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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for E-commerce Operations Manager

💰 $ - $

OperationsE-commerceSupply ChainLogisticsMarketplace Management

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking an experienced E-commerce Operations Manager to lead end-to-end online order fulfillment, inventory and marketplace operations, logistics partnerships, and cross-functional process optimization. The ideal candidate is data-driven, comfortable with ERP/WMS systems and marketplace platforms (Amazon Seller Central, Shopify, ChannelAdvisor), and experienced managing vendor relationships, SLAs, and operational KPIs to drive margin, on-time fulfillment, and superior customer experience.

Key SEO & LLM keywords: E-commerce Operations Manager, ecommerce operations, inventory management, fulfillment, marketplace management, logistics, WMS, ERP, Amazon Seller Central, Shopify, P&L, KPIs, SLAs, returns management, order-to-cash.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • E-commerce Coordinator / E-commerce Specialist with 1–3 years of operational experience.
  • Operations Supervisor or Fulfillment Supervisor in a retail or distribution center.
  • Supply Chain Analyst or Inventory Planner with marketplace exposure.

Advancement To:

  • Head of E-commerce Operations / Senior E-commerce Operations Manager.
  • Director of E-commerce / Director of Online Merchandising & Operations.
  • VP of Operations or VP of E-commerce & Marketplaces (P&L responsibility).

Lateral Moves:

  • Marketplace Manager / Marketplace Growth Lead.
  • Logistics Manager / Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Program Manager.
  • Customer Experience Operations Manager (order-to-cash & reverse logistics focus).

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Own day-to-day ecommerce operations including order-to-fulfillment workflows, coordination with 3PLs, in-house warehouses, and drop-shippers to meet on-time-in-full (OTIF) and fulfillment accuracy targets while optimizing cost-per-order.
  • Develop, monitor and report operational KPIs (order cycle time, fulfillment accuracy, inventory turnover, sell-through, return rate, cost per order, customer satisfaction score) and present weekly/monthly performance reviews to leadership with actionable recommendations.
  • Lead inventory planning and replenishment processes, forecasting demand using historical sales, seasonality, and promotional calendars to minimize stockouts and excess inventory while maintaining target working capital levels.
  • Manage marketplace operations across Amazon (Seller Central & Vendor Central), Walmart, eBay, and DTC platforms (Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce) including listings, pricing rules, advertising coordination, Buy Box strategy, and compliance with marketplace policies.
  • Own P&L accountability for ecommerce operations budget elements (warehousing/3PL spend, shipping, packaging, fulfillment labor, returns, chargebacks) and drive initiatives to improve gross margin and operational efficiency.
  • Design and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), runbooks, and playbooks for receiving, pick/pack/ship, returns processing, and order exception handling to ensure consistent service levels across channels.
  • Implement and manage integrations and workflows between ERP/WMS (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle), order management systems, and marketplace connectors (ChannelAdvisor, Feedonomics, Celigo) to ensure accurate order flow and inventory synchronization.
  • Negotiate and manage logistics and fulfillment vendor contracts (3PLs, carriers, parcel & LTL), including SLA definitions, performance-based KPIs, rate negotiations, and continuous improvement programs to reduce freight spend and transit times.
  • Drive cross-functional projects with marketing, product, finance, and customer service to align promotional planning with inventory availability, pricing, channel allocation, and customer experience metrics.
  • Own returns and reverse logistics strategy including RMA workflows, refurbishment/resell processes, disposition rules, and root-cause analysis to reduce return rate and recoverable value.
  • Lead onboarding, training, and performance management for operations teams and external 3PL partners, setting clear KPIs, coaching on continuous improvement, and establishing escalation processes.
  • Build and execute capacity planning for peak seasons and promotional events (Black Friday, Cyber Week, Prime Day) by modeling volume, staffing, fulfillment queue, and contingency plans to maintain SLA adherence during spikes.
  • Drive process improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma or Kaizen methodologies to reduce pick/pack errors, shorten lead times, and streamline cross-dock and bulk receiving operations.
  • Manage order exception resolution, chargebacks, and customer escalations in partnership with customer support teams to minimize refunds, disputes, and negative feedback while protecting brand reputation.
  • Ensure regulatory compliance for cross-border shipping, import/export documentation, customs tariffs, and taxes when running international ecommerce operations, including duties and IOSS/VAT considerations.
  • Implement fraud detection and prevention controls across payment gateways and marketplace transactions, working with payments and finance teams to reduce chargebacks and protect margins.
  • Oversee packaging and sustainability initiatives—optimize packaging cost, dimensional weight, and material choices to balance shipping cost, damage rate, and brand experience.
  • Coordinate with merchandising and product teams on assortment planning, SKU rationalization, lifecycle management, and product launches to ensure operational readiness and minimize launch issues.
  • Leverage analytics and BI tools (Power BI, Looker, Tableau) and advanced Excel to build dashboards, perform root-cause analysis, and develop predictive models for inventory, shipping, and fulfillment performance.
  • Create and maintain incident management and disaster recovery playbooks for warehouse outages, carrier failures, or integration disruptions to minimize customer impact and financial exposure.
  • Execute SKU-level profitability and landed-cost analysis to inform channel strategies, pricing, and decisions about where to fulfill orders (FBA, FBM, 3PL, DTC).
  • Partner with IT and engineering to prioritize ecommerce operations technical requirements—API improvements, order routing logic, and automation opportunities—to reduce manual work and scale operations.
  • Evaluate and pilot emerging fulfillment models (micro-fulfillment, dark stores, distributed inventory) to shorten delivery windows and improve last-mile economics.
  • Lead continuous vendor performance reviews, including scorecards, quarterly business reviews (QBRs), and corrective action plans to ensure performance improvements and contract compliance.
  • Drive a culture of customer obsession and operational excellence focused on reducing customer friction, improving delivery experience, and increasing repeat purchase rates.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc business and operational data requests from leadership, providing timely analysis and recommendations to inform promotional planning and inventory buys.
  • Coordinate with finance to support month-end close for fulfillment and logistics accruals, ensuring operational spend is accurately reflected in financial reporting.
  • Assist marketing and growth teams with operational input for new channel launches, subscription programs, and international expansion readiness assessments.
  • Contribute to vendor selection and procurement processes for fulfillment technology, packaging suppliers, and logistics partners.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies with cross-functional project teams when implementing new ecommerce tools or integrations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Marketplace operations: Amazon Seller/Vendor Central, Walmart Marketplace, eBay, Etsy, and multichannel connectors (ChannelAdvisor, Feedonomics).
  • Ecommerce platforms: Shopify Plus, Magento/Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce—setup, order flows, and app ecosystem.
  • Order Management & WMS: NetSuite, Oracle, SAP, Manhattan, Fishbowl, or other ERP/WMS platforms; order routing and inventory allocation logic.
  • Fulfillment & Logistics: 3PL management, carrier contract negotiation (parcel, LTL), dimensional weight optimization, and rate shopping tools.
  • Data & Analytics: Advanced Excel, SQL for operational queries, and BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, Looker) to build dashboards and run root-cause analyses.
  • Financial Acumen: P&L management, cost modeling, landed cost calculations, margin optimization, and KPI-driven budgeting.
  • Returns & Reverse Logistics: RMA processes, refurbishment/disposition rules, and returns analytics.
  • Compliance & International Trade: Customs documentation, tariffs, VAT/IOSS, harmonized codes, and import/export logistics.
  • Automation & Integrations: API knowledge, middleware tools (Celigo, MuleSoft), EDI, and experience with order/warehouse automation tools.
  • Fraud & Payments: Payment gateway workflows, chargeback management, and fraud detection tools (Riskified, Signifyd).
  • Customer Experience Tools: Zendesk, Gorgias, or similar for order-related escalations and SLA tracking.
  • Shipping & Last-Mile Tech: ShipStation, Shippo, Shippit, or carrier portals; understanding of last-mile delivery economics and tracking APIs.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership with proven ability to manage distributed teams and external 3PL partners.
  • Analytical mindset with attention to detail and experience turning data into operational improvements.
  • Excellent cross-functional communication—translating technical constraints to marketing, product, and finance stakeholders.
  • Problem-solving orientation; calm under pressure during peak events and operational disruptions.
  • Negotiation skills for vendor and carrier contracts with a commercial mindset.
  • Project management skills, familiar with agile/lean frameworks for continuous delivery and improvements.
  • Customer-centric mindset focused on operational steps that improve experience and retention.
  • Change management capability to implement new processes, tooling, and organizational shifts.
  • Time management and prioritization for juggling competing operational priorities.
  • Coaching and people development skills to grow high-performing operations teams.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Information Systems, or related field.

Preferred Education:

  • MBA, MS in Supply Chain Management, or relevant advanced degree/certification (APICS/CPIM, CSCP, Lean Six Sigma).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Supply Chain Management / Logistics
  • Operations Management
  • Data Analytics / Information Systems
  • E-commerce / Digital Marketing

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–8 years of progressive ecommerce or operations experience, including at least 2–3 years managing teams and/or third-party partners.

Preferred: 7+ years experience in ecommerce operations with direct experience managing marketplaces (Amazon Seller/Vendor), 3PL relationships, P&L responsibilities, and large-scale fulfillment programs. Demonstrated experience with ERP/WMS integrations, BI reporting, and peak season planning.

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