What are the responsibilities and job description for the VP of Operations position at EMERGING BLUE?
Job Description
We are looking for a strong VP of Operations with experiencing in scaling brands to join our growing client's team in New Orleans.
Key Responsibilities
We are looking for a strong VP of Operations with experiencing in scaling brands to join our growing client's team in New Orleans.
Key Responsibilities
- Identify operational priorities that need to be addressed with a clear roadmap and timeline that enables achievement of 2026 goals and keeps us on track to support the ongoing growth in 2027 and beyond.
- Own the enterprise systems roadmap across ERP, WMS/OMS, POS, CRM/sales tools, PLM, finance/accounting, and data/BI - driving adoption, data integrity, role clarity, and measurable ROI.
- Optimize and redesign an end‑to‑end omni‑channel order lifecycle spanning DTC e‑commerce, retail, and wholesale (BOPIS, ship‑from‑store, store‑to‑home, EDI, and 3PL integrations) to ensure speed, accuracy, and cost efficiency.
- Stand up agile PMO and governance model (intake, prioritization, resourcing, stage‑gates, and post‑mortems) with clear RACI across cross‑functional programs.
- Establish a single source of truth and KPI definitions; design and optimize dashboards for leaders and partner with Finance and FP&A to provide operational visibility.
- Evolve warehousing and logistics strategy (owned facilities and/or 3PL) including slotting, flow, transportation, and WMS best practices with performance SLAs.
- Recruit, coach, and develop a high‑performing, lean operations organization with clear roles, metrics, and career paths that scale with the business.
- Lead change management through SOPs, training, and communication that convert strategy into adoption; model urgency, ownership, and creative problem‑solving.
- Define and operationalize a best‑in‑class customer service model across channels with clear SLAs and VOC feedback loops.
- Manage operations budget and identify opportunities to reduce costs through vendor negotiations, supply management, and operational efficiencies.
- Strengthen operational controls across order‑to‑cash and procure‑to‑pay, including cycle counts, inventory accuracy, audit trails, access controls, backups, and vendor management.
- Establish and publish a 12–18 month operations roadmap with business cases and resourcing; track progress via weekly/monthly reviews and QBRs.
- Own performance management for operations: OTIF, fill rate, inventory accuracy, cycle count variance, order lead time, WISMO contacts per order, logistics cost per unit, NPS/CSAT, and defect rates.
- Ensure the brand ethos and core values come to life in all operational touchpoints – from vendor relationships to internal business partners and driving a modern approach to scale.
- 10–15 years of progressive leadership in operations for consumer or retail brands (preference for omni-channel DTC e‑commerce with wholesale and/or retail).
- Proven ownership of enterprise systems across ERP (NetSuite preferred), WMS/OMS, POS, CRM, PLM, and finance tools; successful track record leading implementations/migrations and driving adoption in transaction‑heavy environments.
- Hands‑on depth in S&OP/IBP, demand & supply planning, merchandising & allocation, inventory management, warehousing/3PL, and logistics.
- Strong financial and analytical acumen (unit economics, landed cost, margin optimization, cash conversion cycle) and a data orientation (MDM, KPI design, dashboards/BI).
- Excellence in program management/PMO, cross‑functional influence, and building lean, high‑performing teams that scale with growth.
- Experience with premium/fashion brands; accessories/eyewear and international vendor management are pluses.
- Familiarity with OKRs and stage‑gate governance; comfort with modern BI (e.g., Tableau/Power BI) or SQL a plus.
- Clear, concise communicator - effective from executive meetings to the warehouse; customer‑obsessed, quality‑driven, and metrics‑led.
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or relevant advanced degree preferred.
- Onsite in New Orleans (5 days/week) with occasional travel to NYC, vendor sites, and operations as needed.
