Manager, Retail Operations

Job Summary / About the Role:

As our Manager, Retail Operations, you'll be the go-to expert at the intersection of Brick's retail partnerships, distributor relationships, and third-party logistics (3PL) operations. Based in our Chicago office, you'll play a foundational role in building the internal systems, processes, and infrastructure needed to scale Brick's retail presence — while also managing the day-to-day of onboarding new partners, ensuring seamless order fulfillment, and acting as the main point of contact for retailer-specific requirements. You'll analyze retail sales data to anticipate replenishment and inventory needs, and you'll be a key architect of the operational foundation that allows Brick to grow its retail footprint efficiently and sustainably. This is a highly cross-functional role, working closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Logistics, Marketing, Finance, and more.

Location:

This role is based in our Chicago office, with an expectation of 3–4 days per week in person. Given the cross-functional nature of this work, in-person collaboration is a core part of how we operate — with flexibility to work from home as needed.

What You’ll Do:

• Build and own the infrastructure for retail growth — design, document, and continuously improve the internal systems, workflows, and playbooks that will allow Brick to scale retail partnerships efficiently and sustainably.
• Own the onboarding process for new retail partners—from documentation and compliance to first orders and training—ensuring a smooth and welcoming experience.
• Oversee order fulfillment for retail accounts, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and a stellar partner experience.
• Manage the relationship between Brick's distributor and 3PL; serve as the primary communication channel for all requirements related to routing guides, labeling, packaging, and retailer-specific needs.
• Coordinate logistics for retail orders, working with internal teams and external partners to ensure efficient, on-time delivery.
• Analyze retail sales data and proactively communicate replenishment and inventory needs to internal teams, distributor, and 3PL partners.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with retail partners, acting as their main point of contact, resolving issues, and anticipating needs.
• Communicate cross-functionally within the Chicago office to keep Operations, Supply Chain, Logistics, Marketing, and Finance teams aligned and informed.
• Develop and operationalize the internal tools, processes, and reporting frameworks needed to support Brick's expanding retail channel — including playbooks for new account onboarding, retailer compliance, and partner communication.
• Lead and execute key retail projects, including process improvements, partner integrations, and new product launches.
• Identify and drive process optimization initiatives to increase efficiency, reduce errors, and scale operations as Brick enters new retail doors.
• Track and analyze retail performance, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing solutions.
• Maintain accurate records of partner agreements, pricing, and order history.
• Partner with leadership to define and build the operational foundation that supports long-term retail expansion — anticipating the infrastructure needs of a growing retail business before they become bottlenecks.
• Support change management and adoption of new retail initiatives with partners and internal teams.
• Stay current on industry best practices and competitor activity, bringing new ideas to the table.

What You’ll Need to Have:

Required:

• At least 5 years of experience in retail operations, retail partnerships, supply chain management, or retail project management.
• Proven success managing distributor and 3PL relationships, including communicating retailer-specific requirements (routing, labeling, packaging, etc.).
• Demonstrated experience building or scaling retail operations infrastructure — including process design, systems implementation, and cross-functional alignment in a growth environment.
• Strong experience with order management systems and familiarity with platforms such as SPS Commerce, Rithum, NetSuite, or similar.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze sales data and drive inventory planning and replenishment decisions.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and process improvements in a retail or consumer goods environment.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills; able to juggle multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Outstanding communication skills, comfortable working directly with partners and collaborating with internal teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; detail-oriented and proactive in addressing challenges.
• Strong skills in Excel/Google Sheets and preparing executive-ready reports.
• Based in or willing to relocate to Chicago for in-office collaboration.

Preferred:

• Experience in consumer electronics and/or working with large national retailers (Costco, Walmart, Target, etc.).
• Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Smartsheet).
• Experience with process mapping, change management, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Track record of building retail operations from the ground up or through a significant growth phase, with the ability to balance strategic infrastructure work alongside daily execution.

The base salary range for this role is $120,000–$150,000, depending on experience and qualifications.