Chief Operations Officer

Description:

Chief Operations Officer – BuyWander

Build the Engine. Scale the Machine. Make It Run.

Location: Seattle, WA| Multi-location travel required
Type: Full-Time | Executive
Compensation: Competitive Salary $215-300K that includes Meaningful Equity + Performance Bonuses

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ABOUT BUYWANDER

BuyWander is rebuilding the $850B retail returns industry—and turning it into something people actually love.

We take returned goods and transform them into a fast, fun, treasure-hunt shopping experience powered by AI and local pickup.

Think:

• Entertainment meets eCommerce
• Treasure hunting meets Black Friday
• Community meets opportunity

We’re not just building a marketplace.

We’re building a network of high-performing local operations that power a national experience.

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THE ROLE

We’re hiring our Head of Operations.

This is one of the most critical roles in the company.

You will:

• Mechanize BuyWander
• Build scalable systems across locations
• Ensure every site runs smoothly, profitably, and consistently
• Turn operational complexity into a competitive advantage

This is a builder + operator + scaler role.

You’ll go from:

Scrappy, hands-on problem solving to repeatable systems that scale across markets

We’re looking for someone who is:

• A systems thinker
• A relentless operator
• A leader of leaders
• Data-driven and AI-forward
• Comfortable in the weeds AND at 10,000 feet

If you want to oversee from afar—this isn’t it. If you want to build the operating system behind a category-defining company—keep reading.

WHAT YOU’LL OWN

Operational Excellence Across Locations:

• Ensure every warehouse/store runs smoothly, efficiently, and profitably
• Standardize workflows across receiving, processing, auctions, and pickup
• Identify and eliminate bottlenecks across the operation

Build the Operating System:

• Design and implement scalable processes, SOPs, and playbooks
• Turn tribal knowledge into structured systems
• Create consistency across all markets

Mechanization & Scale:

• Introduce automation, tooling, and AI to improve efficiency
• Reduce manual work and increase throughput
• Build systems that allow us to scale rapidly without breaking

People & Performance:

• Hire, train, and develop General Managers and site leaders
• Build a high-performance culture across all locations
• Implement clear KPIs, accountability, and performance management

Unit Economics & Profitability:

• Own operational metrics: cost per unit, throughput, labor efficiency, margin
• Continuously improve profitability at the site level
• Partner with leadership on forecasting and expansion decisions

Training & Development:

• Build onboarding and training systems for new locations
• Ensure teams are equipped to execute consistently
• Develop future leaders within the organization

Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Partner with Product, Data, and Marketing to improve

the full customer experience

• Ensure operations and customer experience are tightly aligned

Firefighting to System Building:

• Solve immediate problems fast
• Then build systems so they don’t happen again

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WHY THIS ROLE IS DIFFERENT

Most ops roles:

• Maintain existing systems
• Manage teams
• Optimize at the margins

This role:

• Builds the entire operating system from scratch
• Scales a multi-location business rapidly
• Directly impacts growth, margins, and customer experience
• Has real equity upside tied to success

You will be a key partner to the founders in building BuyWander.

GROWTH & UPSIDE

• Scale operations nationally
• Build and lead the full operations organization
• Equity in a company attacking a massive market
• Opportunity to evolve into a COO-level role

WHY BUYWANDER

• Massive market + broken system
• High-speed, high-ownership environment
• Mission-driven: helping people get ahead
• A team building something fun, real, and meaningful

Requirements:

WHAT YOU BRING

• 7–15+ years in operations, logistics, or multi-site management
• Proven experience scaling operations across multiple locations
• Strong systems thinking—you design processes that actually work
• Experience managing P&L and driving profitability
• Ability to operate in chaos and bring structure
• Strong leadership skills—you can lead managers and frontline teams

BONUS POINTS

• Experience in warehouses, logistics, retail, or marketplace operations
• Experience scaling from 1 to many locations
• Lean, Six Sigma, or process optimization background
• Experience implementing automation or AI in operations

WHO YOU ARE

• Builder: You create systems where none exist
• Operator: You execute relentlessly and hold a high bar
• Systems thinker: You solve root problems, not symptoms
• Leader of leaders: You build strong teams and develop talent
• Data-driven: You manage through metrics, not guesswork
• Owner: You take responsibility for outcomes

COMPANY BENEFITS

• Competitive Salary and Performance-based Bonuses
• Meaningful equity in a company attacking a massive market, for a brand that can become nationally recognized
• Health, Vision & Dental Insurance
• Unlimited PTO
• Annual Company Offsites
• 401K

If you want to build the machine behind something big—and make it run at scale—let’s talk.

BuyWander is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We make employment decisions based on qualifications, skills, merit, and business needs. We believe a range of skills, perspectives, and experiences strengthens our team and supports better outcomes for our employees and customers.