About the Role
Our client, a consumer brand wholesaler and part of an established international group, is the U.S. distributor for a premium micronutrient supplement brand, along with a smaller secondary product line. Most of the consumer business runs through Amazon, alongside a DTC website and a small number of wholesale retail partners.
The company is looking for a hands-on, commercially minded operator to own the day-to-day performance of this business. This is a turnaround role, not a brand-building role: the priority is to protect and win back the existing customer base on Amazon, run the channel profitably, and return the department to profitability. You will be the operational lead of a deliberately lean team, with Finance and After Sales provided by shared internal teams.
This role suits someone who likes owning the numbers, is energized by fixing things, prefers doing the work themselves to managing large teams, and is comfortable with a role that spans sales, finance, and supply chain. You will report to the Managing Director.
Key Responsibilities
Amazon & eCommerce Sales (about 50% of the role)
- Own Amazon performance end to end, with a focus on retaining and reactivating existing and repeat customers (Subscribe & Save, reorder rates, customer lifetime value)
- Manage advertising for profitability, setting and holding targets for ACoS/TACoS and contribution margin
- Keep listings, pricing, inventory availability, and account health in good standing; set goals for the Amazon agency partner and hold them accountable for results
- Plan and run key retail events (Prime Day, Black Friday/Cyber Monday) with clear budgets and post-event analysis
- Oversee the DTC website and other online channels so they complement rather than cannibalize Amazon
- Maintain and grow existing wholesale and retail accounts
Budgets, Forecasting & Financial Performance
- Build the annual channel budget and monthly forecasts with the Finance team
- Track P&L drivers by channel and SKU: revenue, margin, ad spend, fees, inventory carrying costs, and write-offs
- Report monthly against plan, flag risks early, and recommend corrective action on spend, pricing, and assortment
Supply Chain, Import & Inventory
- Own demand forecasting, purchase orders, and stock planning across a third-party warehouse and Amazon FBA
- Manage best-before-date and shelf-life risk to minimize both write-offs and stockouts
- Coordinate inbound international shipments with the freight partner and customs broker, including import documentation for supplement products (for example, tariff classification and veterinary certificates for certain ingredients). No prior customs expertise is required; you will be trained and supported
- Use AI-supported inventory tools to improve forecast accuracy and reduce working capital
Brand Owner Relationship & Marketing Management
- Act as the day-to-day contact for the European brand owner on orders, product supply, pricing, and commercial planning
- Set marketing priorities and budget for Amazon and DTC, and direct the Sales & Marketing Support colleague on content, listings, and promotions
- Work with shared After Sales on customer service, claims, and returns, and support regulatory and labeling compliance as needed
Qualifications
Must Have
- 5+ years of hands-on Amazon experience (Seller Central and/or Vendor Central), ideally in supplements, health and wellness, beauty, or another replenishment category
- A proven track record of improving profitability on Amazon, not just top-line growth, including advertising management and repeat-purchase or subscription strategies
- Experience building and owning budgets and forecasts; confident working with detailed P&Ls in Excel
- Inventory and FBA replenishment planning experience, ideally with products that carry expiry dates
- A self-starter who thrives in a small team and is comfortable being both strategic and hands-on
- A clear communicator, able to manage partners and agencies and work across time zones
Nice to Have
- DTC eCommerce experience (e.g., Shopify), including site management, promotions, and basic email/CRM
- Knowledge of U.S. dietary supplement regulation and labeling, or import and customs processes
- Experience working with a European brand owner or manufacturer; a second European language is a plus
- Wholesale or specialty retail account management experience
- Familiarity with AI or analytics tools for forecasting and reporting
What Success Looks Like in Year One
- Amazon customer base stabilized, with measurable improvement in repeat-purchase and subscription metrics
- Advertising and channel spend running to an agreed profitability target
- Department tracking to budget and moving back to profitability
- Reliable forecasting and inventory planning with fewer stockouts and expiry write-offs
- Productive, accountable relationships with the brand owner and partners
Compensation & Work Arrangement
- Base salary: $110,000 to $125,000, depending on experience
- Performance bonus: Annual year-end bonus with a target of 15% of base salary, based on agreed KPIs (e.g., channel profitability, repeat-customer and subscription metrics, budget attainment, inventory health)
- Work arrangement: Hybrid, 3 days per week in the Chicago-area office. New hires work in the office every day for their first 1 to 3 weeks for onboarding and training
What to Expect
This is a high-ownership role in a small team, and workload peaks around Q4 and major Amazon events. Regular calls with colleagues in Europe mean some early mornings. In return, you get real control over a business line, a direct line of sight from your decisions to the bottom line, and the stability of an established international group with shared Finance and After Sales support. This is an opportunity to make a visible impact in a focused, lean organization.