Hiring Head of Operations for DTC Brands
A Head of Operations in DTC is not the same role as in a traditional business. They need to manage supply chains, coordinate across time zones, build systems from scratch, and do it all with a fraction of the resources that larger companies take for granted.
What the role actually requires
The best DTC Heads of Operations are comfortable with ambiguity. They can switch from negotiating with a 3PL provider to building a dashboard to briefing the founder on margin analysis in a single morning. They do not wait for process documentation because they are the ones writing it. They thrive when the job description is still being defined.
The most common hiring mistake
Founders often hire operations people from large companies expecting them to bring structure. What they get instead is someone who needs structure to function. The corporate ops leader who managed a team of twenty and had established processes is often lost in a DTC environment where they need to be the team, build the processes, and make decisions without a playbook.
How to assess operational talent
Give them a real problem from your business. Not a hypothetical — an actual challenge you faced last quarter. Ask how they would approach it. The best candidates will ask clarifying questions, think out loud, and arrive at a practical plan that shows they understand the constraints of a founder-led DTC business.