Senior Returns Manager, EU

About the Role

We're looking for a Returns Manager to own end-to-end reverse logistics performance across our UK and EU operations. From forecasting incoming volume through grading, refunds, fraud prevention, and resale, you'll build a returns operation that's fast, accurate, and cost-efficient — while turning returned inventory back into recovered value. This is a hands-on role for someone who can dig into root causes, manage partners and carriers, and build the reporting to prove it's working.

What You'll Do

Returns Forecasting & Planning

• Build and maintain returns volume forecasting models across UK and EU markets, factoring in seasonality, backlog, promotions, and category-level return patterns
• Translate forecasts into staffing, processing capacity, and warehouse space plans for returns operations
• Monitor returns rate trends and flag volume shifts to inventory, finance, and merchandising teams

Customer Refunds

• Oversee timely, accurate refund processing in line with UK and EU consumer rights regulations
• Audit warehouse/QRC staff on grading standards and quality checks
• Partner with customer service and finance to resolve refund discrepancies and disputes
• Track refund turnaround time against SLA and resolve bottlenecks in the refund workflow

Fraud Detection & Prevention

• Build and refine fraud detection processes for returns abuse (wardrobing, serial returners, empty-box claims, item-not-as-described fraud)
• Partner with risk and customer service teams to develop fraud rules/flags and investigate high-risk cases
• Balance fraud prevention with customer experience, avoiding over-blocking of legitimate returns

Returns Root Cause & Logistics Feedback

• Track and categorize return reasons, with particular focus on logistics-driven returns (damaged in transit, wrong item shipped, late or failed delivery, packaging failure)
• Partner with warehouse, supply chain, and carrier teams to reduce logistics-driven returns through root cause analysis and corrective action
• Present return reason trends to leadership to inform packaging, product, and logistics improvements

Returns Resale & Recommerce

• Manage resale/recommerce channels for graded inventory (open-box, refurbished, clearance, secondary market and liquidation partners)
• Maximize recovery value on returned inventory while minimizing time-to-resale
• Build and manage relationships with resale/liquidation partners and evaluate new recommerce channels across UK and EU markets

Reverse Logistics & Carrier Management

• Negotiate rates and service levels with carriers for return shipments across UK and EU markets
• Manage carrier performance for return pickups, label generation, and inbound transit times
• Evaluate and roll out returns-specific shipping options (paperless returns, drop-off points, pickup services) to reduce cost and improve the customer experience

SLA & Performance Management

• Define and manage SLAs across the returns lifecycle — receipt to grading, grading to disposition, refund turnaround, and time-to-resale
• Monitor 3PL and warehouse partner performance against returns SLAs; escalate and resolve issues as needed
• Build reporting and dashboards to track returns KPIs and turn data into actionable recommendations for leadership

Cross-Functional & Compliance

• Partner with customer service, supply chain, finance, and merchandising to align returns operations with broader business goals
• Ensure returns operations comply with UK and EU consumer protection, distance selling, and VAT/duty rules (including treatment of re-imported goods and refund-related VAT adjustments)
• Stay current on evolving returns-related regulation across UK and EU markets

What You'll Bring

Required

• 5–8+ years managing returns or reverse logistics operations in a high-volume ecommerce or retail environment, ideally across UK and EU markets
• Experience building returns forecasting and capacity planning models
• Solid understanding of UK and EU consumer rights, refund, and distance-selling regulations
• Experience designing or managing returns fraud detection and prevention programs
• Track record reducing logistics-driven returns through root cause analysis and cross-functional fixes
• Experience managing return resale, refurbishment, or liquidation channels
• Carrier negotiation experience for reverse logistics/return shipping
• Strong SLA and KPI management skills, with reporting experience (Excel, SQL, or BI tools)
• Hands-on experience with WMS/OMS returns modules
• Excellent cross-functional communication and stakeholder management skills

Preferred

• Experience in DTC, fashion/apparel, or other high-return-rate ecommerce categories
• Familiarity with recommerce or liquidation platforms and partners
• Experience operating across multiple EU countries and languages
• Background in fraud/risk analytics
• Experience managing reverse logistics SLAs with UK/EU carriers (e.g., Royal Mail, Evri, DPD, DHL, GLS)