Operations Manager - DTC and E-Commerce
Full-time | Toronto | Hybrid - 70%+ in-office
Confidential client search conducted by Advisor Works
The Opportunity
Advisor Works is recruiting for an early-stage e-commerce business experiencing rapid growth. Our client builds and scales direct-to-consumer products through direct-response marketing, customer acquisition, and performance-driven testing.
The business is scaling its first product, intending to operate three to four products shortly. We are looking for an entrepreneurial Operations Manager to build the repeatable systems, reporting, and day-to-day operating discipline that will make that possible.
You will work closely with the growth lead and founders to turn strategy into execution, freeing the growth lead to focus on advertising, acquisition, offers, and optimization. You will design and implement processes, resolve operational issues, and make sure people deliver on their commitments.
Initially, expect approximately 70% hands-on execution and system building and 30% delegation, coordination, and management. You will work with a lean team supported by shared and part-time resources, contractors, and external specialists. As the business grows, there is potential to build a larger team and take on broader leadership responsibilities.
What you will do
- Build systems that support multiple products
- Turn existing, fragmented workflows into practical SOPs, launch templates, checklists, and repeatable processes that can be applied to new products.
- Set up and own the operating cadence, project plans, responsibilities, deadlines, and progress reporting. Identify bottlenecks and drive solutions through to completion.
- Implement systems yourself, train others to use them, and hold contributors accountable for consistent execution.
- Coordinate launches and calendars
- Manage parallel product launch and testing calendars covering ad copy, creative, landing pages, offers, and upsells, in partnership with the growth lead.
- Coordinate designers, developers, video editors, email marketers, and vendors so each test has the assets, products, approvals, and operational support it needs.
- Track dependencies and readiness, including checkout checks, test orders, integrations, tracking, and fulfillment. Keep stakeholders informed of deadlines, risks, and changes.
Operational responsibilities
- Own e-commerce operations and vendor relationships
- Coordinate suppliers, inventory, warehouses, fulfillment partners, and shipping to support product availability and timely delivery.
- Manage vendor communication, negotiate terms and service expectations, and source product or upsell options in partnership with leadership.
- Oversee operational workflows for checkout, payments, subscriptions, recurring billing, customer service, refunds, cancellations, and chargebacks.
- Work with technical specialists to troubleshoot issues and keep e-commerce platforms and connected systems operating reliably.
- Create useful reporting and practical automation
- Build and maintain CRM and operational reporting that gives leadership clear visibility into product performance, test status, fulfillment, customer issues, and execution risks.
- Work with finance support and the external accounting team to coordinate operational inputs, vendor costs, and reporting needs.
- Use AI tools to document processes, analyze information, streamline reporting, and reduce repetitive work.
- Configure new software and practical integrations, using available tools and specialist support where needed. Identify improvements that help a lean team accomplish more.
- Align people and manage limited capacity
- Translate business priorities into clear tasks, owners, deadlines, and deliverables across internal, shared, part-time, and external resources.
- Keep marketing, operations, customer service, and finance connected so work moves forward without repeated founder follow-up.
What you bring
- At least 3 years of relevant experience, including direct experience in DTC or e-commerce operations and demonstrated responsibility for operational outcomes.
- Experience designing, implementing, and improving systems that supported a growing business, with concrete examples of what you built and the results achieved.
- Experience leading work through others: delegating, setting expectations, managing vendors or contractors, and holding contributors accountable.
- A working understanding of direct-response marketing, funnels, copywriting and creative workflows, offers, upsells, and the customer journey from acquisition through fulfillment and retention.
- Confidence managing multiple projects and product workstreams, interpreting performance data, and resolving problems independently.
- Comfortable in a high-pressure, fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.
Technology and analytical skills
- Must have - You are proficient in using AI tools in day-to-day work and can demonstrate practical results.
- Resourcefulness, sound judgment, and the ability to learn new systems quickly are essential.
- Experience with tools such as Claude or ChatGPT, workflow automation, software integrations, or MCP connections is valuable. Advanced coding or MCP expertise is an asset rather than a prerequisite; the priority is an effective operator who can learn and implement practical solutions.
- Relevant platform experience may include Shopify or WooCommerce; ClickUp, Asana, or Monday.com; CRM systems; Klaviyo; subscription and payment platforms; ShipStation or 3PL systems; and GA4 or other reporting tools. Expertise in every platform is not required.
- You should understand key e-commerce metrics such as CAC, CPA, ROAS, AOV, LTV, conversion rates, churn, and recurring revenue, and be able to turn data into useful operational decisions.
How you work
- Entrepreneurial and accountable: you take ownership, spot problems early, and act without waiting for detailed instructions.
- Hands-on and practical: you enjoy building processes and doing the work while also directing others and following through.
- Adaptable and organized: you can pivot between priorities while keeping deadlines, dependencies, and important details visible.
- Direct and collaborative: you communicate clearly, challenge missed commitments constructively, and keep people aligned.
What success looks like in the first 90 to 180 days
- Core workflows are documented, implemented, and repeatable across additional products.
- Product launch and testing calendars show clear owners, deadlines, dependencies, and readiness.
- Leadership has reliable reporting on priorities, progress, operational performance, and blockers.
- Shared resources and vendors have clear expectations, realistic workloads, and consistent follow-through.
- Fulfillment, customer service, vendor coordination, and finance handoffs run through defined processes.
- The growth lead spends more time on acquisition and optimization as you take ownership of operational execution.
Why join
Join early and help shape how a growing business operates. You will work directly with leadership, see the impact of the systems you build, and have room to advance as the product portfolio and team expand. This opportunity suits someone who wants to drive meaningful impact and enjoys turning an ambitious plan into results.
How to apply
Submit your resume through our hosted jobs page at Lighthousehiring.ai
Please highlight a system or process you built, the people you coordinated, and the measurable improvement it delivered. Include a practical example of how you have used AI or automation in your work.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete a behavioral and cognitive assessments as part of the selection process. We may use AI in our recruiting process.
