# Operations Manager > Activate Talent · South Africa (Remote) · — · Posted 2026-02-20 **Workplace:** remote ## Description We are an operations and supply chain advisory practice focused on helping beauty brands scale with discipline and reliability. We partner with high-growth consumer brands to strengthen operational infrastructure, improve margin performance, and ensure consistent product availability. This is a fast-moving, execution-driven environment. The work is detail-oriented, hands-on, and accountability-focused. ### **Position Summary** The **Manager of Operations** is a highly hands-on operator responsible for ensuring clients have the **right products in the right place at the right time**. This role owns day-to-day supply and material planning, purchasing execution, vendor coordination, data accuracy, invoicing workflows, and alignment with logistics and fulfillment partners. A core accountability of this position is maintaining **inventory and safety stock targets** while actively managing financial exposure. The role oversees purchasing and invoicing processes from internal review through executive approval and maintains the integrity of critical operational data, including **item master records, BOMs, and product costs**. Success in this role requires strong analytical capability, comfort building and maintaining **Excel-based planning and financial models**, and the ability to operate effectively in capacity-constrained environments. The ideal candidate combines strong supply planning fundamentals with ownership, precision, and execution discipline. ### **Key Responsibilities** ### **Operational Accountability** - Maintain inventory and safety stock targets while balancing product availability and inventory risk - Facilitate regular cross-functional check-ins to align on priorities, risks, and constraints ### **Supply & Material Planning** - Manage end-to-end supply and material planning to support on-time, in-full product availability across channels - Translate demand forecasts into supply plans and production schedules for components and finished goods - Build and maintain Excel-based models to forecast supply, assess capacity, and analyze inventory positions - Monitor safety stock targets and adjust plans as demand or capacity shifts - Track packaging and artwork transitions to manage inventory exposure and avoid stockouts or excess - Coordinate with Product Development and Marketing on launch timing and readiness ### **Purchasing, Invoicing & Financial Oversight** - Manage purchasing activities to ensure alignment with supply plans, budgets, and lead-time requirements - Review purchase orders prior to executive approval, ensuring accuracy and completeness - Oversee invoicing workflows, ensuring timely and accurate processing in coordination with Finance - Track PO and invoice performance, pricing accuracy, and OTIF delivery - Monitor budgets across contract manufacturing, components, and samples, flagging risks and variances - Support end-of-month close by validating operational data, cost inputs, invoicing records, and inventory valuation ### **Vendor & Supplier Management** - Manage day-to-day communication with contract manufacturers and packaging suppliers - Participate in regular supplier calls to track status, risks, and next steps - Monitor and escalate capacity constraints in alignment with demand plans ### **Data Governance & System Accuracy** - Maintain accuracy of operational data including item master records, BOMs, costs, and supplier information - Ensure system inputs support planning, forecasting, and reporting needs - Partner with Finance to support accurate costing, reporting, and inventory valuation - Validate new SKU setups, BOM changes, packaging updates, and system revisions ### **Logistics & Fulfillment Coordination** - Coordinate with logistics and fulfillment teams to align supply plans with warehousing and shipping requirements - Anticipate downstream impacts of supply or capacity changes and support mitigation actions - Maintain coordination across planning, procurement, invoicing, logistics, and customer service ## Requirements - Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business Administration, or related field - 8+ years of experience in supply chain or operations with a strong hands-on execution focus - Advanced Excel skills supporting planning, forecasting, and financial analysis - Experience with ERP or planning systems preferred (not required) - Demonstrated experience in supplier coordination, capacity planning, and cost management - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in fast-paced environments - Clear communicator with the ability to work cross-functionally ## Apply [Apply at Activate Talent](https://apply.workable.com/careersactivatetalent/j/4B5C5FA387/apply) --- Powered by [Workable](https://www.workable.com)