Wholesale and Operations Manager

Job Description

We're looking for a Wholesale and Operations Lead to own the entire wholesale function end to end for a fast-moving, design-led greeting cards and gifting brand. This is the single most important operational hire in the business. You will manage existing retail accounts across the UK, EU, USA, Canada, and Australia, open new ones, develop product with the design team, source and negotiate with suppliers, process orders, book freight, invoice buyers, and forecast revenue — all while using AI tools daily to work faster and to a higher standard.

This is a rare blend of commercial sales, product development, and operational execution. You need to be equally comfortable charming a buyer, negotiating a quote with an overseas supplier, and getting a tax code right on an invoice. Attention to detail is non-negotiable. A single wrong SKU, currency, or missed booking deadline can bounce an invoice or delay a shipment. If you are commercially sharp, operationally precise, highly responsive, and genuinely enthusiastic about using AI in your daily workflow, this role is a strong fit.

Why You'll Want to Join

• You will be paid in USD (bi-monthly: every 15th and 30th)
• Paid Time Off in accordance with company policy
• Observance of Holidays per company guidelines
• 100% remote setup so you can work wherever you're most productive
• This role requires availability during UK business hours
• Own a substantial, multi-region wholesale revenue line with direct impact on business growth
• Work inside a lean, AI-first company with a strong consumer brand and a growing global retail footprint

What You'll Work On

New Business Development and Outreach

• Consistently reach out to new retail buyers and wholesale contacts by email week in and week out, working to a target of dozens of fresh contacts per week
• Build and maintain a structured prospect pipeline and outreach tracker across Hot, Warm, Cold, Stalled, and Won stages
• Share product catalogues tailored to each buyer's vertical and encourage sample requests, coordinating production, labelling, and delivery through to buyer feedback
• Follow up relentlessly so no warm lead ever goes cold
• Target and open at least two significant new retail accounts per year across the UK, EU, and USA

Retail Buyer and Account Management

• Own day-to-day relationships across a portfolio of established retail accounts spanning major off-price chains, department stores, book and gift retailers, specialty retailers, and online wholesale marketplaces across multiple regions
• Present card, gift bag, gift wrap, puzzle, notebook, and colouring book ranges to buyers proactively and in response to buyer briefs
• Adapt communication and range strategy to each buyer's calendar, price architecture, and ordering patterns
• Manage multi-country and multi-banner accounts with separate order streams, specs, and requirements per retailer

Product Development and Design Briefing

• Take buyer requests and market opportunities and brief the design team with clear specs, sizing, mock-ups, and references
• Build catalogue and range presentations, mark up mock-ups, and approve production templates and physical samples before bulk production
• Drive new product development into the wholesale range and spot new category opportunities
• Manage seasonal design pipelines to strict timelines so samples are ready for buyer review well ahead of each buying season

Supplier Sourcing, Quotes, and Negotiation

• Work with and get quotes from suppliers in China and the UK and source new suppliers when needed
• Negotiate and confirm pricing on each order accounting for quantity, special finishes, and exchange rates
• Manage supplier deposits and balance payments and maintain responsive communication across time zones
• Source new factories against quality and ethical standards including valid ethical audit certification such as BSCI, SMETA, or WRAP

Unit Economics, Pricing, and Margin

• Calculate the true landed cost and margin of every product and order, layering in logistics, freight, forwarder charges, duties, labels, and packaging
• Validate every supplier quote against the margin model before confirming an order
• Present numbers, margin, and recommendations to the CEO clearly so commercial decisions can be made quickly

Order Processing and Purchase Order Management

• Review purchase orders from buyers the moment they arrive, checking SKU codes, agreed prices, currency, quantities, and delivery and cancel dates before processing
• Handle multi-part and multi-destination purchase orders and sequence order flow correctly when multiple POs land together
• Complete sales orders and reconcile linked purchase orders in the order and inventory system
• Ensure every shipment is correctly invoiced and nothing ships un-invoiced

Logistics, Freight, and Retailer Compliance

• Book freight to strict, KPI-tracked deadlines across multiple freight forwarder and retailer portals
• Manage export documentation and proof of delivery, matching shipping documents to the correct orders before invoicing
• Own retailer compliance including submitting supplier and factory documentation, tracking certificate expiries, and meeting each retailer's packing, labelling, and specification requirements

Invoicing and Financial Reconciliation

• Run the end-to-end invoicing process including completing sales orders, pushing through to the accounting system, and submitting via retailer portals with required documentation
• Handle account-specific nuances including correct tax treatment, currency, self-billing customers, and portal submissions
• Carry out month-end reconciliation to ensure every completed order is invoiced in the correct accounting month
• Reconcile supplier and forwarder invoices, convert currencies where needed, and avoid double-payments

Forecasting and Reporting

• Run projections throughout the year to forecast revenue by account and by product against the annual wholesale goal
• Maintain a live forecast versus actual view, flag gaps and opportunities early, and project what will ship and invoice the following month
• Feed clear, numbers-led updates to the CEO and weekly wholesale reporting

AI-Enabled Workflow

• Use Claude and other AI tools daily for drafting and personalising buyer outreach at scale, extracting data from purchase orders, generating purchase orders and import-ready files, researching competitors and new product opportunities, and drafting buyer communications
• Always double-check AI output for accuracy before use
• Continuously identify ways to simplify and automate admin so more time goes to selling and growing accounts

What You Bring

• Very strong, fast, and reliable internet connection — a consistent high-bandwidth connection is essential for video calls, large file transfers, and multiple live portals
• High energy and very fast email and message response rates — buyers and suppliers must feel they receive near-immediate, on-the-ball responses
• Excellent Excel and Google Sheets skills including margin models, projections, trackers, and formulas
• Strong commercial numeracy with the ability to calculate unit economics, true landed cost, and margin and present the numbers clearly
• Exceptional attention to detail — SKUs, prices, currencies, tax codes, dates, invoice numbers, and deadlines must be right every time
• Strong written English and confident communication style able to engage retail buyers professionally and brief suppliers and designers clearly
• Highly organised and deadline-driven with the ability to manage many orders, portals, and moving parts simultaneously without dropping anything
• Genuine enthusiasm for using AI tools including Claude in day-to-day work
• Self-starter who can own a function end to end with minimal hand-holding

Nice to Have

• Experience in wholesale, retail buying, merchandising, account management, or B2B sales, ideally in gifting, greeting cards, stationery, homeware, or a related consumer products category
• Experience sourcing or managing suppliers in China and the UK and working with freight forwarders and import logistics
• Familiarity with cloud accounting and inventory and order management software and retailer EDI and supplier portals
• Experience selling into large retailers including department stores, off-price chains, and book and gift chains
• Understanding of retail compliance including ethical audit certification and product specification and labelling requirements

How to Apply

Please include:

1. Your updated resume
2. A short Loom video (1 to 2 minutes) introducing yourself, describing your experience in wholesale, account management, or operations, and walking through how you would manage a purchase order from arrival through to invoicing

Only candidates who submit a Loom video will be moved to the next step of the hiring process.

If you are commercially sharp, operationally precise, highly responsive, and want to own a substantial wholesale function for a fast-growing consumer brand, this role gives you the ownership and the direct impact to do your best work.

Application Process Overview

Our comprehensive selection process ensures we find the right fit for both you and our clients:

1. Initial Application - Submit your application and complete our prequalifying questions
2. Video Introduction - Record an video introduction to showcase your communication skills and work experience
3. Role-Specific Assessment - Complete a homework assignment tailored to the position (if applicable)
4. Recruitment Interview - Initial screening with our talent team
5. Executive Interview - Meet with senior leadership to discuss role alignment
6. Client Interview - Final interview with the client team you'd be supporting
7. Background & Reference Check - Professional reference verification
8. Job Offer - Successful candidates receive a formal offer to join the team

Each stage is designed to evaluate your fit for the role while giving you insights into our company culture and expectations. We'll keep you informed throughout the process and provide feedback at each step.