Head of Supply Chain & Operations

Job Description

About the Company

Our client brings a traditional Korean postpartum seaweed soup to modern life in a ready-in-2-minutes format. It's a functional superfood rooted in Korean heritage, real nourishment designed for women who want to feel taken care of, not marketed to. The client is scaling fast across DTC, Amazon, and retail, and its supply chain needs to scale with it.

Role Overview

This is a role based in New York City, remote/hybrid with 1-2 days in person (other locations TBD). This person will be the operational backbone that keeps the business running smoothly as it grows. Reporting to the Operations Lead, they will own the day-to-day of the Korea-to-US supply chain, manage inventory planning across an expanding set of channels, and help build the operational infrastructure for the Amazon launch and retail expansion. The client imports all of its products from Korea, so this person needs to be comfortable with international logistics, customs, freight forwarding, and the particular rhythm of working across time zones and long lead times. This isn't a back-office role, when supply chain runs well, the whole business runs well.

Responsibilities

International Supply Chain Management

Coordinate end-to-end import logistics from the Korean manufacturer to US warehouses: purchase orders, production timelines, freight forwarding (ocean and air), customs clearance, FDA import compliance, and last-mile delivery to the 3PL(s). This person tracks every shipment, anticipates delays before they happen, and keeps the Operations Lead informed with clear status updates, managing relationships with freight forwarders, customs brokers, and the Korean production partners directly.

Inventory Planning & Demand Forecasting

Own the inventory model across all channels, DTC (Shopify), Amazon, wholesale, and retail. With 6 SKUs today and long international lead times, getting reorder timing right is critical: stockouts kill momentum, and overstock ties up cash. This person will build and maintain the forecasting spreadsheets, flag reorder points, and coordinate with the Growth and Sales teams to factor in promotions, seasonal demand, and new channel launches.

3PL & Fulfillment Operations

Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for the 3PL partner(s). Monitor fulfillment SLAs, resolve shipping issues, manage inbound receiving, and ensure inventory accuracy. As the client adds Amazon FBA and potentially retail distribution, this person will coordinate multi-node inventory allocation, making sure the right stock is in the right warehouse at the right time.

Amazon & Retail Channel Operations

Support the operational setup for the Amazon launch: FBA inbound shipment planning, labeling and prep requirements, inventory replenishment to Amazon FCs, and compliance with Amazon's packaging and shipping standards. For retail, help manage purchase orders, retailer routing guides, EDI requirements, and on-time delivery metrics. Prior experience with all of this isn't required, but figuring it out fast and getting it right is.

Compliance & Documentation

Maintain all import documentation: commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, FDA prior notice filings, and customs bonds. Ensure product labeling meets FDA, state, and retailer requirements across channels. Track regulatory changes that could affect the import process and flag them proactively.

Cost Management & Vendor Relationships

Track landed cost per unit across every shipment, freight, duties, warehousing, pick-and-pack, and identify opportunities to reduce COGS. Help negotiate rates with freight forwarders and 3PL partners, maintaining a vendor scorecard and building relationships with the kind of operational rigor that earns better pricing and priority treatment over time.

Who They're Looking For

• 6-8 years in supply chain, operations, or logistics, ideally at a DTC, CPG, or food brand that imports internationally.
• Direct experience with international import logistics: ocean freight, customs clearance, FDA food import requirements, and freight forwarding. Korea-specific experience is a strong plus but not required.
• Familiarity with 3PL management and fulfillment operations, having dealt with inbound receiving issues, inventory discrepancies, and shipping SLAs.
• Exposure to or strong interest in Amazon FBA operations and retail distribution (routing guides, PO management, EDI basics).
• Strong spreadsheet skills, able to build an inventory forecast model, a landed cost tracker, and a shipment log without being handed a template.
• Highly organized and detail-obsessed, tracking every PO, every container, every customs filing, with nothing falling through the cracks.
• Comfortable working across time zones (Korea is 13-14 hours ahead of EST) and communicating clearly with international partners, often asynchronously.

Who Will Thrive Here

• Loves the puzzle of supply chain, enjoys tracking a shipment from Busan to Brooklyn and making every link in the chain a little more efficient.
• Is energized by building systems, not just following them, since SOPs, dashboards, and processes are still being built.
• Understands that operational excellence is a competitive advantage, a brand that never stocks out, ships fast, and lands product at a lower cost wins.
• Can shift between the big picture ("90 days of safety stock for the Q4 retail push") and the granular ("this packing list doesn't match the commercial invoice").
• Is excited about a food brand with a real mission, wanting to help get this product into more hands, not just move boxes.
• Works well with a small team where their work directly impacts whether the business can grow or not.