Biggest Challenges Faced by an Operations Growth and Strategy Manager at Happy Returns
Makai's biggest challenge as Operations Growth & Strategy Manager is adapting to unexpected changes, such as a third-party vendor delaying equipment delivery by two months. This requires proactive contingency planning and the ability to "react" and "adjust" on the fly, making the role dynamic and exciting.
Adaptability, Problem-Solving, Contingency Planning, Communication, Dynamic Work Environment
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Makai Cartman
Operations Growth & Strategy Manager
Happy Returns by PayPal
MIT 2015
UCLA Anderson MBA
Engineering - Mechanical
Technology, Transit, Transportation, Warehousing & Storage
Operations and Project Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Adapting to unexpected changes and delays is a significant challenge. This involves working with various teams and third-party vendors, requiring flexibility and contingency planning.
2. Proactive due diligence and backup plans are crucial for navigating unexpected changes and delays, both internally and externally.
3. The dynamic and ever-changing nature of the role, while challenging, is also what makes it exciting and engaging, offering opportunities to problem-solve creatively and remain adaptable.
Transcript
What are some of the biggest challenges in your current role?
One of the biggest challenges is change. Being able to adapt to those changes is key. A lot of my work relies on other teams, so I need to be able to react when things shift.
For example, I was working with a third-party vendor who quoted a delivery date for a piece of equipment. A week before it was supposed to arrive, they informed me it would be delayed by two months. You then have to figure out how to adapt, adjust, and make necessary changes to deal with that unexpected change.
The question is, how do you respond to that? I think a lot of it comes down to doing due diligence upfront and having backup or contingency plans. This way, if something doesn't happen as planned, you know how you're going to react and work around it.
This applies whether it's with third-party vendors or internally. For example, if an internal software team has to push back a product release, or if an external customer changes a requirement. Being able to adapt to those things and go with the flow is challenging.
However, it also makes the job more interesting. Being dynamic and having exciting times means there's never a dull moment.