Wholesale and Operations Manager

We're looking for a Wholesale and Operations Lead to own the entire wholesale function end to end for a fast-moving, design-led greeting cards and gifting brand. This is the single most important operational hire in the business. You will manage existing retail accounts across the UK, EU, USA, Canada, and Australia, open new ones, develop product with the design team, source and negotiate with suppliers, process orders, book freight, invoice buyers, and forecast revenue — all while using AI tools daily to work faster and to a higher standard.This is a rare blend of commercial sales, product development, and operational execution. You need to be equally comfortable charming a buyer, negotiating a quote with an overseas supplier, and getting a tax code right on an invoice. Attention to detail is non-negotiable. A single wrong SKU, currency, or missed booking deadline can bounce an invoice or delay a shipment. If you are commercially sharp, operationally precise, highly responsive, and genuinely enthusiastic about using AI in your daily workflow, this role is a strong fit.Why You'll Want to JoinYou will be paid in USD (bi-monthly: every 15th and 30th)Paid Time Off in accordance with company policyObservance of Holidays per company guidelines100% remote setup so you can work wherever you're most productiveThis role requires availability during UK business hoursOwn a substantial, multi-region wholesale revenue line with direct impact on business growthWork inside a lean, AI-first company with a strong consumer brand and a growing global retail footprintWhat You'll Work OnNew Business Development and OutreachConsistently reach out to new retail buyers and wholesale contacts by email week in and week out, working to a target of dozens of fresh contacts per weekBuild and maintain a structured prospect pipeline and outreach tracker across Hot, Warm, Cold, Stalled, and Won stagesShare product catalogues tailored to each buyer's vertical and encourage sample requests, coordinating production, labelling, and delivery through to buyer feedbackFollow up relentlessly so no warm lead ever goes coldTarget and open at least two significant new retail accounts per year across the UK, EU, and USARetail Buyer and Account ManagementOwn day-to-day relationships across a portfolio of established retail accounts spanning major off-price chains, department stores, book and gift retailers, specialty retailers, and online wholesale marketplaces across multiple regionsPresent card, gift bag, gift wrap, puzzle, notebook, and colouring book ranges to buyers proactively and in response to buyer briefsAdapt communication and range strategy to each buyer's calendar, price architecture, and ordering patternsManage multi-country and multi-banner accounts with separate order streams, specs, and requirements per retailerProduct Development and Design BriefingTake buyer requests and market opportunities and brief the design team with clear specs, sizing, mock-ups, and referencesBuild catalogue and range presentations, mark up mock-ups, and approve production templates and physical samples before bulk productionDrive new product development into the wholesale range and spot new category opportunitiesManage seasonal design pipelines to strict timelines so samples are ready for buyer review well ahead of each buying seasonSupplier Sourcing, Quotes, and NegotiationWork with and get quotes from suppliers in China and the UK and source new suppliers when neededNegotiate and confirm pricing on each order accounting for quantity, special finishes, and exchange ratesManage supplier deposits and balance payments and maintain responsive communication across time zonesSource new factories against quality and ethical standards including valid ethical audit certification such as BSCI, SMETA, or WRAPUnit Economics, Pricing, and MarginCalculate the true landed cost and margin of every product and order, layering in logistics, freight, forwarder charges, duties, labels, and packagingValidate every supplier quote against the margin model before confirming an orderPresent numbers, margin, and recommendations to the CEO clearly so commercial decisions can be made quicklyOrder Processing and Purchase Order ManagementReview purchase orders from buyers the moment they arrive, checking SKU codes, agreed prices, currency, quantities, and delivery and cancel dates before processingHandle multi-part and multi-destination purchase orders and sequence order flow correctly when multiple POs land togetherComplete sales orders and reconcile linked purchase orders in the order and inventory systemEnsure every shipment is correctly invoiced and nothing ships un-invoicedLogistics, Freight, and Retailer ComplianceBook freight to strict, KPI-tracked deadlines across multiple freight forwarder and retailer portalsManage export documentation and proof of delivery, matching shipping documents to the correct orders before invoicingOwn retailer compliance including submitting supplier a