How To Hire Ecommerce Manager Remotely

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September 12, 2022 Business

With eCommerce growing rapidly, hiring an eCommerce manager has become a big challenge for most businesses. But, onboarding a remote eCommerce manager could put you ahead of the competition by offering more flexibility and a new opportunity in a thriving overseas business.

If you are looking for someone who can manage your eCommerce growth remotely, here’s what you need to know about the hiring process.

What is an eCommerce manager?

An eCommerce manager is responsible for managing an eCommerce business’s operations across all channels and activities. They are responsible for the overall digital strategy of the business, as well as overseeing a team of designers, developers and online merchandisers. These managers often have experience in the marketing field and have studied marketing management at university.

The responsibilities of an eCommerce manager vary based on the size of the company and the individual’s experience. However, most managers focus on ensuring that the company is running efficiently, remains profitable and has scope for eCommerce growth as your business develops. Ecommerce managers also oversee the shipping and customer service processes so that the business can offer its products and services with ease.

Why do you need an eCommerce manager?

When you hire an eCommerce manager, you are investing in the growth of your business. Ecommerce managers are responsible for setting up and managing an online store, but they are also responsible for overseeing a marketing and sales strategy that will help your business grow. Depending on the size of your business, you may need more than one manager to oversee marketing, sales, and operations. If you are new to eCommerce, hiring an experienced manager may help you get started and enable your company to scale once you have a full team in place.

Hiring a remote eCommerce manager

When hiring an eCommerce manager, you will want to think about the level of experience you require, and sometimes that means expanding your talent search to include remote candidates since this will give you access to a far wider talent pool. If you decide to go down this route, that doesn’t restrict you to hiring a candidate from your own country — you might find that someone based overseas has all the experience and know-how you’re after.

Of course, hiring an employee based in another country altogether does come with additional challenges and complexities, but using an employer of record service from a provider such as Remote.com (where local laws, regulations and payroll requirements are taken care of for you) means onboarding is a lot more stress-free, allowing your new hire to concentrate on settling into their new role.

The great thing about hiring a remote eCommerce manager is that they may be able to provide greater market knowledge that makes growing your business easier. If you’re looking to attract consumers from a particular country, for example, international insight can be a very powerful tool. Start by finding managers with a similar profile to your company. Once you find a few managers you like, you can start talking to each one individually to get a better understanding of their experience and fit for your business.

Important things to consider before hiring an eCommerce manager

Hiring a new member of staff should be a well-thought-out process, and there are a few extra considerations when it comes to hiring remotely. You want whoever you hire to be a great match for your business needs and the role itself, so think about the important elements of your business before hiring, such as:

Company size

As your business grows and expands, you will likely need to hire additional eCommerce managers to manage different areas. Consider the size of your eCommerce team and the responsibilities that require additional management so your resources are split in the most practical and efficient way.

Experience

Large eCommerce businesses often recommend that eCommerce managers have at least two years’ experience leading an eCommerce team. Preferably, managers should also have experience of working in your industry. However, it’s important to always consider the transferable skills listed on an applicant’s CV, as they may be able to bring something new to the role.

Location

You may be hiring a manager who lives in a different city or country than you do. In this case, it’s important that you consider any cultural or time differences, and what can be done to keep employees collaborating effectively with each other across borders. With the number of tools now available (from project management platforms to video conferencing suites), asynchronous working shouldn’t be a problem.

Culture

It’s important to consider the culture at your company when hiring an eCommerce manager — you may want to consider hiring managers from companies with similar cultures to your own. Ensuring that everyone is on the same page in terms of their values and work ethic will help maintain a strong team. A close-knit team that is on the same wavelength will produce better results.

Available resources

When hiring an eCommerce manager, you will want to make sure they have the resources they need to do their job, especially when they’re working remotely. Make sure that managers have access to computer hardware and software, a desk, and an internet connection. Most importantly, maintain great communication so that if any problems do arise, they can be sorted quickly.

What skills should you look for in an eCommerce manager?

Great analytical skills

A good eCommerce manager should be capable of interpreting data in order to determine what works and what does not. Making good use of these findings is what will propel your company forward. A thorough understanding of key eCommerce metrics such as conversion, AOV (average order value), and traffic is essential.

Strong communication

Ecommerce leaders interact with practically all major departments within the business, so interpersonal skills are a key part of the job. You need someone who can collaborate well and is great at conveying important information, but also knows how to get buy-in from stakeholders across the organization.

Decision-making abilities

Being an eCommerce manager requires an ability to review data or insights and make firm, on-the-spot decisions — implementing new functionality or shifting your digital marketing strategy, for example. They won’t always pay off, of course, but the eCommerce world is continually evolving at pace, and sluggish decision-making from the top is likely to leave a business lagging behind its competitors.

What are the benefits of hiring remotely?

There’s a reason so many businesses are hiring remote employees, so you shouldn’t overlook this option even if you’re not sure it’s right for you. Not only could you save money on operating costs, but adding more diversity to your team means new ideas, more versatile skill sets, and increased growth opportunities. The benefits of hiring remote employees include:

The quality of your applicants will improve

It’s often the case that employers hire an applicant because they need to fill a position quickly; however, this can lead to high staff turnover. Instead, opening up your business to international employees can give you a better scope of applicants, so an eCommerce manager with precisely the right skills and experience is easier to come by.

Working remotely provides a better work/life balance

Burnout is a common problem for many people, and it’s often because their work/life balance is completely uneven. Long hours spent working with little time to ‘switch off’ is far from ideal, but remote work can help rebalance things so employees can get their work done during flexible hours, while still having time to enjoy their personal lives. When your employees are not overworked and under constant stress, that’s when they’ll produce their best work.

An international eCommerce expert can help your business grow

Scaling a business inevitably starts with local growth, but it rarely ends there. If your goal is to become a global eCommerce business, then you’ll need overseas experts and that’s where a remote eCommerce manager can help. With local knowledge, they can develop great tactics for expanding the business and provide essential value that is needed for entering new markets.

Whether you are new to eCommerce, looking to hire an experienced manager or want to hire someone who can bring your business to the next level, considering a remote employee could be a smart choice.