Head of Operations

Head of Operations — illooms
Northwich, Cheshire | Office-based | Near J19, M6
illooms makes the world’s first LED glowing balloons — sold in Walmart, Target, Tesco, Pepco and major retailers across 90+ countries worldwide. We started on Dragon’s Den, we own our own factory in the Far East, and we are on a genuine growth trajectory that shows no signs of slowing down.
We are a family business. That is not marketing language — it is how we actually operate. We care about the people we work with, we move quickly, we laugh a lot, and we hold ourselves to a standard that is less about corporate policy and more about being kind, being accountable and getting things done properly.
The role
We are looking for a senior Head of Operations to join the team and take full ownership of our supply chain from factory floor to customer door.
This is the operational backbone of the business. You will manage our logistics and Quality & Compliance team, work closely with our factory management team in China, own our sourcing function and chair the weekly operations meeting. Everything from demand planning and MRP through to inbound freight, warehouse management and customer delivery sits with you.
We need someone who is experienced, self-sufficient and ready to make an impact from day one. This is a senior role with real responsibility and real autonomy — but also a team around you that will have your back.
A word on working hours: because we work closely with our factory team in China, this role works an 8am start. It gives you the daily overlap you need to keep production and logistics properly aligned — and it means your afternoons are genuinely productive rather than spent waiting for answers.
What you will own

Sourcing — identifying, onboarding and negotiating with suppliers and component vendors, working closely with the CEO on key decisions
Daily collaboration with our senior factory management team in China
Full inbound logistics — ex-works to DC across all routes and markets
Outbound logistics — DC to customer and FOB direct from factory to retailer
Factory demand planning and MRP
Factory status reporting — WIP, completion, risks and escalations
Weekly S&OP meeting — chairing, reporting and driving actions
3PL and warehouse performance
ERP and supply chain data accuracy
Leading and developing the Operations team

What we are looking for

Proven experience in a senior supply chain, operations or logistics leadership role
Experience managing international supply chains and Far East factory relationships
Experience leading S&OP or equivalent planning processes
Comfortable managing freight, warehousing and 3PL providers
Strong with ERP and supply chain systems
A clear, proactive communicator who flags issues early and solves problems quickly
A genuine team player — collaborative, accountable and commercially aware
Someone who thrives in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment where no two days are the same

Why illooms
We are based just off the M6 near Northwich — easy to get to, with a team that genuinely enjoys coming in. We are a family company, not a corporate one. We do not have layers of bureaucracy or endless sign-off processes. We trust the people we bring on to do their jobs, and we support them to do it well.
We own our factory. We distribute globally. We are growing fast and we are building the team to grow with us. For the right person, this is a role with real scope — not just to do a great job, but to shape how the operational side of the business evolves as we scale.
We work hard. We have fun. We look after each other. And we are genuinely proud of what we are building.
If that sounds like your kind of place, we would love to hear from you via the contact form.

More Info & Apply

National Account Manager

National Account Manager

illooms | UK-based | Hybrid | Travel required

The opportunity

This is a rare, once-in-a-career opportunity to join a fast-growing, design-led consumer brand with an aggressive growth plan and global ambition.

illooms is on a mission to light up celebrations worldwide — literally. As the only light-up balloon brand in the market, we’re disrupting a traditional category with innovation, creativity and commercial sharpness. Now we’re looking for a high-impact National Account Manager to help scale the business and accelerate our retail footprint.

This role comes with a highly competitive OTE scheme that genuinely rewards exceptional performance, offering significant upside for the right person as the business grows.

The role

Reporting into the Head of Sales, you’ll be responsible for driving profitable growth across a portfolio of key retail accounts, while also opening doors to new business opportunities.

You’ll own the full account management lifecycle — from listings and negotiations through to launches, promotions and long-term customer strategy — working cross-functionally to deliver results at pace.

This is a hands-on, commercially critical role with real influence across sales, product, operations and supply chain.

What you’ll be doing

Owning and growing key retail accounts to deliver annual turnover and profit targets

Developing listings, negotiating terms, managing launches and driving promotional activity

Prospecting and onboarding new customers to fuel growth

Creating compelling, data-led customer presentations and selling with insight

Forecasting, managing price files, contracts and reporting on account health

Working closely with internal teams (Sales, Ops, Supply Chain, Studio, Customer Service) to ensure smooth end-to-end execution

Translating customer strategy into clear internal direction to shape product development

Analysing sales, supply chain and store-level data to identify opportunities and flag risks early

Building strong, long-term relationships with retail buying and merchandising teams

Attending trade shows and travelling to customer HQs in the UK, Europe and/or US as required

About you

You’re commercially sharp, naturally tenacious, and thrive in fast-moving, entrepreneurial environments. You’re comfortable owning accounts end-to-end and love turning insight into action.

You’ll bring:

Proven sales and account management experience within an SME environment

Strong retail and FMCG exposure

High-level sales analysis skills and confidence working with data

Strong Excel capability

The ability to influence, negotiate and communicate at all levels

A relationship-first mindset with a commercial edge

A proactive, solutions-led approach and appetite for growth

Bonus points for:

Experience in party, toy, craft, seasonal or impulse categories

Supply chain knowledge within retail environments

Project management experience

European language skills

Why illooms?

A genuinely disruptive product and brand

Real autonomy and visibility within a growing business

An entrepreneurial culture where ideas move fast

A market-leading OTE structure that rewards results — not time served

The chance to help shape the next phase of a global growth story

We offer a competitive senior-level base salary, complemented by an OTE structure designed to reward exceptional performance.
Applications to sales@illooms.com

More Info & Apply