chain, including planning, production, procurement, sourcing, analytics, logistics, and fulfillment. It will be critical that the VP of Operations champions a strong operations team culture, while working well across other functional teams to deliver our business objectives. The VP of Operations will report to the Co-Founder/COO.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Leadership: provide leadership, direction, and development of the operations team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
• Operations Management: ensure successful execution of day-to-day operations, including production, supply planning, procurement, sourcing, inventory management, distribution, and operations processes and systems.
• Process and Technology: oversee operational systems and processes to ensure the integrity and functionality for the operations team (e.g., IMS, MRP, EDI, WMS).
• Data-Driven Decision Making: direct high impact decisions including demand and supply planning, margin improvements, distribution strategy, supply chain management, and ongoing production issues.
• Performance Monitoring and Reporting: monitor performance metrics to proactively identify and address efficiency issues, proposing and implementing solutions.
• Supply Planning: work with the Director of S&OP to ensure execution of the demand & supply plan, supporting decisions to optimize working capital, reduce out-of-stock situations, improve lead times, and address supply chain inefficiencies.
• Production Management: support Director of Supply Chain in managing our key co-manufacturers (e.g., negotiating contracts, navigating production issues, and ensuring compliance, etc.)
• Supply Chain Management: support Director of Supply Chain manage supplier relationships (e.g., identify levers for margin expansion, competitive advantage, volume negotiation, etc.)
• Supply Chain Optimization: lead the optimization of the end-to-end supply chain to support strategic growth goals, such as margin improvements, OTIF program, supply chain redundancies, etc.
• Sourcing Strategy: lead the supply chain team to diversify and optimize our supply chain.
• Finance Support: support finance and accounting team with inventory stock, costing, payables, etc.

IDEAL BACKGROUND

• 10+ years of experience in supply chain and operations roles across planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and/or logistics, with at least 3-5 years in a senior leadership position
• Experience in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment, scaling an omnichannel business to ideally over $100M+ in annual revenue.
• Deep and broad operations experience; ability to understand and manage a complex organization at an incredibly detailed level and manage at multiple levels of the organizational structure
• In-depth knowledge of supply chain best practices and measurable success driving logistics, warehousing, ecommerce / retail fulfillment, direct procurement, and contract manufacturing
• Expertise in inventory management and forecasting to drive appropriate business strategy and decisions
• Demonstrated experience partnering with Finance and Marketing and knows how functions interact to scale the business
• Track record of driving negotiations and implementing new processes, systems, and tools
• Strong analytical skills with demonstrated action-oriented, results-driven approach to quality, and to improving operations and quality metrics
• Excellent project management, communication, and people/organizational skills
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and influencing skills to work effectively and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive salary with opportunity for equity/performance compensation
• Opportunity to join a venture-backed, high-growth start-up in one of the fastest-growing categories in all of CPG
• Fun, empathetic, and caring team focused on your success and quality of life
• Open vacation policy designed to have a more seamless work life balance
• St Louis office located on the newly renovated City Foundry campus
• Dogs and cats are welcome in the office (obviously)