Fractional Chief Operating Officer (COO) Part Time

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Company: Purrfect Portal
Location: Remote (US-based preferred)
Reports to: Founder & CEO (Lisa Harrington)

About Purrfect Portal

Purrfect Portal is a fast-growing omnichannel consumer brand serving passionate pet owners through DTC, Amazon, Chewy, and future national retail partners. The company is entering a multi-year scale phase with ambitions for significant channel expansion, product innovation, and long-term enterprise value creation.

The Role

We are seeking a hands-on, execution-oriented COO to own operational leadership, channel performance, and cross-functional alignment. This role is responsible for translating strategy into reality and ensuring the business can scale profitably and predictably.

This is a builder role — ideal for an operator who thrives in growth-stage environments and enjoys creating clarity out of complexity.

Core Responsibilities

Channel Operations & Performance

• Own operational performance across Amazon, Shopify, and Chewy
• Ensure inventory availability, launch readiness, and promotional execution
• Coordinate with internal teams responsible for listings, marketing, and fulfillment
• Act as escalation point for operational or channel issues impacting revenue
• Establish clear ownership, workflows, and accountability across channels

Retail & Channel Growth

• Lead strategy and execution for 2027 Big Box Retail launch, from internal readiness through launch execution
• Lead operational planning for first-time retail launches, including forecasting, inventory risk management, and cash-flow implications
• Manage retailer.com expansion and ensure cross-functional readiness
• Coordinate execution with brokers, buyers, and external partners
• Define and document workflows between internal teams, brokers, and retailers
• Ensure ecommerce and retail channels can scale simultaneously without destabilizing the core business

EAM Leadership & Cross-Functional Alignment

• Build and own SOPs, workflows, and accountability systems
• Align operations, marketing, fulfillment, finance, and admin
• Implement operating rhythms, KPIs, and reporting
• Design a scalable org structure tied to revenue milestones
• Reduce founder dependency through clear ownership and systems

Operations & Production

• Own day-to-day factory and production operations (US-based manufacturing)
• Manage production timelines, POs, quality control, and issue resolution
• Translate inventory strategy into executable manufacturing plans
• Partner closely with inventory planning lead on forecasting, reorders, and risk mitigation

Who You Are

• Proven operator in ecommerce or omnichannel consumer brands
• Has led an ecommerce or DTC-first brand through successful retail expansion (e.g., Walmart, Target, specialty retail)
• Deep understanding of how retail impacts inventory planning, cash flow, margins, and operations
• Experience working with brokers, buyers, and retail operations teams
• Comfortable with ambiguity and building systems from scratch
• Strong communicator with factories, partners, and internal teams
• Systems-minded but deeply execution-oriented
• Able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on follow-through
• Calm under pressure and confident owning decisions

Required Experience

• 8–15 years operating experience in ecommerce and/or consumer brands
• Direct experience launching and scaling at least one brand into brick-and-mortar or national retail
• Experience managing complexity across DTC, marketplaces, and wholesale channels
• Experience owning or partnering closely on operations, supply chain, and channel execution

Role Structure & Time Commitment

This role will begin as a fractional COO position, averaging 20–25 hours per week.

Hours may flex higher during onboarding, systems build-out, or key initiatives (e.g., production transitions or retail readiness), and lighter during steady-state periods.

As the business scales — particularly with increased retail complexity, team growth, or active national retail launches — this role may evolve into a full-time position by mutual agreement.

What This Role Is Not

• Not a corporate or big-company COO role with existing infrastructure
• Not a passive advisor or strategy-only position
• Not a pure supply chain or inventory-planning role
• Not a marketing, growth, or paid media role
• Not a 9–5, task-ticket–driven job

This role is for an operator who wants ownership, accountability, and real impact in a growing consumer brand.

What Success Looks Like (12–18 Months)

• Day-to-day operations run without founder involvement
• Production and inventory execution are predictable and well-documented
• Channel performance is stable, visible, and accountable
• Retail expansion initiatives are operationally sound and execution-ready
• The organization operates with clear roles, workflows, and metrics
• The business is prepared to scale retail without compromising core ecommerce performance

Pay: $50,000.00 – $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule

Work Location: Remote