Wholesale and Operations Manager

We're looking for a **Wholesale and Operations Lead** to own the entire wholesale function end to end for a fast-moving, design-led greeting cards and gifting brand. This is the single most important operational hire in the business. You will manage existing retail accounts across the UK, EU, USA, Canada, and Australia, open new ones, develop product with the design team, source and negotiate with suppliers, process orders, book freight, invoice buyers, and forecast revenue — all while using AI tools daily to work faster and to a higher standard. This is a rare blend of commercial sales, product development, and operational execution. You need to be equally comfortable charming a buyer, negotiating a quote with an overseas supplier, and getting a tax code right on an invoice. Attention to detail is non-negotiable. A single wrong SKU, currency, or missed booking deadline can bounce an invoice or delay a shipment. If you are commercially sharp, operationally precise, highly responsive, and genuinely enthusiastic about using AI in your daily workflow, this role is a strong fit. ### Why You'll Want to Join - You will be paid in **USD** (bi-monthly: every 15th and 30th) - **Paid Time Off** in accordance with company policy - Observance of **Holidays** per company guidelines - **100% remote setup** so you can work wherever you're most productive - This role requires availability during **UK business hours** - Own a substantial, multi-region wholesale revenue line with direct impact on business growth - Work inside a lean, AI-first company with a strong consumer brand and a growing global retail footprint ### What You'll Work On **New Business Development and Outreach** - Consistently reach out to new retail buyers and wholesale contacts by email week in and week out, working to a target of dozens of fresh contacts per week - Build and maintain a structured prospect pipeline and outreach tracker across Hot, Warm, Cold, Stalled, and Won stages - Share product catalogues tailored to each buyer's vertical and encourage sample requests, coordinating production, labelling, and delivery through to buyer feedback - Follow up relentlessly so no warm lead ever goes cold - Target and open at least two significant new retail accounts per year across the UK, EU, and USA **Retail Buyer and Account Management** - Own day-to-day relationships across a portfolio of established retail accounts spanning major off-price chains, department stores, book and gift retailers, specialty retailers, and online wholesale marketplaces across multiple regions - Present card, gift bag, gift wrap, puzzle, notebook, and colouring book ranges to buyers proactively and in response to buyer briefs - Adapt communication and range strategy to each buyer's calendar, price architecture, and ordering patterns - Manage multi-country and multi-banner accounts with separate order streams, specs, and requirements per retailer **Product Development and Design Briefing** - Take buyer requests and market opportunities and brief the design team with clear specs, sizing, mock-ups, and references - Build catalogue and range presentations, mark up mock-ups, and approve production templates and physical samples before bulk production - Drive new product development into the wholesale range and spot new category opportunities - Manage seasonal design pipelines to strict timelines so samples are ready for buyer review well ahead of each buying season **Supplier Sourcing, Quotes, and Negotiation** - Work with and get quotes from suppliers in China and the UK and source new suppliers when needed - Negotiate and confirm pricing on each order accounting for quantity, special finishes, and exchange rates - Manage supplier deposits and balance payments and maintain responsive communication across time zones - Source new factories against quality and ethical standards including valid ethical audit certification such as BSCI, SMETA, or WRAP **Unit Economics, Pricing, and Margin** - Calculate th…