Business Operations Specialist (Supply Chain & Logistics)

As a Business Operations Specialist, you will play a critical role in supporting an early-stage food and beverage startup as it prepares to scale its retail distribution. You'll work closely with the founders to coordinate the company's supply chain operations across procurement, manufacturing, logistics, inventory, and fulfillment, ensuring products move efficiently from suppliers through to customers.

This role is ideal for someone who combines strong operational ownership with excellent organization, communication, and problem-solving skills. Rather than functioning as a traditional operations coordinator, you'll act as the hands-on operational owner for day-to-day supply chain execution—bringing structure to procurement, purchase orders, production schedules, inventory planning, and logistics while building scalable processes in an environment where the operational backbone is still being established.

Your success as a Business Operations Specialist will be defined by your ability to keep supply chain operations running reliably, maintain inventory availability, and take ownership of the operational details that allow the founders to focus on growing the business.

Supply Chain Operations

• Coordinate ingredient procurement and manufacturing schedules to ensure production stays on track.
• Manage purchase orders, supplier timelines, and procurement requirements.
• Track production milestones from raw ingredients through finished goods.
• Coordinate freight movements, shipment schedules, and delivery timelines.
• Work closely with co-manufacturers and external vendors to ensure products are produced and delivered on time.

Inventory & Fulfillment

• Monitor inventory levels across manufacturing, warehouse, and fulfillment locations.
• Support demand planning and inventory replenishment to maintain product availability.
• Coordinate with 3PL partners to ensure timely and accurate order fulfillment.
• Maintain accurate inventory records and operational documentation.
• Identify potential inventory shortages, delays, or fulfillment issues and escalate them proactively.

Operational Process Management

• Build and document operational workflows as the company scales.
• Identify process bottlenecks and recommend practical improvements.
• Maintain and improve SOPs, supply chain documentation, and operational records.
• Establish reliable processes for procurement, production, inventory, and logistics coordination.
• Ensure critical operational deadlines are consistently met across suppliers and logistics partners.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary operational contact for manufacturers, suppliers, freight providers, warehouses, and logistics partners.
• Coordinate across multiple external stakeholders to keep production and fulfillment moving efficiently.
• Maintain clear and timely communication around orders, timelines, requirements, and changes.
• Track outstanding actions and follow up to ensure commitments are met.
• Identify and escalate operational risks early while keeping founders informed of issues and potential solutions.

AI & Operational Efficiency

• Utilize AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude to streamline operational workflows.
• Leverage AI for documentation, planning, communication, research, and operational analysis.
• Identify repetitive operational tasks that can be automated or improved through AI.
• Continuously experiment with tools and workflows that improve operational efficiency and execution quality.

You'll work closely with the founders, manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, freight providers, warehouses, and 3PL partners, acting as the operational owner responsible for keeping supply chain activities coordinated and ensuring products move efficiently from procurement through fulfillment.

At Oceans Talent, you'll also receive guidance and support from your Operations Manager, who will help you succeed in the role and ensure that you're continuously growing and developing in your career.

At Oceans Talent, we believe in T-shaped individuals—those who bring deep expertise in one area paired with broad curiosity across the business. As a Business Operations Specialist, your vertical focus will be on supply chain operations, procurement, inventory, and logistics execution, while your horizontal focus includes process improvement, analytics, stakeholder management, and AI-powered operational efficiency.

To excel in this role, you should have:

• 3+ years of hands-on experience in supply chain, procurement, operations, logistics, or related roles involving physical products, ideally within CPG, Food & Beverage, retail, or other inventory-based industries.
• Strong practical understanding of procurement, purchase orders, manufacturing coordination, freight, logistics, and 3PL operations.
• Experience monitoring inventory, coordinating replenishment, maintaining accurate records, and supporting demand planning or forecasting.
• Proven ability to independently coordinate manufacturers, suppliers, freight providers, warehouses, and other external partners.
• Ability to build, document, and improve operational workflows and SOPs in environments where processes are still being developed.
• Strong sense of ownership with the ability to manage multiple operational priorities, follow through on commitments, and identify issues without waiting for direction.
• Strong familiarity with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or similar platforms, with the ability to integrate AI into daily operational workflows.
• Excellent written English and strong communication skills, with the ability to coordinate clearly and professionally with founders and external stakeholders.
• Experience in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food & Beverage, manufacturing, retail operations, or another physical-product environment is strongly preferred.

During the interview process, you'll have the opportunity to showcase your skills in the following areas:

• Supply Chain & Procurement: How you manage purchasing, supplier coordination, production timelines, and physical product movement.
• Inventory & Fulfillment: How you monitor inventory, support replenishment, and coordinate fulfillment across warehouses and 3PL partners.
• Operational Problem Solving: How you identify bottlenecks, respond to operational issues, and implement practical solutions.
• Vendor & Stakeholder Management: How you coordinate multiple external partners, communicate proactively, and maintain accountability.
• Process Improvement & Organization: How you build structure, document workflows, and manage competing operational priorities.
• AI-Enabled Operations & Ownership: How you use AI to improve operational efficiency and independently drive work forward in an ambiguous environment.