Local Eclectic Looking for Chief Operating Officer at Chicago, IL Full Time

Local Eclectic is a 10 year old international e-commerce jewelry brand based in Chicago. We sell jewelry from emerging and independent jewelry designers from across the globe and have a handful of in house brands that we design and manufacture in house. We’re a social first brand that has built an authentic community of brand loyalists. We are dedicated to providing a best in class customer experience and offering exceptional, unique and one of a kind products. We are passionate about creating and selling high quality jewelry that is accessible to everyone. At Local Eclectic, we believe that every piece of jewelry is a work of art, a symbol of personal expression, and a connection to something greater; jewelry tells our story. Our mission is to inspire creativity and empower women and this is woven into every aspect of our business.

Our brand has grown rapidly over the past few years, and we are looking for a creative, entrepreneurial, self-starter to join our team as the Chief Operating Officer. We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Chief Operating Officer (COO) with 7-15 years of experience in fashion, retail, e-commerce, or consumer goods, to join our executive team and play a pivotal role in the growth and success of Local Eclectic. The ideal candidate will have at least 3-5 years of experience as a C-level leader, an MBA in business, operations, administration, or finance, and a proven background in scaling an inventory-based business.

Responsibilities:

Financial Leadership:

• Provide strategic financial guidance to the executive team and other departments.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning to ensure fiscal responsibility and sustainable growth.
• Implement financial controls and reporting systems to drive profitability.
• Own the P&L and ensure that the company continues to run profitably
• Maintain efficient and profitable cash flow cycles.
• Negotiate discounts and pricing with key partners and vendors
• Work closely with banking and financial partners to ensure adequate funding for inventory during seasonal peak periods
• Continuously identify savings and revenue growth opportunities, including new channel expansion.

Operational Excellence:

• Streamline and optimize operational processes to enhance efficiency and productivity; Identify areas for operational improvements and work with the team to implement.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive improvements in supply chain management, logistics, and inventory control.
• Assist with implementing best practices for order fulfillment, customer service, and returns management.
• Define performance metrics and develop KPIs and goals for different departments to increase operational efficiency and employee satisfaction.
• Build new systems and refine existing ones to enhance operational capabilities.
• Continually work to establish processes and build systems across all aspects of the business as we continue to grow

Strategic Planning and Growth:

• Work closely with the CEO and executive team to develop and execute the company’s strategic initiatives.
• Evaluate market trends and industry dynamics to identify growth opportunities.
• Drive strategic partnerships and alliances to expand the company’s market presence.
• Collaborate with the CEO to help define, promote, and implement company culture, vision, values, and long-term business strategy and growth initiatives.
• Analyze all aspects of the business to identify strategies for process improvement and growth.
• Regularly perform data analysis across all systems and departments and use data to inform decision-making.

Team Leadership and HR

• Lead, inspire, and oversee professional development, growth, and management of all staff.
• Oversee quarterly and annual team meetings
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance the skills and capabilities of the operations team.
• Manage recruiting, onboarding, professional development, performance management, and employee retention initiatives.

Risk Management:

• Identify potential risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.
• Ensure compliance with industry regulations and company policies

Supply Chain & Demand Planning:

• Oversee demand planning and supply chain to reduce stockouts and ensure that supply and inventory do not act as constraints on growth.
• Work with the planning team to focus product buys on sell-through and high-churn product assortment.
• Work with suppliers to reduce lead times, improve quality, and negotiate cost efficiencies.
• Manage complex inventory-based operations at high growth scale.
• Work with external partners to help refine and enhance vendor relationships.
• Contract negotiation with partners.

COO Requirements:

• 7-15 years of experience in fashion, retail, e-commerce, or consumer goods.
• At least 3+ years as a C-level leader.
• MBA in business, operations, administration, or finance.
• Proven background in scaling an inventory-based business.
• Experience building DTC, wholesale, and e-commerce business.
• Experience profitably managing budgets.
• Strong financial and business acumen.
• Experience working in consulting a plus.
• Optimistic and collaborative leader.
• Analytical and data-driven problem solver.
• Strategic, entrepreneurial mindset.
• Must be based in Chicago or willing to relocate

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