Operations Assistant / Chief of Staff to Founder

We are looking for a highly organized, resourceful, and proactive Operations Assistant / Chief of Staff to Founder to support several growing businesses across retail, e-commerce, hospitality, and consumer products.

This is not a traditional virtual assistant role.

We are looking for someone who can take ownership of projects, research solutions independently, communicate with vendors and partners, keep priorities organized, and help move multiple businesses forward at the same time.

The ideal person is comfortable working in a fast-moving entrepreneurial environment where priorities can shift quickly. You should be someone who sees what needs to be done, asks smart questions, follows through, and is comfortable using AI and modern software tools to work efficiently.

Businesses You’ll Support

The role will support projects across:

Konna Athletics — activewear, product development, and e-commerce
Root + Realm Café — café operations, sourcing, menu development, and launch
International Market — retail marketplace and vendor operations
Amazon, Faire, Shopify, and other e-commerce channels
Additional business and special projects as they arise

Key Responsibilities
-Operations & Project Management
-Help manage multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities across different businesses
-Create and maintain organized task lists, trackers, SOPs, and project plans
-Follow up on outstanding tasks and make sure projects continue moving forward
-Coordinate between suppliers, contractors, vendors, employees, and external partners
-Keep documents, quotes, invoices, contacts, and project information organized
-Identify problems or delays early and proactively recommend solutions
-Help turn ideas into clear action plans with next steps, owners, and deadlines
-Maintain visibility into what is complete, in progress, blocked, or overdue

Supplier & Vendor Management
-Research manufacturers, suppliers, products, equipment, and service providers
-Contact vendors to request pricing, samples, lead times, minimum order quantities, and specifications
-Compare supplier quotes and summarize the best options
-Follow up with suppliers until questions, orders, or issues are resolved
-Help source products from the U.S., China, Vietnam, and other international markets
-Track orders, samples, production timelines, and shipments
-Maintain organized supplier records and communication history
-Help negotiate pricing, terms, timelines, and order details when appropriate

E-Commerce
-Assist with Amazon, Faire, Shopify, and other online sales platforms
-Help manage listings, product information, pricing, inventory, and product launches
-Research competitors, keywords, pricing, and market opportunities
-Coordinate product photography, descriptions, packaging, and launch materials
-Help organize fulfillment and inventory information
-Monitor platform issues and help research solutions
-Assist with product uploads, listing updates, catalog organization, and marketplace requirements
-Support launch planning and ongoing optimization of e-commerce products

Café & Retail Operations
-Assist with sourcing café equipment, packaging, ingredients, furniture, and supplies
-Research products and vendors and compare specifications and pricing
-Help organize recipes, costing, menu information, and operational documents
-Support vendor communications for International Market
-Help maintain vendor records, inventory information, and retail documentation
-Assist with launch preparation, staffing research, systems, and operational projects
-Research commercial equipment, packaging, suppliers, and operational solutions
-Help coordinate contractors, service providers, purchasing, and project follow-ups as needed
-Email & Administrative Support
-Help manage and organize business emails
-Draft professional responses to vendors, landlords, partners, suppliers, and customers
-Follow up on unanswered emails and outstanding requests
-Schedule meetings and organize important information
-Maintain organized digital files and documentation
-Help prepare spreadsheets, presentations, summaries, and reports
-Track important conversations and make sure follow-ups do not get missed
-Organize information so decisions can be made quickly

Marketing & Content Coordination
-Assist with social media planning and marketing coordination
-Research content ideas, trends, competitors, and potential partnerships
-Help organize photos, videos, brand assets, and campaign materials
-Coordinate with designers, photographers, creators, or marketing partners when needed
-Help prepare product descriptions, promotional copy, and launch materials
-Support influencer, partnership, and outreach research
-Help organize content calendars and marketing projects

AI & Technology

AI will be an important part of this role.

You should be comfortable using tools such as ChatGPT to:

Research unfamiliar topics
Compare vendors and products
Draft emails and documents
Organize information
Analyze options
Build spreadsheets and processes
Troubleshoot problems
Develop ideas and recommendations
Summarize complex information
Complete work more efficiently

We are not looking for someone who simply copies and pastes AI-generated answers.

You should be able to use AI as a tool, evaluate the information it provides, verify important details when necessary, and turn research into useful recommendations and action.

You do not need to already know every tool we use, but you must be comfortable learning new software quickly.

Experience with tools such as the following is helpful:

ChatGPT
Notion
Google Workspace
Microsoft Office
Canva
Shopify
Amazon Seller Central
Faire
Square
QuickBooks
Project management tools
Excel / Google Sheets
What We’re Looking For

You may be a strong fit if you are:

Extremely organized
Proactive and resourceful
Comfortable working independently
Good at researching and solving problems
Detail-oriented
Reliable with follow-through
Comfortable managing several projects at once
A strong written communicator
Comfortable communicating professionally with vendors and partners
Able to take a broad assignment and figure out the next steps
Comfortable asking questions when necessary but not dependent on constant instructions
Tech-savvy and willing to learn
Experienced using AI tools to improve productivity
Comfortable working directly with a founder
Able to adapt when priorities change
Strong at keeping track of details without losing sight of the bigger picture

We value judgment, initiative, ownership, and follow-through more than simply completing assigned tasks.

If you notice something that needs to be handled, researched, followed up on, or improved, we want you to take ownership of it.

Experience

Previous experience in the following is preferred:

Executive assistance
Operations
Project management
E-commerce
Amazon
Shopify
Retail
Hospitality
Vendor management
Procurement or sourcing
Startups or small businesses

Experience working directly with a founder, executive, or entrepreneur is a strong advantage.

Candidates do not need experience in every industry listed above. Strong organizational ability, judgment, research skills, communication, and willingness to learn are more important.

Location

This is a remote position.

We are especially interested in candidates based in the Philippines.

You must have:

Reliable high-speed internet
A dependable computer
A quiet and professional work environment
Strong English communication skills
Reliable availability during agreed-upon working hours

Some overlap with U.S. business hours will be required for meetings, communication, and collaboration.

You will not be expected to work a full U.S. overnight schedule. The goal is to establish a schedule that works well for both the candidate and the businesses while maintaining enough overlap for real-time communication when needed.

Compensation & Benefits

Starting compensation is expected to be approximately $800–$1,500 USD per month, depending on experience, availability, and level of responsibility.

The position may also include:

Unlimited paid time off, within reason and with appropriate advance notice
Paid holidays
Performance-based bonuses
Compensation review after approximately 6 months
Opportunities for increased responsibility and compensation as the businesses grow

We believe in flexibility and trust.

PTO is not tracked against a fixed annual allowance, but employees are expected to use good judgment, communicate planned time off in advance whenever possible, and ensure responsibilities, deadlines, and important projects are appropriately covered.

This role has the potential to grow significantly for the right person.

Schedule: Full-time preferred.

The position offers flexibility in working hours, but some overlap with U.S. business hours is required to allow for communication, meetings, vendor coordination, and time-sensitive projects.

The exact schedule can be discussed based on the candidate and business needs.

We care more about reliability, communication, ownership, and results than requiring someone to sit online during a rigid schedule.

Because this role supports multiple businesses and ongoing projects, you should be responsive during agreed-upon working hours and communicate clearly if your availability changes.

As long as responsibilities are handled, deadlines are met, and you are available during agreed-upon overlap hours, there is flexibility in how your workday is structured.

Growth Opportunity

We are looking for someone who wants to become a long-term part of the businesses.

For the right person, this role can grow into a significantly larger operations, project management, or Chief of Staff position over time.

As trust and experience grow, you may take ownership of larger projects, manage vendors or team members, help build systems, and become increasingly involved in business operations and decision-making.

The goal is to develop someone who understands the businesses well enough to eventually anticipate needs, solve problems independently, and take meaningful responsibilities off the founder's plate.

How to Apply

Please send your application through OnlineJobs.ph with the subject line:

Operations / Chief of Staff Application – [Your First Name]

Please include the following in your message:

A link to your current résumé/CV
Your current location
Your expected monthly salary in USD
Your preferred working hours and availability
Your experience using ChatGPT or other AI tools
The software and platforms you have experience using
An example of a project you managed independently from start to finish

Please also answer the following questions directly in your application:

1. You are asked to find a manufacturer for a product you have never sourced before. Walk us through exactly how you would approach the assignment.

2. You contact a supplier requesting pricing and receive no response. What would you do next?

3. You are given five projects that all appear urgent. How would you determine what to work on first?

4. How do you currently use AI tools in your work? Please give specific examples.

5. You receive a task with limited instructions and are unsure how to complete it. What would you do before asking for additional direction?

Applications that do not follow these instructions or do not answer all five questions may not be considered.

Who This Role Is Best For

This role is best for someone who enjoys variety, problem-solving, and working behind the scenes to make businesses run better.

You will not be doing the same task every day.

One day you may be comparing suppliers. Another day you may be organizing a café equipment purchase, researching an Amazon issue, drafting vendor emails, updating a project tracker, or helping prepare for a product launch.

You should enjoy learning new industries, figuring things out, and bringing structure to a fast-moving environment.

We are looking for someone who wants to become a trusted operational partner, not someone who is simply looking for a list of daily administrative tasks.