Director, Selection Operational Excellence

Director, Selection Operational Excellence About Coupang Coupang is reimagining the shopping experience with the goal of wowing each customer from the moment they open the Coupang app to the moment an order is delivered to their door. Powered by an end-to-end e-commerce and logistics network and a culture of customer obsession, Coupang has redefined tradeoffs between speed, selection, and price. We provide fast delivery on millions of items, including fresh groceries, delivered within hours nationwide, 365 days a year. South Korea represents one of the most dynamic and fast-growing e-commerce markets globally, and Coupang continues to lead through innovation and operational excellence. Role Overview As Director of Selection Operational Excellence, you will lead the strategy and execution of Coupang’s selection identification and onboarding operations. This role sits at the forefront of the customer experience—defining what products we should sell and ensuring we deliver the most relevant, high-demand, and differentiated selection. You will own a multi-year roadmap, drive data-backed decision making, and build scalable, tech-enabled processes. This is a highly cross-functional leadership role requiring strong business judgment, deep analytical thinking, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders. What You Will Do Selection Strategy & Identification Lead selection identification across multiple retail categories (e.g., Electronics, Home, Consumables, Baby, Sports). Identify non-obvious selection gaps, including variants, bundles, niche brands, and emerging customer demand. Develop data-driven perspectives leveraging customer signals, reviews, trends, and market insights. Translate insights into actionable strategies to improve selection coverage and relevance. Strategic Leadership Define and execute a 2–3 year roadmap for selection planning and onboarding. Partner with Category, Product, Engineering, and Catalog teams to accelerate selection expansion. Align selection strategy with customer experience and broader business goals. Operational Excellence Design and scale SOPs, SLAs, and quality frameworks to ensure consistent and efficient execution. Introduce automation, tooling, and process improvements to reduce defects and manual effort. Establish feedback loops, audits, and continuous improvement mechanisms. Data-Driven Execution Analyze internal metrics and external market trends to identify opportunities and root causes. Drive initiatives that improve catalog quality, onboarding speed, and operational efficiency. Ensure selection decisions are tied to commercial outcomes and customer impact. Stakeholder Management Act as a key influencer across teams, using data-backed insights to challenge assumptions and drive alignment. Present recommendations and strategies clearly and effectively to senior leadership. Team Leadership Build and lead a high-performing organization. Foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement. Mentor leaders and develop strong succession pipelines. Basic Qualifications 10+ years of experience in operations, strategy, e-commerce, retail, or catalog/selection management. Proven experience leading large teams and complex cross-functional initiatives. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset. Demonstrated ability to drive process improvements and measurable business impact. Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. Preferred Qualifications Experience in selection or catalog operations, including SOP/SLA design and process optimization. Familiarity with operational excellence frameworks (e.g., defect detection, feedback loops, automation). Knowledge of AI/ML applications in selection planning or catalog optimization. Experience in global or regional e-commerce environments. Bilingual proficiency in Korean and English preferred. Leadership Qualities Customer Obsession: Deep commitment to improving customer experience through better…