Director of Operations

This role is a new addition to our expanding U.S. business and will be responsible for building and leading our Program Management function as we enter a significant growth phase. In particular, this position will oversee our work with our client, a leading innovator in the vape industry, and the execution of a large-scale, nationwide program. We are scaling a direct, in-person consumer acquisition program in partnership with our client, placing highly trained Product Specialists in key retail and 21+ venues to educate qualifying adult consumers on the product and enroll them into a 30-day trial to drive adoption. This is the senior Central Operations lead role, responsible for coordinating between HQ and in-field teams. The remit is twofold: (1) lead the operational rollout of new initiatives and projects, and (2) support in-market teams to deliver day-to-day execution with excellence. The role is approximately 70% central program leadership and 30% in-market operational support/issue resolution. Key Accountabilities Central Operations Leadership • Own operational performance for the U.S. program, ensuring systems, processes, and tools are in place for field teams to succeed. • Oversee daytoday execution via indirect management of inmarket operations teams; implement and audit bestinclass execution standards. • Manage logistics, inventory, and equipment to ensure quality, readiness, and continuity of service. • Define, track, and improve KPIs across sales, service, cost, and compliance. • Lead the design, project planning, implementation, and handover of new initiatives that enhance the program. • Manage central communications to the field, ensuring clear, timely, and relevant updates; act as gatekeeper for internal program communications. • Own operational cost controls and ensure contract compliance with suppliers and operational partners. In-Market Operations Management • Support and monitor inmarket operations to ensure daily activities meet required standards. • Ensure the right equipment, uniforms, technology, stock, and marketing materials are in the right place at the right time. • Oversee logistics facilities to balance cost efficiency with servicelevel expectations. • Improve stock forecasting, planning, and availability processes. • Partner with Finance (internal and clientside) to ensure accurate commercial tracking and reporting. • Provide escalation support to field teams for operational issues. Compliance Management • Implement and manage effective controls and compliance checks across the program to ensure bestinclass performance. • Lead audits, store visit regimes, and continuousimprovement initiatives to align delivery with client objectives. • Develop KPIs and reporting tools to monitor adherence to operational, regulatory, and brand standards. • Create and maintain operational SOPs, training materials, incident reporting, and escalation processes. Operations Program Management • Lead endtoend delivery of oneoff and projectbased initiatives, ensuring proper planning, stakeholder alignment, and field adoption. • Provide regular status updates, risks, and mitigation plans to leadership. Transition completed projects to in-market teams with clear handover and ownership. People Leadership • Directly manage Operations Project Managers and indirectly support inmarket operations teams. • Set clear objectives, coach, and develop team members; promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. • Act as the senior operations representative with our client, a leading innovator in the vape industry, and with Agile Retail’s internal teams. • Partner crossfunctionally with People, Commercial, Field Sales, and market teams to align on priorities and resolve operational challenges. Requirements: • 10+ years’ experience leading largescale field, retail, or activation programs in the U.S., ideally across multiple states. • Comfortable operating in a fastpaced, scaling environment, balancing strategic planning with handson problem solving. • Strong compliance and process orientation, with a track record of building operational rigor. • Excellent stakeholder management and commercial acumen; able to communicate budgets, timelines, and performance succinctly. • Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence, inspire, and manage through others. • Comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change in a growing organization. Apply tot his job