Senior Operations Manager (EU)

SSENSE (pronounced [es-uhns]) is a global technology platform operating at the intersection of culture, community, and commerce. Headquartered in Montreal, it features a mix of established and emerging luxury brands across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, and Everything Else™

SSENSE has garnered critical acclaim as both an e-commerce engine and a producer of cultural content, generating an average of 100 million monthly page views. Approximately 80% of its audience is between the ages of 18 to 40. It is privately held and has achieved high double digit annual growth and profitability since its inception.

Reporting to the Director of Global Logistics, the Senior Operations Manager will oversee all fulfillment and crossdock operations at our new 3PL Fulfillment Center in Brussels, Belgium. The ideal candidate will have experience overseeing 3PL operations and is able to develop a strategic vendor relationship while pushing the bar on performance and cost efficiency. She/he will be highly collaborative and partner closely with key decision-makers in the Logistics, Customer Care, Merchandising, Sales, Technology, Finance and Human Resources teams to ensure SSENSE delivers a world-class fulfillment experience to its customers while setting a high standard for safety, cost efficiency and employee engagement.

Responsibilities:

Operations Management

• Own end-to-end accountability for B2B inbound (including 3PL) and B2C fulfillment operations with full budget, P&L and SLA ownership
• Develop tracking and improvement strategies on key performance indicators such as on-time fulfillment, labor cost productivity per hour/unit, incident and safety rates and inventory accuracy. Collaborate with the partner to strategically react to changes in business and ops performance.
• Ensure performance on all ops KPIs during planned/seasonal and unplanned events while maintaining constant visibility across stakeholders
• Manage and evolve the 3PL contract terms; including ops-commercial aspects like performance related chargebacks, forecast tolerances and capacity commitments
• Proactively detect and mitigate operational and technical risks through regular communication
• Lead the 3PL integration and related tech development agenda with both SSENSE and 3PL partner
• Spearhead the development of monthly, quarterly and annual throughput, cost and SLA forecasts with support from SSENSE Finance and 3PL planning teams
• Collaborate with 3PL partner and S&OP team on resource and workforce planning requirements to ensure alignment with overall plan and cost targets
• Lead the continuous improvement agenda collaboratively with the 3PL partner and ensure documentation, standardization and process control
• Ensure all partner operations meet SSENSE safety and compliance standards and that cost-effective technology is used to maximize productivity
• Partner with SSENSE Sales to ensure alignment of sales target and operational capacity during regular and peak seasons;
• Work closely with SSENSE Buying and Sales teams to ensure timely and efficient product launches and promotions;
• Liaise with SSENSE Buying and 3PL on new product storage, packing and shipping guidelines; etc.
• Learn and transfer best operational practices between SSENSE and partners

People Leadership & Development

• Manage a team of Logistics and Merchandise Coordinators and grow a high performing, customer-centric culture within the team
• Provide guidance and coaching to the teams so that they can become autonomous in their practices and deliveries and achieve their full potential
• Conduct performance reviews, analyze individual KPIs and support each team member evolve in their roles
• Ensure team mobilization by regularly gauging team spirit and implementing appropriate means to create a work environment that fosters healthy communication, collaboration and productivity
• Provide leadership and guidance to hire, coach, motivate, lead, and retain a performance-driven team
• Support with the planning of resources for new projects and the growth of the department
• Oversee the on-boarding and training programs for direct reports

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Operations Research or a related field; MBA an asset
• A minimum of 7 years experience in a warehouse / Fulfillment Center operations environment with visible progression in scope of responsibilities and scale of operation managed
• A minimum of 3 years experience managing 3PL operations of a large retail / e-commerce business
• Apparel and luxury e-commerce experience an asset
• Experience managing teams of 7-10 members of junior and senior operations coordinators, preferably in a manufacturing, e-commerce, production, or distribution center environment
• Applied knowledge of Lean Six Sigma principles, 5S and continuous improvement tools a big plus
• Strong English written and verbal communication skills, French and Dutch strong assets
• Travel flexibility (20-30%)

Skills

• Strong customer-centric operational skills
• 3PL vendor management, with proven ability to navigate external complex organizational structures
• High tolerance for ambiguity, self-directed and an ability to add structure to changing operations
• Strong communication skills, with an ability to influence both external cross-functional teams
• Strong business acumen and decision-making skills
• Ability to identify, prioritize and articulate high impact initiatives
• Creative out-of-the-box thinker with excellent problem-solving abilities
• Team player with solid leadership and interpersonal skills