Company Overview

Excelligence Learning Corporation, a leading developer, manufacturer, global distributor and multi-channel retailer of innovative, high-quality, and grade-appropriate educational products and teaching solutions, is looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join our Team, which is comprised of several well-known companies: Discount School Supply, Really Good Stuff, Steve Spangler Science, Children's Factory, EPI, and Frogstreet. The COO is a key leadership position responsible for leading and overseeing the company's Information Technology, Distribution Operations and Supply Chain functions. The COO will play a crucial role in driving operational efficiency, optimizing processes, and ensuring the seamless execution of business operations. The person in this role will be a business partner and critical member of the ELC executive management team. This position is 100% in-person at our Olathe, KS Distribution Center.

About the Position:

The COO will be responsible for identifying the most optimal design for growth within the Excelligence Corporation. This involves leveraging synergies and growth building blocks across various Excelligence companies and teams, including IT, Distribution Operations, and Supply Chain. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate a strategic mindset and the ability to envision and implement growth strategies that align with the company's long-term goals. This requires an individual who is highly collaborative, builds strong partnerships and can influence change while driving bottom line profits. As the COO, this position will need to possess strong influencing skills across companies and teams, especially as the role involves coming up with the optimal Supply Network Design for Excelligence Learning Corporation. This person must be adept at building relationships and persuading all internal and external stakeholders to adopt new strategies and approaches that lead to positive outcomes.

We are a data driven company and need someone with a rigorous analytic background, an understanding of the need for establishing and executing short-term and long-term financial goals and objectives. This role will report to the CEO will work closely with the SVP of IT and VP of Operations to drive initiatives to create an exceptional experience for our customers.

What you will be doing...

Owning the strategy and vision of continuous improvement for our Information Technology, Warehouse Operations, and Supply Chain teams for Excelligence Learning Corporation by assessing and enhancing the efficiency of internal and external operational processes to meet revenue, gross profit and inventory turn targets.

Information Technology (IT) Management:

• Oversee the IT department, including infrastructure, systems, and software development.
• Develop and implement IT strategies, policies and procedures across our divisions to ensure the security, reliability, and scalability of technology systems.
• Drive digital transformation initiatives, leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency and support business growth.

Distribution Operations:

• Manage and optimize the company's distribution and logistics operations, ensuring timely and cost- effective delivery of products.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve distribution efficiency, inventory management and order fulfillment processes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance warehouse operations, transportation logistics, and third-party vendor relationships.

Supply Chain/Logistics Management:

• Oversee end-to-end supply chain processes, including procurement, planning, sourcing, and supplier management.
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance supply chain efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall supply chain visibility and performance.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure adequate inventory levels, minimize lead times, and mitigate supply chain risks.
• Expertise in logistics management, encompassing inbound and outbound goods movement, with a focus on optimizing supply chain strategies and continuously improving inbound and outbound logistics processes to drive operational efficiencies.

This is someone we can count on to...

• Provide visionary leadership and guidance across the various companies IT, Distribution, and Supply Chain teams by fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives by collaborating with cross-functional teams on company-wide initiatives that require coordination and cooperation across multiple departments.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities, partnerships, or acquisitions to drive the company's growth and expand its market presence.
• Leading/assisting M&A diligence and integration of new acquisitions to support growth strategy and [KP1] increase shareholder value.
• Ensure an exceptional customer experience by overseeing the development and implementation of strategies that prioritize customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.
• Strategically integrate AI technologies and data-driven solutions into operational processes to enhance efficiency, automate tasks, and drive business insights.
• Establish and maintain rigorous quality control standards throughout the company's operations by driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, product quality and customer satisfaction.
• Conduct regular financial assessments, monitoring key performance indicators, and developing and managing budgets for the departments under their purview.
• Oversee risk management processes and ensure compliance with relevant industry regulations, data security measures, and ethical standards.
• Understand the relationship between sales, gross margin and inventory turns.
• Attract and develop a world class team in a high-performance culture and help create an environment that inspires continuous improvement and one that motivates others to achieve excellence. Implement succession planning initiatives to ensure leadership continuity.
• Foster a culture of innovation, keeping abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies, and identifying opportunities for the company to stay ahead of the competition.
• Have strong strategic planning abilities with significant P&L responsibility achieving profit margin and inventory turn.
• Bring many years of experience with extensive knowledge and experience in general operations for a multi-location, omni-channel environment.
• Have excellent communication skills (written and verbal skills) as well as leadership and management abilities.
• Have good business acumen with a track record of general management experience.
• Grow a business or division while remaining on-brand, and on -trend.
• Be comfortable and participate in an analytical and quantitative, data driven environment with mastery of retail math and analytics.
• Enjoy travel.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field (e.g. Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Information Technology). Advanced degree or MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years' experience as a COO or in a senior leadership role overseeing a relevant industry or environment.
• Deep understanding of IT systems, infrastructure, and software development methodologies
• Extensive knowledge of distribution and logistics operations, including warehouse management, transportation and inventory control.
• Solid understanding of supply chain management principles, including procurement, planning, and supplier relationship management.
• Proven analytical and business planning skills.
• Strong communication (both verbal and written), analytical, organizational, and time management skills are essential.
• Ability to work cross-functionally to gain support and commitment of others to achieve common goals.
• Ability to prioritize effectively.
• Able to make timely decisions, anticipate problems and provide creative solutions.

Excelligence is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees, employment applicants and other covered persons without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, religion or creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship status, genetic information, military or veteran status, age, physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws.