Design Operations & Procurement Coordinator

About Rooted Wonders
Rooted Wonders is a boutique commercial botanical and biophilic design studio based in the Washington, DC metro area. We design and install preserved moss walls, faux botanical installations, custom planters, seasonal and holiday décor, and branded botanical features for corporate offices, hospitality properties, commercial real estate, and multifamily communities.
We are a women- and minority-owned studio built on design-led, white-glove execution. As we grow project volume and expand into wholesale botanical products, we are building stronger systems and an operational team to match the quality of our design work.
Key Responsibilities
Pricing + Estimating
Build and maintain pricing calculators, estimating templates, and repeatable pricing models.
Organize material, labor, production, installation, freight, equipment, and other project costs.
Calculate and review markup, margin, quantities, and total project costs.
Compare estimated vs. actual costs and use historical data to improve pricing and labor assumptions.
Maintain current vendor/material pricing and flag cost changes or underpriced work.
Read basic floor plans, elevations, and field dimensions to calculate quantities and verify specs.
Prepare organized client-facing estimates for Owner review and document pricing processes.
Procurement + Vendor Management
Issue and track purchase orders across active projects.
Source products and compare vendors on quality, price, lead time, availability, freight, dimensions, terms, and design fit.
Maintain vendor records including contacts, pricing, MOQs, lead times, and quality notes.
Coordinate samples, shipments, delivery scheduling, and inventory intake.
Reconcile vendor invoices against purchase orders and flag discrepancies.
Identify and vet new suppliers, including vendors that support future wholesale growth.
Manage backorders, substitutions, damaged goods, returns, and vendor issues proactively.
Proposals + Design Operations
Build and update polished client proposals, estimates, spec sheets, tear sheets, and sourcing materials using Canva, Google Workspace, Airtable, and other design/procurement tools.
Organize product selections, quantities, finishes, dimensions, specifications, pricing, and approvals.
Maintain product/vendor libraries and prepare complete project information for production handoff.
Coordinate purchasing with production schedules and track approvals, deadlines, product needs, and open decisions.
Flag missing information, cost changes, delays, or project risks early.
Help implement and improve procurement, project-tracking, and workflow systems as Rooted Wonders grows.
Systems + Process Development
Create and maintain pricing, procurement, estimating, and purchasing SOPs so processes are repeatable and trainable.
Build and improve Airtable databases, project trackers, vendor/product databases, purchasing workflows, templates, and checklists.
Standardize project costing, file naming, and folder structures.
Create systems for comparing estimated vs. actual costs and improving visibility into project profitability.
Identify workflow gaps, repetitive manual work, and opportunities for automation or process improvement.
Client + Vendor Communication
Communicate clearly and professionally with vendors regarding pricing, availability, orders, logistics, and unresolved issues.
Occasionally communicate with clients regarding proposals, material selections, or delivery schedules.
Maintain discretion with confidential client, vendor, and pricing information.
How You Work
You take ownership and close the loop without needing to be chased for updates.
You communicate proactively, especially when working remotely, and flag risks or missing information early.
You work with urgency and produce accurate, usable work quickly.
You are resourceful and solution-oriented, bringing options and recommendations when issues arise.
You keep shared trackers, notes, pricing files, and procurement status current.
You are comfortable with numbers, confident with vendors, visually aware, and process-minded.
You learn new tools quickly, use AI thoughtfully, and look for better ways to work without sacrificing accuracy.
Qualifications
2–4 years of relevant experience in procurement, FF&E, estimating, purchasing, design operations, or a related commercial/creative field.
Strong Canva skills with experience creating polished client-facing proposals, presentations, spec sheets, or sourcing boards.
Strong Excel/Google Sheets skills with comfort using formulas, cost rollups, markup, and pricing documents.
Understanding of markup, margin, material costs, labor costs, quantities, and project costing.
Comfort reading basic floor plans, elevations, measurements, and dimensions for takeoffs and procurement.
Strong vendor-management, follow-through, and professional communication skills.
Able to manage multiple active projects and deadlines without losing details.
Experience improving SOPs, workflows, templates, databases, or internal systems.
Self-directed and reliable in a remote environment with consistent availability and communication.
Bonus Experience
Airtable, Google Workspace, OneDrive, QuickBooks, procurement/inventory platforms, or project-management software.
Wholesale purchasing, trade accounts, supplier negotiation, or invoice/PO reconciliation.
Interior design, FF&E, commercial furniture, hospitality, architecture/interiors, floral/event design, or biophilic/botanical work.
Rendering software, SketchUp, visual mockup tools, or proposal/presentation design.
Effective use of AI for research, drafting, analysis, organization, and workflow support.
Work Arrangement
This is a remote-first position. Candidates do not need to live in the DC/MD/VA area. Rooted Wonders is based in Linthicum, Maryland, and local candidates may occasionally participate in studio training, project walkthroughs, vendor visits, or site visits, but regular weekly in-person attendance is not required.
Because this role is remote, dependable communication, responsiveness during agreed-upon working hours, clear documentation, and visible progress are required.
Compensation + Growth
$25–$32/hour, based on relevant experience. Approximately 15–25 hours per week to start, with the potential for additional hours and increased responsibility as Rooted Wonders grows. For the right person, the role could evolve into Design Operations & Procurement Manager.
To Apply
Please send your resume to natalie@rootedwonders.com with a short note explaining why this role interests you and what you are especially good at.
We are interested in proven results, not just years of experience. Please include or be prepared to discuss:
One pricing model, estimating tool, spreadsheet, workflow, SOP, or process you created or significantly improved.
An example of a cost, sourcing, vendor, or process problem you identified and how you solved it.
Any measurable result you can share — time saved, cost reduced, margin improved, turnaround improved, errors reduced, or volume managed.
How you stay organized, communicate progress, and maintain accountability while working remotely.
Your general availability and preferred weekly hours.
Work samples are welcome but not required. Examples of pricing tools, procurement logs, sourcing boards, SOPs, dashboards, or proposal materials are especially relevant.
Rooted Wonders is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team.

Work arrangement
Yes