Associate Director Operations Jobs in New Jersey

This role will be based in the newly established Wild office in Manhattan.

JOB PURPOSE
We are looking for a highly skilled and proactive Associate Director, Operations (US) to lead our fulfilment operations across the United States. This is a critical role responsible for delivering excellent customer experience, retail service performance and cost efficiency as we continue to scale rapidly in Wild's fastest growing market.
You will own operational performance across DTC, Amazon and major US Retailers (Walmart & Target) and act as the senior partner to our US 3PL and logistics network. You will combine strategic planning with hands-on operational leadership - ensuring our operations are scalable, efficient and consistently high-performing.
You will lead a team of 2 and play a key role in shaping how Operations scales in the US, a key growth market for Wild. This is a high-impact role for someone who loves execution, structured problem solving and commercial operational thinking.
You'll be part of a team that believes in doing work that matters - for people and the planet.
Because here, we don't just hire for jobs. We invite you to be part of something bigger.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Operational excellence
Own US end-to-end fulfilment and logistics execution across DTC, Amazon and Retail channels
Deliver consistently strong performance across OTIF, dispatch SLAs, carrier delivery and inventory accuracy (DTC), and ensure timely execution of display builds / pipefills, reduce chargebacks and improve on-shelf availability metrics (Retail)
Define regional customer experience strategy and lead systemic improvements to drive customer delight
Set performance standards and engage in regular business reviews with the Ops team and 3PL partners
Relationship management
Run structured SLA reviews and QBRs, holding partners accountable to performance expectations and contractual commitments
Drive a continuous improvement culture across partners, setting clear KPIs and action plans
Primary escalation point and strategic relationship owner with US suppliers / logistics partners
Commercial and P&L ownership
Ownership of US fulfilment KPIs across the P&L and balance sheet
Lead negotiations with logistics partners
Identify and execute against key margin improvement opportunities across the value chain
Continuous process improvement
Work closely with the wider operations team to build scalable operational processes, automation and efficiency
Implement tooling upgrades enhancing performance visibility and decision-making
Drive operational simplification to enable rapid US growth - key is to reduce reliance on manual processes and build scale with a lean team
Strategic projects and launch leadership
Lead major cross-functional projects (new retailer expansion, new channels, retail pipefill / display moments) and ensure strong launch execution and service performance
Proactively manage risk, communication, dependencies and delivery plans
Align supply chain/ops readiness with commercial priorities
Lead and coordinate the local US rollout of global strategic initiatives, and manage dependencies across Supply Chain, Retail, Tech, Finance and CX
Supply chain coordination
Work closely with global supply planning teams to minimise out-of-stocks and ensure good stock availability and inventory health
Ensure replenishment planning meets demand across all sales channels
Lead procurement efforts in line with the global procurement strategy
Work with the global quality team to manage product quality and production process issues with US suppliers
Team leadership
Lead and develop a high-performing US Ops team (Ops Manager, Ops Exec)
Build a high-performance team culture grounded in continuous improvement, proactive problem solving and commercial awareness
Support organizational growth through hiring, coaching and capability building
Set clear accountability, coaching and development plans
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
7+ years experience in US Operations / Fulfilment leadership roles
Deep Walmart & Target fulfilment experience including vendor compliance
Proven track record leading 3PL relationships and logistics performance
Strong financial acumen with P&L accountability
Experience in high-growth, omni-channel consumer brands (beauty/personal care ideal) with proven experience managing relationships and performance for large retailers in the US.
Ability to operate both strategically and hands-on in a scaling environment
Excellent partner management and clear executive-level communication skills
Strong people leader - able to coach, motivate and develop teams

Pay: The pay range for this position is $146,200 to $219,400. Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.

Bonus: This position is bonus eligible.

Long-Term Incentive (LTI): This position is LTI eligible.

Benefits: Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan. Should the employee choose to participate, they can choose from a range of benefits to include, but is not limited to, health insurance (including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage), retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, as well as access to numerous voluntary benefits. Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

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