Waterknot is a small greeting card company based in Portland, Oregon. We create thoughtful, nature-inspired greeting cards and art prints that help people connect with each other and the wild places they love.
We're looking for someone who enjoys bringing order to complexity — and takes real satisfaction in getting the details right.
As our Studio Operations Lead, you'll become an operational hub for our small business. You'll help coordinate orders from Shopify, Faire, Etsy, and other sales channels; maintain inventory and supplies; support our fulfillment team; and keep the software systems behind our business running smoothly.
This is a unique role that combines computer-based operations with very hands-on production and fulfillment. You might spend one morning troubleshooting a spreadsheet import, ordering inventory, updating customer records, or building out email marketing campaigns, then spend the afternoon packing orders or assembling greeting cards alongside our fulfillment team.
And we want to be upfront about that hands-on work: some of it is highly repetitive. Greeting cards need to be paired with envelopes and sleeves, over and over (and over) again. Orders need to be picked, checked, packed, and shipped accurately. If you find repetitive work oddly satisfying when there's a clear system and a job to finish, you'll probably fit right in.
You'll Thrive Here If You...
Have proven experience with Excel or Google Sheets and are comfortable working with data.
Enjoy learning new software and aren't intimidated when technology behaves unexpectedly.
Naturally investigate and troubleshoot problems before asking someone else to solve them.
Like keeping systems organized, consistent, and efficient.
Can stay focused and accurate while doing repetitive hands-on work.
Have a sharp eye for detail and genuinely enjoy accuracy.
Are comfortable working quickly with numbers, codes, and other small-but-important pieces of information.
Can reliably distinguish and match things like SKUs, bin locations, PO numbers, order numbers, quantities, and dates.
Treat checklists and established procedures as useful tools — and follow them carefully rather than skimming past the details.
Appreciate the variety, informality, and occasional unpredictability that come with working for a small business.
What You'll Be Doing
This position includes a mix of operational, administrative, customer service, and hands-on work, including:
Coordinating and processing orders across multiple ecommerce and wholesale sales channels.
Working with spreadsheets, order data, inventory records, customer information, and shipping systems.
Maintaining inventory and supplies and helping keep our studio organized.
Supporting our small fulfillment team and helping keep orders moving accurately and efficiently.
Responding to customer inquiries
Troubleshooting the everyday software and workflow issues that inevitably pop up in a small business.
Packing orders and performing repetitive product-assembly work as needed.
Experience We'd Love
Experience working for an ecommerce company or another business that ships physical products is strongly preferred.
Familiarity with platforms like Shopify, ShipStation, QuickBooks, Finale Inventory, CRM software, Klaviyo, Etsy, or Faire is helpful, but we're much more interested in how you think and learn than whether you've used every platform we have.
Compensation, Schedule & Work Location
$23–26/hour depending on experience
Part-time, approximately 20 hours per week
Daytime weekday schedule: 5 days/week Monday through Friday with potential option for 3 days/week with Monday and Friday required. Some flexibility in exact hours
Eight paid holidays
Flexible unpaid time off
Opportunity for additional hours and increased responsibility as the business grows
Work location: This is a fully in-person position in NE Portland.
Peak-season availability: Twice a year, in late January and late July, we have 2–3 week peak sales and fulfillment periods. During these periods, this position requires increased availability (potentially up to twice the usual weekly hours) and a firm commitment to being available for the full peak period. These dates are known well in advance and are an essential part of the position.
Physical Requirements
This is an active, hands-on position. The work requires regularly standing, reaching, bending, and crouching to pick products from shelving ranging from floor level to approximately six feet high; performing repetitive hand and arm movements during product assembly and order fulfillment; and occasionally lifting and carrying boxes weighing up to 30 pounds, including up a few steps.
To Apply
Please send your resume along with a short note telling us why this role caught your attention to josh@waterknot.com.
We're not looking for the loudest person in the room. We're looking for someone who enjoys making complicated things run smoothly, notices when something isn't quite right, and takes pride in work that's organized, thoughtful, and accurate.
And because details matter in this job, when you apply, be sure to tell us what you've been listening to lately.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.