International Operations Manager

Role Description

Ammortal is entering its first phase of international expansion. Our Chamber is a 600+ component, high-end wellness product that we manufacture domestically within the US, ship ourselves, and install and service with our own team. This role exists to own the process end-to-end — to be the single accountable person who ensures we enter each market correctly, on schedule, and without regulatory or logistical gaps that could slow delivery to clients or expose the company to risk. You'll report to the COO and work cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Finance, Install Operations, and Sales to operationalize international growth.

Responsibilities

• Market Entry Playbook Development: Build and own a repeatable, documented market entry framework — starting with Canada — covering legal entity setup, regulatory filings, import/export logistics, tax registration, and operational readiness.
• Regulatory & Compliance Management: Research and navigate the regulatory landscape for each target market, including product safety certifications, health device classifications, electrical standards, import restrictions, and labeling requirements. Engage and manage local regulatory consultants to ensure compliance before first shipment.
• Legal & Corporate Structuring: Coordinate the selection and management of in-country legal counsel, accounting firms, and corporate service providers. Own the process of establishing legal entities, opening banking relationships, and ensuring ongoing corporate compliance in each market.
• Customs & Cross-Border Logistics: Work with Supply Chain and Install Ops to design the end-to-end cross-border shipping, customs clearance, and last-mile delivery process. Ensure proper HS code classification, duty optimization, and documentation for the Chamber.
• Immigration & Workforce Mobility: Manage the immigration and work permit process for Ammortal install and service technicians who need to enter and work in international markets. Engage immigration specialists and build repeatable processes for crew deployment across borders.
• Local Vendor & Partner Sourcing: Identify, vet, and onboard local service providers in each market — warehousing, last-mile delivery, accounting, legal, translation, and any market-specific operational needs.
• Financial & Tax Coordination: Partner with the Director of Finance to ensure transfer pricing, VAT/GST registration, withholding obligations, and intercompany accounting are set up correctly from day one. Track market entry costs against budget.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Serve as the operational quarterback for international expansion across Sales, Install Ops, Supply Chain, and Finance — ensuring every function is aligned on timelines, requirements, and go/no-go criteria before entering a new market.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in international operations, market entry, or cross-border supply chain/logistics
• Directly involved in opening at least 2 new country markets for a physical product company
• Working knowledge of customs/import regulations, product compliance, and cross-border tax basics (VAT/GST, transfer pricing concepts)
• Experience managing outside legal counsel, accounting firms, or regulatory consultants in foreign jurisdictions
• AI literacy — comfort using AI tools (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT) to accelerate regulatory research, draft compliance documentation, and systematize market entry playbooks
• Excellent written and verbal skills; ability to produce clear process documentation

Requirements

• Experience with Canada-specific market entry (federal and provincial regulatory frameworks)
• Background in medical devices, wellness technology, or consumer electronics with regulatory classification complexity
• Experience with temporary work permit or visa processes for deploying service/install crews internationally
• Experience at a high-growth startup or scale-up (not just large multinational playbooks)

Technical Knowledge

• Familiarity with customs/trade compliance platforms and processes
• Familiarity with regulatory processes
• Experience with international shipping documentation (commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin)
• Project management tools (Asana or similar)
• Notion (or similar knowledge base tool)

Pay, Location, Hours

• Pay Range: $95,000 – $120,000
• Benefits: 80% healthcare, dental, and vision covered
• Equity: 15,000 options vesting over 4 years with a 1 year cliff
• Location: Remote with some travel