Director of Operations

Director of Operations
The Little Market
Los Angeles, CA

About The Little Market

The Little Market is a nonprofit fair trade shop featuring ethically sourced, artisan-made products. Our mission is anchored in the fundamental belief that every person has the right to dignified, safe jobs and fair, living wages. We seek to empower artisans around the world by extending their products’ distribution and supporting sustainable income opportunities. Each piece is made following fair trade principles, ultimately contributing to a life-changing sustainable income and giving back to the people who made it. 

The Little Market (TLM) is committed to upholding the dignity of artisans, celebrating their cultural techniques and traditions, and bringing attention to social justice and human rights issues faced by their communities. TLM ethically sources from artisan groups and social enterprises in underserved communities including refugees and resettled individuals, people with disabilities, young mothers, survivors of sex trafficking, and individuals living in extreme poverty. These organizations improve the quality of life in their communities in a number of ways including literacy workshops, business training, counseling, and healthcare programs.

Founded in 2013, TLM has grown to a staff of 35 with a robust e-commerce platform as well as a brick and mortar presence in Los Angeles. For more information on TLM, please visit www.thelittlemarket.com/.

The Opportunity

To help manage our growing online marketplace and retail store, TLM is hiring its first Director of Operations. Part of the leadership team, the Director of Operations will report to the Executive Director and be responsible for creating and enhancing internal processes and infrastructure that will allow TLM to source new products, manage inventory, and create efficient and effective systems for order fulfillment and distribution. They will provide operational guidance and strategic support for all areas of the organization, including e-commerce, warehouse, retail, sales, and programs. With a combination of business acumen and values alignment, the Director of Operations will play a critical role in overseeing a function central to TLM's ability to fulfill its mission to source and sell ethically made products by artisan women from around the world. 

Among their core responsibilities, the Director of Operations will: 

• Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and systems, including inventory management, CRM, project management, and accounting software; ensure seamless integration; review annual renewals; make recommendations for changes and improvements; oversee implementation and training
• Employ a systems approach for all operations functions within TLM, including retail, e-commerce, and warehouse, ensuring that best practices are followed and are in line with industry standards
• Enhance systems for tracking, reporting, analyzing and forecasting operational functions
• Provide strategic support and analysis for new initiatives and areas of growth for TLM
• Ensure compliance with all local, state and federal guidelines and safety protocols
• Maintain continuous lines of communication across all departments, keeping the leadership team informed of critical issues
• Support sustainability and eco-conscious solutions across all aspects of TLM

Candidate Profile

As the incoming Director of Operations, you will demonstrate many, though perhaps not all, of the following professional and personal experiences, skills, and characteristics: 

• You bring at least five years of experience in operational or administrative roles.
• You have demonstrated success in developing, implementing, and continuously evaluating operational systems that are efficient and cost effective.
• You have experience within a fast-growing organization with a retail or inventory component; experience with fulfillment, including purchasing, processing, shipping, and sales would be ideal but not required.
• You have a proven track record of thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment and integrity.
• You have outstanding planning and project management skills with the ability to positively engage others in completing projects and processes with strong results, high quality and on time.
• You have experience as a manager, leader and team player, bringing a sense of creativity, collaboration, an entrepreneurial spirit and action-orientation.
• You have excellent relationship-building skills with an ability to work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• You are comfortable working independently in a fast-paced environment and can prioritize and multi-task comfortably.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Contact

Cassie Scarano and Ariella Pasackow of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express your interest in this role please submit your materials here. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

The Little Market seeks to build a team that reflects the diversity we celebrate in our community, nationally, and internationally. We welcome and encourage all qualified applicants who share our vision, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to our work and this mission. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply for this position, and we do not discriminate on any basis prohibited by applicable law.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of the Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world. 

For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com