The Vice President, Retail plays a crucial role in shaping the company's North America retail strategy, driving growth, and ensuring that the organization's commercial operations are aligned with its overall business objectives. This is a hybrid role; we work on site 4 days and remotely 1 day weekly.
Responsibilities:
This candidate should be an engaging leader who develops the leadership abilities of retail leaders through a combination of goal setting, delegation, training, coaching, and mentoring.
Oversee and provide strategic leadership to a team of retail managers, directors, and other team members.
Provide thought leadership that creates a seamless brand experience across retail, leveraging shared functions between the channels and creating a high-performing, collaborative, and customer-focused culture within the organization.
Inspire team to meet business objectives and goals including sales volume, merchandise planning, profitability, customer service/client engagement and brand image.
Create strong leaders via coaching, training and development and recruitment, create retention and career path strategies for the team.
Demonstrate passion for product and people, develop talent and have actionable succession plans.
Model great communication, relationship building and leadership skills and will ensure team is engaged, connecting with the customer and delivering results.
Coordinate with all business partners and allocate resources to drive business and meet goals.
Evolve productivity through best practices and continuous learning.
Partner with HR to conduct semi-annual manpower meetings.
Driving Performance:
Develop and implement a comprehensive retail strategy to drive sales, profitability, and growth. This includes identifying market trends, consumer preferences, and competitive dynamics.
Ensure team has tools and can make decisions to drive their business.
Work collaboratively with cross-functional partners to drive consistent brand development and distribution strategy.
Ensure creative and effective execution of corporate merchandising and marketing strategy.
Continue to evolve the effectiveness of visual merchandising and marketing strategy.
Manage the retail budgets and ensure financial goals are met. This may include setting sales targets, monitoring expenses, and optimizing cost-efficiency.
Support financial planning of capex and expense budgets related to real estate activities.
Ensure the smooth operation of retail stores, including inventory management, visual merchandising, staffing, and customer service. Implement best practices to enhance the customer experience.
Work with product planning and merchandising teams to ensure product assortment and inventory that meets the needs of target customers and sales goals.
Prioritize an excellent customer experience by implementing policies and strategies that enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Collaborate with e-commerce and IT teams to ensure online and offline retail channels offer a seamless shopping experience.
Identify opportunities for retail expansion, whether through new store openings or remodels.
Lead training team to ensure brand messaging, vision and best in class customer experience are incorporated into employee training initiatives.
Operations:
Drive operational excellence through leadership and thoughtful decision making.
Lead team to develop and implement long-range operational strategies.
Stay informed about market trends, consumer behavior, and competition. Use data and insights to make informed decisions and adjust strategies as needed.
Ensure that all operations comply with relevant laws and regulations, such as labor laws, safety standards, and licensing requirements.
Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of business. Regularly report to the executive team and board of directors on progress and results.
Qualifications:
Strategic Vision:
Strong strategic thinker with the ability to develop and execute a long-term retail strategy. Maintains a cross functional approach to running the business.
Leadership Skills:
Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams. Thrives in a collaborative, hands on environment.
Integrity
: Demonstrates a high degree of integrity and trust.
Financial Acumen:
Strong financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control. Strong analytical skills in retail, real estate, finance and feasibility proformas preferred.
Market Knowledge:
In-depth knowledge of the retail industry, market trends, and consumer behavior.
Communication Skills:
Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, ability to convey the commercial strategy and results to the executive team and various stakeholders.
Analytical Skills:
The ability to analyze data and use insights to make informed decisions.
Adaptability:
The retail industry is constantly evolving, must be adaptable and open to change. Focused on innovative solutions and not afraid to pivot approach to address challenges and opportunities.
Experience:
10+ years in retail senior management and strategic leadership roles.
Education:
A bachelor's degree in business, retail management, marketing, or a related field is required. MBA or relevant advanced degree is preferred.
Ability to travel:
US and Canada travel required.
Associate Benefits:
Career pathing
Work-life balance
Training
Paid time off
Pet Insurance
Tuition Reimbursement
Employee Discount
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance with partial employer contributions, vision insurance, company-paid basic life insurance, Accidental Death & Disability Insurance, Supplemental Life insurance, 401(k) with a company match, and commuter benefits.
This role may have the opportunity to earn an annual target bonus based on several factors including Company and individual performance, subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s bonus plan in effect from time to time. Details regarding the plan are outlined in each employee’s plan agreement.