Director of Operations

Emberglow Gaming is a growing tabletop gaming company built around a simple idea: creating a place where people gather around the hearth to play, tell stories, and build community. What began with high-quality TTRPG accessories has grown into a much broader creative company. Emberglow has built a strong reputation for designing and producing premium gaming products, developing high-end merchandise for licensed partners, and bringing ambitious new products to life through highly successful crowdfunding campaigns. We are now expanding into publishing with our first major title, The Adventure Guide: Secrets of Enduril, a family-friendly, learn-as-you-play TTRPG adventure. Publishing represents an exciting new chapter for Emberglow, with additional books, games, collaborations, and original projects already in development. Our community extends beyond the products we create. We are also growing Crits & Castles , our immersive castle-based tabletop gaming event, and continuing to explore new ways to bring players, creators, and storytellers together. With an ambitious slate of projects already planned for 2027 and beyond, Emberglow is entering an exciting period of growth. We are building a dynamic team of people who are excited to take ownership, build something meaningful, and grow alongside the company. At the center of it all is the Emberglow hearth—a place for players, creators, partners, and our own team to gather. Whether through the products we manufacture, the stories we publish, the creators we partner with, and the experiences we build, our goal is to help create the moments that bring people together. Role Description: Production and Operations Manager Company Description Emberglow Gaming is a growing tabletop gaming company built around a simple idea: creating a place where people gather around the hearth to play, tell stories, and build community. What began with high-quality TTRPG accessories has grown into a much broader creative company. Emberglow has built a strong reputation for designing and producing premium gaming products, developing high-end merchandise for licensed partners, and bringing ambitious new products to life through highly successful crowdfunding campaigns. We are now expanding into publishing with our first major title, The Adventure Guide: Secrets of Enduril, a family-friendly, learn-as-you-play TTRPG adventure. Publishing represents an exciting new chapter for Emberglow, with additional books, games, collaborations, and original projects already in development. Our community extends beyond the products we create. We are also growing Crits & Castles , our immersive castle-based tabletop gaming event, and continuing to explore new ways to bring players, creators, and storytellers together. With an ambitious slate of projects already planned for 2027 and beyond, Emberglow is entering an exciting period of growth. We are building a dynamic team of people who are excited to take ownership, build something meaningful, and grow alongside the company. At the center of it all is the Emberglow hearth—a place for players, creators, partners, and our own team to gather. Whether through the products we manufacture, the stories we publish, the creators we partner with, and the experiences we build, our goal is to help create the moments that bring people together. Role Description: Production and Operations Manager The Director of Operations & Production is a full-time leadership role responsible for taking Emberglow projects from approved concept through prototyping, manufacturing, freight, inventory placement, and fulfillment readiness. Working closely with the Founder and Marketing Director, this person serves as the operational lead once a project enters the manufacturing stage. They will manage multiple products and launches simultaneously, building timelines, coordinating vendors, anticipating roadblocks, and ensuring every project moves from prototype to finished product on schedule and to Emberglow's quality standards. A major part of this role is managing relationships and day-to-day communication with our overseas manufacturing partners. The Director will coordinate product specifications, prototypes and samples, revisions, production schedules, quality expectations, packaging requirements, shipping timelines, and final delivery. They will maintain visibility across every active production project and ensure critical deadlines, approvals, and dependencies don't fall through the cracks. Once products enter production, the Director will coordinate freight and inventory allocation across Emberglow's in-house facility and third-party warehouse and fulfillment partners. They will monitor inventory levels across locations, plan replenishment, and work closely with our in-house fulfillment team to ensure they have the products and materials needed to fulfill orders smoothly and efficiently. This role will also help build and improve the operational systems behind Emberglow's growth—creating repeatable processes for product development, manufacturing, inventory planning, vendor management, and fulfillment as the number and scale of our launches continue to grow. Key Responsibilities Own project management for products from the manufacturing handoff through final delivery and fulfillment readiness. Manage communication and relationships with domestic and overseas manufacturers and vendors. Coordinate prototypes, samples, revisions, approvals, production schedules, packaging, and quality control. Build and maintain production timelines across multiple concurrent products, collections, and launches. Identify production risks, delays, dependencies, and potential bottlenecks early and develop solutions before they impact launches or fulfillment. Coordinate international freight and delivery of finished goods to Emberglow facilities and third-party warehouse and fulfillment partners. Manage inventory allocation and replenishment across fulfillment locations. Coordinate with Emberglow's in-house fulfillment team to ensure inventory, packaging materials, and other resources are available when needed. Maintain clear visibility into the status, deadlines, costs, and next steps for all active production projects. Track manufacturing, freight, and operational costs against project budgets. Develop and improve systems, documentation, and workflows that allow Emberglow to manage a growing number of products and launches efficiently. Work closely with the Founder and Marketing Director to ensure manufacturing timelines and operational capabilities align with product launches, Kickstarter campaigns, wholesale commitments, and other company initiatives. Location This role may be based at our Brenham, Texas facility or operate in a hybrid/primarily remote capacity for the right candidate. Regular in-person work in Brenham will be required, so candidates should live within reasonable driving distance. The greater Houston and Austin areas may both be workable depending on the candidate's availability and travel expectations. Qualifications 5+ years of experience in operations, project management, product development, manufacturing, supply chain, or a related field. Demonstrated experience managing physical products from initial prototype and sampling through final production and delivery. Experience working directly with overseas manufacturers and vendors, including managing samples, revisions, production schedules, quality expectations, packaging, and approvals. Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple products, vendors, timelines, and launches simultaneously. Working knowledge of international freight and logistics, including production lead times, ocean and air freight, freight forwarders, customs/import considerations, and landed costs. Experience with inventory planning, allocation, and replenishment across multiple warehouse or fulfillment locations. Experience working with third-party logistics (3PL) providers and/or in-house fulfillment operations. Strong proficiency with spreadsheets and project management tools, with the ability to build and maintain production trackers, timelines, budgets, inventory forecasts, and operational dashboards. Solid understanding of COGS, manufacturing costs, freight costs, landed costs, and the impact operational decisions have on product margins. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly when communicating detailed product specifications, revisions, deadlines, and expectations with vendors. Exceptional organization and attention to detail, with the ability to maintain visibility across many moving projects without losing sight of individual details or larger deadlines. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to identify potential production or logistics issues early and take ownership of finding solutions. Comfortable working in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment where processes are continually being developed and improved. Able to work independently, take ownership of projects, and communicate clearly when decisions, approvals, or additional resources are needed. Ability to travel regularly to our Brenham, Texas facility as needed. Preferred Qualifications Experience with consumer products, tabletop gaming, publishing, e-commerce, or other businesses managing a high number of physical SKUs. Experience managing production and fulfillment for product launches, preorders, or crowdfunding campaigns such as Kickstarter. Experience coordinating inventory across both direct-to-consumer and wholesale sales channels. Experience scaling manufacturing and operational systems for a growing small or mid-sized business. Existing experience working with factories in China or other international manufacturing markets. Bachelor's degree in operations, supply chain management, business, project management, or a related field is preferred but not required . Relevant hands-on experience is highly valued. #J-18808-Ljbffr Emberglow Gaming