Operations Manager
Salary: £30,000-£35,000
Role: Full-time
Holiday: 30 Days + 8 Bank Holidays
Company: QWERTY Gifts
Location: UK / Hybrid
Help Build the UK's Next Great Gifting Company
QWERTY is at a pivotal moment.
Over the last few years, we've built a profitable gifting business with more than £1 million in annual revenue. Now we're entering our next chapter: transforming from a successful niche business into a modern gifting company with ambitions to grow to £5 million and beyond.
We're investing in AI, building smarter systems, expanding our product range and creating a business designed to scale.
To do that, we need exceptional people.
We're looking for an Operations Manager who wants far more than a typical 9-5. Someone who is ambitious, commercially minded and excited by the opportunity to build something meaningful.
This isn't about finding someone who already knows every aspect of operations. It's about finding someone who is hungry to learn, thrives on responsibility and wants to play a major role in building a high-growth business.
You'll work directly with the founders, take ownership from day one and have the opportunity to shape the future of the company as it grows.
If you're looking for a role where your career can grow as quickly as the business does, we'd love to hear from you.
The Role
We're looking for an ambitious Operations Manager to take ownership of the day-to-day operational engine of QWERTY.
Working directly with the founders, you'll be responsible for ensuring we have the right stock, in the right place, at the right time, and that orders reach our customers efficiently and accurately.
This is a hands-on role with significant responsibility from day one, covering three core areas:
Supply Chain & Stock
- Manage stock procurement and purchasing
- Negotiate with suppliers
- Plan stock requirements around forecasts, seasonality and promotions
- Maintain appropriate stock levels and identify shortages or overstock
- Manage supplier relationships, pricing, lead times and MOQs
- Coordinate inbound deliveries into our 3PL
- Do monthly visits to Newcastle-based warehouse
- Maintain accurate inventory records
- Support new product launches and peak trading periods
Fulfilment & Order Management
- Own the day-to-day relationship with our 3PL
- Monitor fulfilment accuracy, dispatch times and service levels
- Resolve fulfilment issues and improve recurring problems
- Oversee D2C order flows across our sales channels
- Manage trade, corporate and wholesale orders through to delivery
- Coordinate stock movements and inbound deliveries
- Ensure new products and SKUs are correctly set up for fulfilment
Customer Success
- Oversee our customer support team
- Manage escalated customer issues
- Monitor refunds, replacements, delivery issues and recurring complaints
- Work with the customer support team to identify the root causes of customer problems and improve the processes behind them
Improving How We Operate
Running the day-to-day operation is only part of the role. We want someone who is constantly looking for ways to make QWERTY better.
You'll help us:
- Build and improve operational processes
- Develop useful operational KPIs
- Reduce fulfilment errors and unnecessary costs
- Improve stock availability and inventory efficiency
- Use AI, automation and technology to eliminate repetitive work
- Plan effectively for Q4 and other peak periods
- Build an operational function capable of supporting a much larger business
What We're Looking For
We're looking for someone organised, commercially minded and comfortable taking ownership.
Experience in operations, supply chain, e-commerce, stock management or 3PL fulfilment would be valuable, but we're more interested in your potential than finding someone who has already done this exact role.
You'll ideally be:
- Highly organised with strong attention to detail
- Comfortable working with numbers and spreadsheets
- A proactive problem solver
- Confident managing suppliers and external partners
- Commercially aware and conscious of costs
- Comfortable taking responsibility and making decisions
- Excited by technology, AI and automation
- Ambitious and keen to grow alongside the business
Experience with Shopify, Amazon, e-commerce marketplaces, inventory systems, warehouse management systems (Mintsoft) or gifting/FMCG would be useful, but isn't essential.
What We Value
At QWERTY, we believe great businesses are built by great people. Qualifications and experience matter, but we care even more about how you think, how you approach challenges and the attitude you bring every day.
We hire for attitude over experience
We don't expect you to know everything on day one. We'd rather hire someone with the drive to learn than someone who has done the same job for years but has stopped growing.
We take ownership
If something needs doing, we don't wait for someone else to fix it. We take responsibility, find solutions and see things through.
We have a bias for action
We're building a business, not writing endless plans. We move quickly, make informed decisions and continuously improve along the way.
We embrace AI and technology
We're building an AI-native business. We constantly look for better ways to work using technology, automation and AI to eliminate repetitive tasks and create more time for work that matters.
We never stop improving
Whether it's a process, product or ourselves, we believe there's always a better way. Curiosity, feedback and continuous learning are part of how we operate.
We put the customer first
Every decision should ultimately create a better experience for our customers. Operational excellence exists to deliver exceptional gifting experiences.
We think commercially
Every decision has a financial impact. We treat company money as if it were our own and consider profitability alongside growth.
We stay calm under pressure
Peak trading, supplier issues and unexpected challenges are part of a growing business. We remain composed, prioritise effectively and focus on solving problems.
We build for the long term
We're not trying to build a business that's simply bigger. We're building one that's smarter, more efficient and recognised as one of the UK's leading gifting companies. We're looking for people who want to help shape that journey.
You Don't Need to Tick Every Box
We don't expect you to have done this exact job before.
If you're ambitious, curious, accountable and excited by the opportunity to help build a business from £1 million to £5 million, we'd encourage you to apply.
Some of the very best people don't have the \"perfect\" CV. They simply have the mindset, drive and determination to figure things out.
If that sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.
