Operations & Customer Service Manager Equator Coffees

POSITION:

Operations & Customer Service Manager

CLASSIFICATION:

Exempt

REPORTS TO:

Senior Operations Manager

COMPENSATION: $75,000-$85,000 Annual Salary

In 1995, Equator Founders Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell began their values‑driven path, roasting coffee in a Marin County, CA garage. Possessing an obsessive commitment to green coffee sourcing and unparalleled roasting expertise, Equator has committed over 30 years to sustainable and fair trade coffee practices all in the name of creating a remarkable coffee experience for consumers. Today, Equator Coffees is a retail and wholesale coffee roaster and coffee farm owner with twelve retail cafes throughout California—from Marin County to San Francisco to Oakland to Los Angeles and beyond.

Throughout the years, Equator Coffees has spearheaded industry‑leading sourcing and roasting practices, and has forged progressive partnerships with Michelin‑starred chefs, specialty grocers, tech campuses, and more. Women‑owned, LGBTQ‑founded, and an early adopter of Fair Trade and Regenerative Organic certifications, Equator Coffees is the first California coffee roaster to achieve B Corp Certification.

The Operations & Customer Service Manager is responsible for managing all customer service operations across all omni‑channels business lines while supporting operational execution within Equator’s Roasting Plant.

This role partners cross‑functionally with Roasting, Production, Retail Operations, Sales, Marketing, Fulfillment, and Administration teams to ensure exceptional customer support, accurate order fulfillment, operational efficiency, inventory coordination, and consistent communication across departments.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on, high‑accountability operator who thrives in a fast‑paced High Mix‑Low Volume manufacturing environment, and can successfully balance customer experience, operational complexity, team leadership, and process improvement.

• Lead daily customer service and front office operations across wholesale, retail, and e‑commerce channels
• Oversee order management workflows, customer communications, invoicing, and operational coordination
• Manage and troubleshoot customer orders across Net Suite, Shopify, Suite Commerce, UPS World Ship, Ship Station, and related operational systems
• Manage returns and incoming mail/packages; ensure addressees are notified
• Ensure timely and accurate order processing, reporting, invoicing, and issue resolution
• Resolve escalated customer concerns with professionalism, urgency, and sound judgment
• Monitor and improve customer service workflows, operational processes, and cross‑functional communication
• Oversee inventory and purchasing coordination for non‑coffee operational supplies, packaging, merchandise, tea, Ready to Drink, and office materials
• Support inventory counts, reporting, and variance tracking; proactively address shortages and/or variances, addressing outages in a timely fashion.
• Establish relationships and clear ordering procedures for all vendors
• Provides a monthly log listing customer issues through email and phone
• Provide leadership, onboarding, training, coaching, and performance management for customer service and front office team members
• Establish clear expectations and accountability standards for team performance and operational execution
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, workflow efficiency, and operational scalability
• Maintain calm, professional, and solutions‑oriented leadership in a fast‑paced production environment
• Support additional operational projects and company initiatives as assigned

• 3+ years of experience in customer service, operations, fulfillment, inventory management, or administrative operations
• 3+ years of leadership, coaching, or cross‑functional operational management experience preferred
• Experience with Net Suite, Shopify, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, shipping platforms, and related operational systems
• Previous experience in food & beverage, hospitality, manufacturing, fulfillment, retail operations, or specialty coffee environments preferred
• Excellent written, verbal, and…