OPERATIONS MANAGER

Location: Cayucos, CA (Hybrid: In-Shop + Remote)
Position Type: Part-Time or Full Time (4-5 days/week)
Reports To: Co-Founder (Amber Sandoval)
Target Start: Spring 2026 (Exact date TBD)

* Current position requires some weekends at start (temporary)

ROLE SUMMARY 

The Operations Manager is a hybrid role supporting systems, structure, and stability for Mical Skincare. This growing skincare brand is more than a retail store — the business is built on e-commerce sales, direct sales, retail sales, wholesale relationships, and community. This role includes in-shop sales support; however, operational leadership and systems ownership are the primary focus.

The Operations Manager is responsible for scheduling, inventory, production coordination, fulfillment workflows, CRM systems, facilities, SOPs, and some team supervision. The in-shop sales support piece will require exceptional customer service skills, in-store skincare sales, teamwork, a place in the community, expert product knowledge, and time to devote to one-on-one consultations with clients. 

This role is ideal for someone who is capable and motivated to work alone, yet also thrives in collaborative and customer-facing environments—a perfect fit for someone who loves skincare, enjoys the energy of working in a growing business, and is obsessed with systems and problem solving. 

PRIMARY GOALS

1. Develop, refine, and maintain operational excellency within all Mical Skincare production and service channels; Direct-to-Consumer, E-Commerce, Wholesale, and HQ Operations (team, retail, office, order fulfillment, lab, etc.).
    
2. Contribute to company growth through teamwork, attention to detail, and a commitment to building and nurturing a productive and scalable business environment. 
    
3. Drive skincare sales and consultations through excellent customer service, client connections, and in-depth product knowledge.
    

SCHEDULE & BANDWIDTH EXPECTATIONS

ONSITE IN-SHOP: 2-3 DAYS PER WEEK

Primary in-shop focus includes:

• Skincare consultations and product recommendations
• Driving in-store skincare sales
• Building strong customer relationships and repeat clientele
• Supporting store energy, merchandising standards, and team communication
• Completing ongoing special projects and light administrative work as needed
• Performing Ops Manager tasks during slower shop hours

REMOTE 1-2 DAYS PER WEEK

Remote focus includes:

• Focused project management and execution, administrative work, team collaboration, and follow-ups 
• On-call for Retail Team to support daily operations, including team accountability, troubleshooting, customer relations, opening and closing, etc. 
• Focused project management and execution, administrative work, team collaboration, and follow-ups 
• Ongoing collaboration with leadership team, including weekly meetings, production support, and special projects as needed

Note: Total weekly hours are intended to remain consistent; any additional hours should be pre-approved.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

ADMIN + SYSTEMS

• Management of daily operations including ownership over the retail store, opening and closing tasks, fielding team questions, and trouble shooting.
• Maintenance of all technologies including Shopify, POS, Shopify Inbox, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Smart Desk, Shop Phone, etc.
• Facilities maintenance and services coordination as needed, including setting and managing standards (tidying, light cleaning, organization, maintaining the building envelope, etc.). 
• Inventory management for all Mical Skincare products including monthly counts and reporting. Does not include inventory management of Retail Goods. 
• Supplies tracking, vendor collaboration, and ordering as needed. 
• Collaboration and coordination for event and in-store activations. 
• Light HR coordination such as scheduling support and some team training (not payroll, or direct reports).
• Reporting, tracking, and data analytics (CRM, in-store traffic, sales, inventory, out-of-stocks, reorder needs, etc.).

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE + SKINCARE SALES

• Deliver personalized, high-quality skincare consultations and product recommendations.
• Drive skincare sales through education, confidence, and relationship-based selling.
• Maintain excellent product knowledge across the full skincare line.
• Support customer retention through strong follow-up, product routines, and repeat purchase behavior.
• Participate in quarterly after-hours product training (paid time).
• Support the development of internal product training tools and resources.

RETAIL OPERATIONS + CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEMS + ORDER FULFILLMENT

• Develop a deep knowledge of Shopify Admin, Shopify Inbox (online chat), and Shopify POS functions including setups, troubleshooting, merchant account processing, innovations, team training, and writing SOPs.
• Management and maintenance of daily CRM demands including team training, and the development/upkeep of all CRM protocols. 
• Maintain an overall “everything is stocked and ready” attitude across all in-house inventory––both Mical Skincare products and Retail Goods. 
• Management and continued development for the e-commerce fulfillment workflow including writing SOPs for packing and shipping standards.
• Oversight of the returns and replacements process including writing SOPs and managing the technical application of all returns and replacements. 
• Development of customer support protocols for both daily processes and escalations. 

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

• Support for production forecasting including the identification of reorder points for both dry goods and raw materials as needed. 
• Collaboration in the development of the evolving production schedule (batching calendar).
• Packaging supply planning (labels, boxes, pumps, etc.), and order point collaboration. 
• Vendor ordering and lead time tracking as requested.

COMPENSATION + INCENTIVES

Base Pay

• $30/hour

Commission (In-Shop Sales)

• 5% commission on skincare product sales personally sold
• 0% commission on retail goods sales personally sold

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS 

A successful Operations Manager will:

• Demonstrate proactive ownership over scheduling, inventory, production coordination, fulfillment workflows, CRM systems, facilities, SOPs, and team.
• Maintain high standards in an organized, well-managed work environment for all team members, by producing and communicating clear guidelines and protocols to upkeep said standards and continually improve both the team, and customer experience.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with the leadership team
• Consistently deliver excellent skincare consultations and customer experiences to build sales momentum across all channels through expert product knowledge and confident selling.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Painful attention to detail in all of the best ways including being organized, possessing excellent time management skills, and  maintaining a tidy workspace. 
• Strong tech background and proficiency with Apple/Mac including direct experience managing systems across a basic tech stack. Current baseline technologies include: 
  • Sales & CRM: Shopify Admin, Shopify POS, Shopify Inbox
  • Communications & Scheduling: Google Business Suite, Zoom, Slack
  • Outbound: Meta, Google, Mailchimp, RedChirp, Tock
• Interest in skincare and comfort speaking confidently about product knowledge, while also being confident enough to say “I don`t know” and rely on team support when needed. 
• Legit ability to work independently and follow through on tasks including the ability to be happy while alone in the building, alone while the retail space is open, alone in the office, and alone while working remotely. 
• On the flip, because most of the time you will not be alone—comfortability and a love of collaboration, team work, time together, and the goals met through collective ideation and connection is also required. 

Preferred

• Retail management, hospitality, or direct-to-consumer sales experience
• Experience with inventory management and vendor communication
• Interest in business development / growth strategy

TO APPLY, PLEASE SEND RESUME & COVER LETTER TO: 

Amber Sandoval, Co-Founder

amber@micalskincare.com