Head of E-commerce Job Description and KRAs

A Head of E-commerce leads a company's entire online business across its own website and marketplaces. They set the e-commerce strategy, own online revenue and profitability, and lead category, marketing, operations and marketplace teams. The role reports to the Chief Executive Officer or Managing Director. A good head of e-commerce grows online revenue profitably, builds a strong presence across the website and marketplaces, gets category, marketing and operations working together, and turns the online channel into a reliable growth engine.

Detail	For this role
Department	E-commerce
Level	Senior management
Reports to	Chief Executive Officer
Direct reports	Head of Category, E-commerce Manager, Marketplace Manager
Experience	12+ years in e-commerce with senior leadership

Head of E-commerce job description template

Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.

Job title: Head of E-commerce

Department: E-commerce

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: [City], [office, branch or site]

About the role

Key responsibilities

Set the e-commerce strategy across the company website and all marketplaces.
Own online revenue, margin and profitability and meet the annual targets.
Lead category, marketing, merchandising, operations and marketplace teams together.
Drive traffic, conversion and retention across the website and marketplaces.
Plan the sale event and promotion calendar across all online channels.
Manage relationships with marketplaces, agencies and technology partners for the business.
Ensure fulfilment, service and returns meet customer experience standards.
Approve budgets for marketing, technology and operations within authority.
Track performance across channels and act on trends and competition.
Report online business performance and plans to company leadership.

Requirements

Graduate with an MBA is common
Strong e-commerce leadership experience
Comfort with data, marketing and operations
12+ years in e-commerce with senior leadership

KRAs and KPIs for a Head of E-commerce

Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.

Key result area	How to measure it
Online revenue	Online revenue meeting the annual target across website and marketplaces
Profitability	E-commerce profitability meeting the approved target for the year
Conversion	Website conversion rate improved against the annual target
Marketplace share	Marketplace sales and share meeting the target on key platforms
Customer experience	Delivery, service and return metrics meeting the experience standard
Retention	Repeat customer rate improved against the annual target

Skills and tools

E-commerce strategyProfit and loss ownershipDigital marketingMarketplace managementCategory and merchandisingAnalyticsTeam leadershipPartner management

Tools used day to day: Analytics platforms, Marketplace seller consoles, E-commerce platform admin, Performance marketing tools, Business dashboards.

Reporting line and career path

Moves up from: Head of Category, E-commerce Manager, Marketing Head
Next roles: Chief Business Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Business Unit Head

Interview questions for a Head of E-commerce

How do you grow online revenue profitably rather than just buying growth?
How do you balance the company's own website against marketplaces?
How do you plan a major sale event across all channels?
How do you get category, marketing and operations to work together?
How do you improve conversion and retention on the website?
Describe an online business you grew and the key decisions.

Managing a Head of E-commerce in ZeniaHR

AttendanceThe head of e-commerce works the general shift from the office and punches by web from the office network. Partner and warehouse visits are filed as on duty, with a located mobile app punch where a site visit applies.LeaveAvoid leave during major sale events when the whole online business is under pressure, and name an officiating head for extended leave. Balances and accrual are tracked in the leave ledger.Performance and KRAsThe chief executive sets online revenue, profitability and conversion as weighted goals in an annual review cycle with a rating scale. Review channel performance each month against targets.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a head of e-commerce do?

A head of e-commerce leads a company's entire online business across its website and marketplaces. They set the strategy, own online revenue and profitability, and lead category, marketing, operations and marketplace teams. They grow online revenue profitably, build a strong presence across channels, and turn the online channel into a reliable growth engine.

What qualifications does a head of e-commerce need?

Most heads of e-commerce are graduates, often with an MBA, and have strong e-commerce leadership experience. Employers look for a track record of growing online revenue profitably, skill across category, marketing, merchandising and operations, comfort with analytics, and the ability to lead multiple teams and manage marketplace and technology partners.

What is the difference between head of e-commerce and e-commerce manager?

A head of e-commerce leads the whole online business, setting strategy and owning revenue and profit across all channels and teams. An e-commerce manager runs the day to day operations of the online store, such as listings, pricing, promotions and coordination. The head sets direction, while the manager executes store operations.