At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead Ffern's operations, ensuring top-notch manufacturing and customer service.
- Company: Join a craft-led luxury fragrance house with high standards.
- Benefits: Enjoy private healthcare, pension contributions, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Embrace challenges and grow in a dynamic, innovative environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by building best-in-class operational systems.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in consumer business operations, strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 120000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a Director of Operations to lead Ffern’s manufacturing and logistics operations and our Customer Service function end-to-end. Ffern is a craft-led, seasonal fragrance house with a complex, high-standards supply chain. This is not a 'keep the lights on' operations role. It is an opportunity to build a best-in-class operations and service function inside a modern luxury business: one that can handle manufacturing complexity, scale thoughtfully, and protect the quality of the customer experience as we grow. This is a hands‑on leadership role.
We’re looking for someone who is as comfortable in the detail as they are leading the bigger picture, someone who can make strong purchasing decisions, run tight operational rhythms, coach and lead teams, improve partner performance, build reporting Finance can trust, and drive continuous improvement across the full operating system.
What you’ll do
- Own physical operations end-to-end: purchasing, inbound, inventory accuracy, 3PL management, fulfilment, returns, and reliability through seasonal peaks, and support the operationalisation of new products.
- Partner with Growth and Finance to forecast physical goods demand, 3PL capacity, and Customer Service demand/workforce requirements.
- Oversee Customer Service as both a world‑class experience and an efficient, well‑instrumented team, including staffing, productivity, AI, tooling, QA, knowledge base, capacity forecasting, and feedback loops into Ops, Product, Brand, and the rest of the business.
- Build Finance‑grade ops reporting, including up‑to‑date COGS, stock counts and reconciliation, cost‑to‑serve, fulfilment and returns metrics, and CS metrics.
- Strengthen supplier performance and relationships, and procurement discipline across cost, quality, reliability, and lead times.
What we’re looking for
Must haves
- A proven operator in a consumer business, ideally DTC/e‑commerce, with strong experience across purchasing, inventory, and 3PL/fulfilment.
- Someone comfortable being hands‑on, with strong judgement across cost, quality, service and cash trade‑offs.
- Strong analytical and reporting capability; able to work closely with Finance and turn operational complexity into clear, reliable decision‑making.
- Extremely comfortable navigating and implementing new software with experience setting up automations using e.g. Claude, n8n etc.
- 8+ years of experience.
Nice to haves
- Customer Service leadership experience.
- Experience of successfully implementing AI in customer service.
- Consulting, analytical and/or strong academic background.
- 12+ years of experience.
If you enjoy hard problems, high standards, and building operational systems that scale without losing craft, we’d love to hear from you.
Benefits
- Private Healthcare – Full private healthcare with Vitality.
- Pension Contribution – We switch the standard pension contributions and offer 5% employer and 3% employee contributions, as a salary sacrifice scheme for tax‑efficient saving.
- Ffern Membership – All team members enrolled onto Ffern ledger, receiving both the EDP and candle each season.
- Annual Leave – 25 days increasing up to 28 days with each additional year of service.
- Flexible Working – 3 days in our London office.
Director of Operations employer: Ffern
Contact Detail:
Ffern Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Operations
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its operations. Understand their supply chain and customer service approach. This will help you showcase how your experience aligns with their needs.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your hands-on leadership style and analytical skills can drive continuous improvement at Ffern. Confidence is key when discussing your fit for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Ffern team.
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Director of Operations. Highlight your experience in consumer businesses, especially in DTC/e-commerce, and showcase your hands-on leadership style. We want to see how you've tackled complex operations before!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about building best-in-class operations and how your skills align with our high standards. Don't forget to mention any relevant experience with AI and customer service – we love that stuff!
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role requires strong analytical capabilities, make sure to include examples of how you've turned operational complexity into clear decision-making. We want to see your ability to build reliable reporting that Finance can trust!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows us you're keen to join the Ffern family!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ffern
✨Know Your Operations Inside Out
Make sure you understand the intricacies of operations management, especially in a consumer business like Ffern. Brush up on your knowledge of purchasing, inventory management, and 3PL fulfilment. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled similar challenges in the past.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your analytical capabilities. Bring examples of how you've turned operational complexity into clear, actionable insights. Highlight any experience you have with finance-grade reporting and how it has influenced decision-making in your previous roles.
✨Emphasise Hands-On Leadership
This role requires a hands-on approach, so be prepared to share specific instances where you've led teams through operational challenges. Discuss your coaching style and how you empower your team to achieve high standards while maintaining quality.
✨Familiarity with Tech and Automation
Since the role involves implementing new software and automations, make sure to mention any relevant experience you have with tools like Claude or n8n. Talk about how you've used technology to improve efficiency and customer service in your previous positions.