Merchandise Operations Manager

Position Overview:
The Manager of Merchandise Operations serves as the operational right hand to the Senior Manager, Retail, overseeing all merchandise and back of house functions including receiving, replenishment, warehouse operations, inventory accuracy, stock movement, and staffing. This role ensures seamless product flow, operational excellence, and strong partnership with the front of house leadership team to drive overall store performance.

The Manager, Merchandise Operations leads all BOH associate managers, supervisors, leads, and ambassadors while playing a critical role in maintaining store readiness, operational compliance, guest experience quality, and labor productivity.

Primary Responsibilities / Accountabilities

Back of House Leadership

• Oversee all BOH operational functions including receiving, tagging, stocking, replenishment, cycle counts, organization, and damage processing.

• Ensure all receiving and replenishment activities follow established timeframes which support the visual merchandising standards.

• Lead BOH scheduling, labor planning, and daily task assignment across all warehouse, stockroom, and replenishment teams.

• Maintain organized, efficient, and safety compliant stockrooms, warehouse spaces, and receiving areas.

• Ensure accurate and timely receiving of all merchandise, including verification of units, prices, tagging, and system processing.

• Oversee the management of Island Pacific, ensuring all replenishment system settings-including triggers, minimums, maximums, and automated workflows-are accurately maintained to support timely and efficient product replenishment.

• Oversee all product movement across multiple locations-including warehouse to store and store to warehouse transfers-ensuring the sales floor is fully replenished and at 100% readiness by store opening each day.

• Maintain constant partnership with Visual Leadership while responding immediately to product needs, fill requests, or emerging inventory gaps.

• Monitor and manage inventory integrity including shrink mitigation, cycle counting, and annual inventory preparation and execution for both store and warehouse operation.

• Oversee the recruitment, hiring, training, and development of all BOH managers, supervisors, leads, and associates to ensure the team is fully staffed, capable, and aligned with operational expectations.

• Provide coaching, feedback, and skill building to drive efficiency across all BOH operations, ensuring productivity goals, accuracy standards, and process expectations are consistently met.

• Ensure all BOH employees adhere to safety, equipment, operational, and compliance policies by overseeing training completion, enforcing accountability, and monitoring ongoing execution.

• Champion and oversee a culture of collaboration, accountability, and teamwork between BOH and FOH teams, ensuring communication channels remain open and operational needs are met in real time.

• Oversee all warehouse safety practices, ensuring proper training and certification for forklifts, pallet jacks, warehouse trucks, and any required state or local compliance.

• Ensure BOH adherence to corporate SOPs, including equipment use, data integrity, inventory accuracy, and required safety standards.

• Maintain a safe work environment through consistent PPE use, OSHA compliance, KOSMOS, and routine safety checks.

• Investigate safety incidents, operational errors, and inventory variances, ensuring corrective actions are taken to prevent recurrence.

• Partner closely with the Senior Manager, Retail, and Associate Store Managers to ensure operational priorities align with business goals and guest experience standards.

• Communicate proactively with merchandising, marketing, and front of house leaders regarding product needs, shortages, overstocks, and business impacting inventory trends.

• Serve as Manager on Duty (MOD) when required, overseeing full store operations and supporting FOH leadership.

• Back of House Operations Expertise: Strong operational knowledge of receiving, replenishment, inventory control, stock movement, and warehouse efficiency.

• Inventory Management: Ability to execute cycle counts, reconcile variances, manage stock levels, and use inventory systems.

• Leadership & People Development: Demonstrated ability to coach, motivate, and develop hourly associates, leads, and supervisors.

• Safety & Risk Management: Knowledge of warehouse safety standards, equipment operation, and compliance requirements.

• Cross Functional Communication: Ability to collaborate effectively across store leadership, merchandising, and corporate partners.

• Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills to diagnose operational issues, identify root causes, and implement solutions.

• 3-5 years of retail or warehouse operations experience, preferably in high volume or experiential retail.

• Minimum 2 years of people leadership experience supervising hourly teams.

• Experience with inventory systems, warehouse equipment, and stockroom best practices.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• HS Diploma or equivalent required.

• Ability to walk/stand for extended periods (8-10 hours).

• Ability to lift, push, and pull up to 50 lbs frequently.

• Regular bending, kneeling, and climbing ladders or stairs.

• Ability to operate warehouse equipment where required.