General Manager | DTC Food Brand

Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

CARL’S in Auckland is seeking an experienced General Manager to lead the US-focused launch and build a profitable food business from the ground up. You’ll own the launch plan, budgets, deadlines and the day-to-day performance across marketing, ecommerce, creative and supply partners.

You will drive revenue, profitability and cash flow, lead and develop the team, set clear priorities, and translate customer feedback into product and buying improvements while establishing a reliable weekly

Qualifications

• Experience leading a food, consumer or ecommerce business with responsibility for financial results and people.
• A track record of launching and growing a business or delivering profitability improvements.
• Strong financial judgement with budgets, forecasts, margins and cash flow.

Responsibilities

• Lead the launch plan with budgets, deadlines and accountability.
• Own business performance including revenue, profitability, cash requirements and operating costs.
• Lead and develop the team with clear expectations and timely issue resolution.
• Collaborate with marketing and partners to align advertising investment with growth goals.
• Ensure the creative team delivers content for advertising, testing and brand development.
• Improve website conversion, average order value and repeat purchases.
• Coordinate suppliers and fulfilment partners to ensure product quality and reliable delivery.
• Use customer feedback to improve product and buying experience.
• Establish clear weekly reporting and translate findings into action.
• Identify problems early and take responsibility to resolve them.

Skills

Leadership

Financial management

Ecommerce

Brand growth

Team management

Job description

CARL’S is a new food brand preparing to launch in the United States. We are building our team in Auckland and looking for an experienced General Manager to lead the launch and grow a profitable business.

This is an opportunity to take broad ownership from the beginning: build the team, establish how the business operates and turn ambitious plans into measurable results.

The role

You will lead CARL’S day to day, taking responsibility for commercial performance, team delivery and launch execution.

Working across marketing, ecommerce, creative, retention and external production partners, you will ensure everyone understands their priorities and delivers against them.

We need someone who takes initiative, understands the numbers and follows through. You should be comfortable moving between commercial decisions and the practical detail needed to get things done.

What you will own

Lead the launch plan, with clear budgets, deadlines and accountability.

Own business performance, including revenue, profitability, cash requirements and operating costs.

Lead and develop the team, setting clear expectations and addressing issues promptly.

Work with our Head of Meta to ensure advertising investment supports sustainable customer growth.

Ensure the creative team delivers the content needed for advertising, testing and brand development.

Work with the Ecommerce and Retention Lead to improve website conversion, average order value and repeat purchases.

Coordinate suppliers and fulfilment partners to support product quality, availability and reliable delivery.

Use customer feedback to improve the product and buying experience.

Establish clear weekly reporting and turn the findings into action.

Identify problems early and take responsibility for resolving them.

What you will bring

Experience leading a food, consumer or ecommerce business with responsibility for financial results and people.

A record of delivering a successful launch, business growth or meaningful improvements in profitability.

Strong financial judgement and confidence with budgets, forecasts, margins and cash flow.

A practical understanding of customer acquisition, ecommerce and retention.

The ability to challenge plans constructively and hold specialists accountable.

Strong organisation, sound judgement and the energy to keep a growing business moving.

Experience with food, subscription businesses or the US market would be valuable.

Your first 90 days

You will establish a clear launch plan, reliable financial reporting and an effective weekly operating rhythm.

Every team member should understand their responsibilities, deadlines and measures of success. You will identify the biggest commercial and execution risks and put practical plans in place to address them.

You will help shape a food brand from its launch, with meaningful influence over the team, commercial direction and customer experience.

This role offers the opportunity to build a business serving the US market while working with a team based in Auckland.