Operations Manager - Product Lifecycle

Purpose of the Role 

The Operations Manager – Product Lifecycle ensures Hunkemöller’s end-to-end product and purchase order processes run efficiently, consistently, and in step with the pace of business and retail change. 
 
The role connects creative, commercial, operational, and technical functions – ensuring that information flows correctly, that changes happen once, and that everyone is aligned on what’s been decided. Acting as the voice of the product and supplier community within technology and supply chain discussions, the Operations Manager ensures that business realities are understood at every level – from system design to leadership decisions. 
 
This position combines process governance, project leadership, and people engagement. It supports an environment where teams work with clarity, collaboration, and accountability. 

Key Responsibilities 

• End-to-end process ownership: Define, document, and oversee standardised workflows for product creation, PO and inventory management, supply chain management, and supplier communication across and on behalf of buying, merchandising, technical and design. 

• Cross-functional alignment: Ensure process for product or PO changes are actioned once, communicated clearly, and correctly reflected across systems and stakeholders. 

• Advocacy & communication: Represent the needs of product, commercial, and supplier teams in all operational and technological discussions – ensuring that business language and system language stay connected. 

• Continuous improvement: Identify inefficiencies or misalignments and lead structured improvement initiatives across systems and processes.  

• Project & change delivery: Lead or support cross-functional projects impacting product lifecycle management, data governance, inventory management or system integration. Act as the key business partner for the PMO team. 

• Project & change support: Serve as the key contact and subject matter expert for all cross-functional teams on behalf of the product teams, providing accurate guidance and clear communication for any project that requires process alignment or operational clarity. 

• Governance & documentation: Maintain clear ownership maps, process documentation, and communication frameworks that guide how teams collaborate. 

Support distribution channels in operating with alignment and awareness of cost and time implications, ensuring risks and opportunities are clearly communicated to relevant stakeholders. 

• Change enablement: Partner with IT, PMO, HR, and leadership to drive adoption of new tools, systems, and ways of working across all systems that are used by or impact the buying, merchandising, technical and design teams. 

• Data integrity & reporting: Oversee product, inventory and supplier data accuracy across PLM, ERP, Merchandise Systems and connected tools, ensuring decisions are based on reliable information. 

Skills & Experience 

• Broad retail or fashion operations experience across buying, merchandising, and/or supply chain. 

• Proven track record in process improvement or digital transformation (ERP, PLM, or system integration). 

• Strong relationship builder with the ability to connect product, commercial, and technical teams. 

• Clear communicator who can simplify complex topics for diverse audiences. 

• Organised, structured, and confident leading cross-functional workstreams. 

• Positive and approachable personality with a can-do, hands-on mindset. 

• Awareness of sustainability, traceability, and retail compliance regulations is a plus.