Director of Product Operations

The Quick Details

• Location: Charlotte, NC
• Employment Type: Full Time
• Department: Marketing
• Compensation: $90-$120k base + bonus eligible.
• Relocation: Bonus available

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About Tread

Tread Athletics is one of the most respected remote pitching development programs in professional and amateur baseball. Since 2015, we have helped thousands of athletes, from high school players chasing scholarships to established Big Leaguers, build healthier, more durable, and more competitive careers.

We believe in telling athletes the truth, doing the hard work, and building relationships that last well beyond a single season. If that's the kind of organization you want to represent, you'll feel at home here.

As Director of Product Operations, you'll own the entire lifecycle of Tread's merchandise and training product line – from sourcing vendors and managing production to running our Shopify storefront and coordinating fulfillment. You are the operational engine behind everything our athletes wear and train with.

This is not a role where you inherit a polished machine and manage it. This is a role where you build the machine.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are building a product operation from the ground up. The apparel line, the training accessories, the Shopify storefront, the fulfillment infrastructure – none of it has a dedicated owner yet. This role exists because we are ready to build it properly, and we need someone who has done this before and can run it without hand-holding.

The right person here is an operator. You'll work alongside our apparel designer who handles aesthetics and tech packs, and report directly to leadership. Your job is to collaborate with the creative side, then get it made, stocked, sold, and shipped – on time and on margin. You'll own this function end-to-end and grow with it as the line scales.

If you are looking for a perfectly defined lane in a large organization, this is not that. If you are looking for ownership, upside, and the chance to build something from the ground up inside a company that is genuinely poised for growth, this is worth a conversation.

WHO THIS IS FOR

• You have built or owned a physical product operation and know what good looks like at every stage from purchase order to customer delivery
• You are fluent in Shopify – not just the front end, but the operational backend: apps, inventory sync, launch flows, fulfillment logic, and analytics
• You have managed vendors and manufacturers directly – negotiated terms, pushed back on timelines, and held factories accountable to spec
• You are data-oriented and margin-aware. You know what AOV, COGS, and blended margin mean and can model a break-even scenario without prompting
• You thrive in a lean environment where you are building the systems, not inheriting them
• You want ownership, not just a job title – and you are motivated by watching something you built actually work

WHAT WE OFFER YOU

• Full ownership of the product operations function with a direct line to leadership – no bureaucracy, no layers
• A creative foundation already in place. Our apparel designer handles aesthetics, tech packs, and initial vendor relationships. You build the operational engine around that
• Compensation commensurate with experience plus performance bonuses tied to launch execution and margin outcomes
• A product line with real room to grow – apparel today, training accessories and more over time
• Access to a 33,000 square foot training facility and a culture built by and for competitive athletes
• A clear path to expanded scope and leadership responsibility as the brand and product line scales
• Relocation bonus available for the right out-of-market candidate

WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU

Responsibilities

• Own the full lifecycle of Tread's merchandise and product lines – from vendor sourcing and production coordination to storefront management and fulfillment
• Manage relationships with apparel manufacturers, accessory suppliers, and our 3PL partner
• Run and optimize our Shopify storefront: product pages, launch flows, upsell logic, inventory sync, and backend reporting
• Coordinate with our apparel designer to move products from tech pack to approved sample to production run on schedule
• Manage split inventory across our 3PL warehouse and Tread HQ for in-house athlete giveaways and events
• Build and maintain inventory forecasting and reorder logic to keep core SKUs in stock
• Oversee product photoshoots and manage image assets for the storefront
• Track and report on key metrics: units in market, revenue, blended margin, giveaway spend, and fulfillment performance
• Build launch timelines and hold all parties – vendors, designers, 3PL – accountable to deadlines

Results

• Product launches hit their scheduled dates with inventory in place and the storefront ready
• Core SKUs are never out of stock due to forecasting failures
• Blended margin targets are maintained as giveaway volume scales
• Shopify backend is clean, accurate, and generating reliable reporting for leadership
• Vendor relationships are managed proactively – no surprises on lead times, quality, or cost 

Requirements

• 3-5+ years of hands-on experience managing physical product operations – sourcing, production, inventory, and fulfillment – in a role where you were directly accountable for outcomes
• Deep Shopify proficiency – this is non-negotiable
• Direct vendor and manufacturer management experience, including negotiating terms and managing sample feedback loops
• Strong financial literacy around product margins, COGS, and unit economics
• Comfortable managing both apparel and non-apparel physical goods – accessories, training tools, equipment
• Experience working with a 3PL and managing fulfillment operations
• Background in sports apparel, athletic performance, or lifestyle brands is a strong plus

COMPENSATION

• $90-$120k base salary commensurate with experience + bonus.
• Performance bonuses are structured around clear year 1 milestones tied to launch execution, margin outcomes, and operational targets.
• Final salary will be based on several factors, including relevant prior experience, skills, and expertise. Full structure discussed on interview.
• The value of our benefits package is not included in this base, and is in addition to the final figure.

BENEFITS

Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance and 401(k) with employer matching.

WHAT WE STAND FOR

Athlete First

Every product we make, every system we build, every decision we make starts with what's actually best for the athlete. We don't cut corners on quality and we don't ship something we wouldn't be proud to put in an athlete's hands.

Problem-Solvers

We don't wait for perfect information. We assess, adapt, and find a way forward for athletes and for ourselves. That applies to how we coach, how we build, and how we operate.

Relentless

We hold ourselves to a standard that most people don't. We are not the right fit for everyone, and that's intentional. If you are motivated by being excellent at something that matters, you will thrive here.

Sound like your kind of thing?

Apply today.