Director of Operations

Miami, FL (Relocation Expected)

Our client is a highly profitable, well-established manufacturer and direct-to-consumer e-commerce company specializing in fragrance oils and related products. Generating approximately $18 million in annual revenue, the business has built an exceptional reputation within its niche through premium products, operational efficiency, and a loyal customer base. While the majority of revenue is driven through its thriving e-commerce platform, the company also services select strategic wholesale and commercial accounts.

With approximately 55 employees worldwide—including 45 based at its Miami headquarters and 10 overseas—the business has reached an exciting inflection point. Years of consistent success have created a strong operational foundation, but continued growth now requires a dedicated executive leader capable of transforming a founder-led operation into a scalable, process-driven organization.

This is not a maintenance role. It is an opportunity to become the operational leader of an already successful company and build the infrastructure necessary for its next chapter of growth.

The owners are looking for a true operator—someone who thrives on execution, accountability, and building organizations that scale. You'll assume full responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the business, allowing ownership to transition away from operational oversight and focus exclusively on strategic growth and revenue generation.

Success in this role means creating structure without bureaucracy, improving efficiency without sacrificing quality, and building an organization capable of supporting substantial future growth.

You'll oversee every aspect of operations, ensuring production, fulfillment, inventory, warehousing, logistics, and internal teams operate as one highly efficient machine. This executive will have the autonomy and authority to evaluate existing processes, implement new systems, introduce automation where appropriate, and establish the operational discipline required to support the company's next stage of growth.

This is an execution-first leadership role. Strategy matters—but only if you can turn it into measurable results.

What You'll Own

• Full operational leadership across manufacturing, production, packaging, fulfillment, warehousing, inventory management, purchasing, and logistics.

• Leadership, development, and accountability for approximately 55 employees across domestic and international teams.

• End-to-end manufacturing performance, including production planning, quality, throughput, labor efficiency, and capacity planning.

• Warehouse operations, inventory control, shipping, fulfillment, and order accuracy within a high-volume e-commerce environment.

• Continuous improvement initiatives focused on increasing productivity, reducing waste, improving margins, and maximizing operational efficiency.

• Development and implementation of scalable SOPs, KPIs, reporting structures, and operational best practices.

• Evaluation and implementation of ERP, WMS, automation, robotics, and other technologies that improve operational performance.

• Cross-functional leadership across production, finance, purchasing, administration, creative, customer operations, and fulfillment.

• Budget management, workforce planning, operational reporting, and overall business profitability.

• Building an operational culture centered around accountability, continuous improvement, ownership, and execution.

What We're Looking For

• Extensive leadership experience within a manufacturing environment (required).
• Proven success overseeing production facilities, plant operations, manufacturing teams, or similarly complex operational environments.
• Strong understanding of warehouse management, fulfillment, inventory control, logistics, and supply chain operations.
• Demonstrated experience building, scaling, or transforming manufacturing, distribution, or fulfillment operations through process design, systems implementation, and operational excellence.
• Experience implementing or optimizing ERP, WMS, MES, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, automation, robotics, or other operational systems that improve efficiency, throughput, quality, and scalability.
• Track record of developing standardized processes, SOPs, KPIs, reporting structures, and operational infrastructure that enable organizations to scale efficiently.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams while driving accountability, continuous improvement, and measurable operational results.
• Comfortable operating in an entrepreneurial, founder-led environment where you'll have broad ownership, make decisions quickly, and balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution.

Highly Preferred Experience

Candidates with experience in fragrance manufacturing, flavors, specialty chemicals, cosmetics, personal care products, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or other process manufacturing environments will stand out immediately.

We're especially interested in leaders who have helped build or transform world-class manufacturing, distribution, or fulfillment operations. Experience implementing automation, operational systems, warehouse infrastructure, process improvements, Lean initiatives, robotics, ERP/WMS platforms, or large-scale operational transformations is highly valued.

Backgrounds from organizations recognized for operational excellence are particularly attractive, including:

• Amazon
• Chewy
• UPS
• FedEx
• DHL
• Procter & Gamble
• PepsiCo
• Unilever
• Nestlé
• Johnson & Johnson
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
• Givaudan
• Symrise
• Takasago
• Robertet
• Agilex Fragrances
• Phoenix Flavours & Fragrances
• Alpha Aromatics

Ideal Profile

This opportunity is ideal for someone who has already demonstrated success leading complex manufacturing or distribution operations and is ready to take full ownership of an organization's operational performance.

You may currently be a:

• Director of Operations seeking broader executive ownership.
• Vice President of Operations looking for a more entrepreneurial environment.
• Plant Manager who has expanded beyond the production floor into broader operational leadership.
• Senior Fulfillment, Distribution, or Operations Leader from a large-scale organization who has successfully built systems, implemented operational improvements, and driven transformational change within a manufacturing or production environment.
• COO who enjoys building companies rather than simply maintaining them.

The ideal candidate thinks like an owner, leads from the front, and knows how to build the systems, processes, and operational infrastructure that allow a successful business to scale to the next level.

Compensation

• Base Salary: $250,000 - $350,000 (commensurate with experience)
• Performance-based bonus
• Executive-level leadership role with significant autonomy and influence over the future direction of the company

Location

• Miami, Florida
• Relocation is expected for candidates outside the area.