Operations & Merchant Engagement Associate

Mawu Africa is focused on scaling African creativity to the world by supporting artisans and building systems that help them thrive.

This role ensures efficient order fulfillment, accurate inventory management, and effective merchant engagement, while proactively identifying operational gaps and implementing solutions to improve performance and scalability. The role requires a high level of ownership, technical proficiency, attention to detail, and independent execution.

1. Manage and track all retail and wholesale orders from placement to delivery
2. Ensure timely fulfillment of orders in line with company KPIs
3. Coordinate with merchants on production timelines, order readiness, and dispatch
4. Conduct final quality control (QC) checks and ensure adherence to packaging standards
5. Monitor production progress and proactively resolve delays or operational issues
6. Identify bottlenecks in fulfillment and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency
7. Maintain accurate and up-to-date inventory records across all systems and physical locations
8. Track stock levels and proactively identify discrepancies, risks, or stock gaps
9. Upload and manage product listings in line with established product guidelines
10. Review and approve product data (descriptions, images, variants) to ensure completeness and accuracy
11. Maintain and update inventory and product trackers on a weekly basis
12. Identify product and inventory gaps and recommend actions to improve availability and performance
13. Conduct regular merchant check-ins and visits to monitor performance and strengthen relationships
14. Lead merchant onboarding, ensuring alignment with Mawu Africa’s quality, production, and operational standards
15. Collect and maintain structured merchant data, including production capacity, inventory levels, and product gaps
16. Conduct inventory reviews and audits with selected merchants
17. Provide feedback and guidance to merchants on product quality, production timelines, and compliance with requirements
18. Generate actionable insights from merchant interactions to support production planning and product strategy

1. Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Operations, or a related field
2. 1–3 years of relevant experience in operations, logistics, e-commerce, or supply chain
3. Experience working with inventory systems or ecommerce platforms is an added advantage
4. Knowledge and experience working in the crafts industry is an added advantage.
5. Demonstrated ownership and accountability for outcomes, not just tasks
6. Ability to execute work independently with consistency and strong follow-through
7. Strong problem-solving ability with capacity to identify and resolve operational gaps
8. Ability to manage end-to-end operational workflows including orders, production, fulfillment, and delivery
9. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets for tracking, reporting, and data accuracy
10. Ability to work with operational systems (e.g. Shopify, Multivendor Systems, PowerBi or similar platforms) and quickly learn new tools
11. High attention to detail in managing operational and inventory data
12. Strong communication skills for engaging with artisans and merchants
13. Ability to manage relationships within a distributed artisan network while maintaining accountability
14. Ability to produce clear, structured operational updates and reports
15. Ability to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment with changing operational demands