Samples Manager

Fireclay Tile•Aromas, CA

11d•$55,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

As the Sample Fulfillment & Operations Manager, you will be an integral part of our talented Operations team, collaborating to deliver world-class sampling experiences that drive brand loyalty and sales growth. You will lead the daily operations of the Sample Department, including picking, packing, staging, labeling, and inventory control, playing a key role in ensuring sample orders are fulfilled accurately, professionally packaged, and aligned with brand quality standards. This role offers the opportunity to build a culture of continuous improvement from the ground up, scale critical carrier and partner relationships, and directly impact the customer journey. Reporting to the VP of Manufacturing, this position is located onsite at our factory in Aromas, CA. Our culture thrives on professional development, ongoing training, and opportunities for growth within the organization. This is a salary position and pays $55,000 - $90,000.

Requirements

3–5 years of people management experience in a fulfillment, warehouse, or operations environment, with a proven track record of coaching and developing team members.
Bilingual communication skills in English and Spanish are required.
Proactive communicator who takes ownership of outbound updates; able to notify Fireclay Sales and Client Success contacts of delays or alternatives within 24 hours without waiting for an inbound inquiry.
Familiarity with digital workflows, including ERP, WMS, CRM, inventory management systems, order fulfillment systems, or data reporting tools.
Experience in carrier relationship management (including FedEx and USPS account management, service level agreements, delivery performance tracking, and claims resolution).
Strong analytical problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to identify trends, workforce staffing needs, and operational constraints.

Nice To Haves

Lean manufacturing, 5S, or continuous improvement training is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead daily operations, manage processing attainment for pick-and-pack workflows, monitor order flow to eliminate bottlenecks, and establish clear department priorities based on customer need, sales urgency, marketing campaigns, and production availability.
Own the end-to-end inventory management of all active, inactive, discontinued, new launch, and promotional sample SKUs. Maintain organized bin storage, implement cycle counts, remove obsolete SKUs, and proactively communicate out-of-stock risks or replenishment needs.
Serve as the primary point of contact for Client Success regarding sample issues, manage B2B replenishment systems for showrooms and Material Bank, and partner with Production, Warehousing, and Marketing to manage item changes and ensure seamless go-to-market execution.
Drive 5S implementation and sustainment as a core operating process. Build standard work instructions, use root-cause problem solving for fulfillment errors, and partner with the Technology team to optimize order routing, clay card accuracy, and tracking within the CRM and order management systems.
Lead, coach, and cross-train Sample Department team members through daily huddles and skill development. Own and regularly report on department KPIs, including fulfillment attainment, pick accuracy, inventory precision, and 5S audit performance to drive a culture of ownership.