President and Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Retail Sales & Operations

Stu’s Home Improvement Outlet | Dubuque, Iowa

Base salary plus performance compensation

Full-Time | On-Site | Relocation Required

Position Summary

Stu’s Home Improvement Outlet is hiring a hands-on President and Chief Operating Officer to assume responsibility for the company’s daily operations, sales performance, marketing, employee development and customer experience.

The Founder and CEO will focus on purchasing inventory, developing supplier relationships and identifying expansion opportunities. The President and COO will run the business day to day with the authority necessary to make decisions, implement changes and achieve measurable results.

Our number-one priority is immediate, profitable revenue growth. This is not a back-office or administrative COO position. The successful candidate must be a proven sales leader, strong closer and hands-on operator who is willing to work directly with customers while building the team.

Primary Responsibilities

Drive Revenue and Close Sales

• Take ownership of monthly revenue, gross profit and store performance.
• Personally assist customers and close high-ticket sales.
• Establish a consistent sales process for greeting, discovery, presentation, financing, objection handling and closing.
• Ensure management speaks with customers before they leave without purchasing.
• Track closing rates, average transactions, discounts, lead conversion and salesperson production.
• Use financing and lease-to-own programs to increase sales.
• Reactivate previous customers and unsold prospects.
• Build referral and repeat-customer programs.

Build and Lead the Sales Team

• Evaluate the current sales team and identify immediate training needs.
• Recruit, interview and hire commission-based salespeople.
• Personally train employees on selling, closing, financing and follow-up.
• Lead daily sales meetings and individual coaching sessions.
• Establish individual production goals and activity requirements.
• Address performance problems promptly.
• Demonstrate the expected sales process on the floor.
• Develop future managers and sales leaders.

Generate Customer Traffic

• Develop promotions and marketing campaigns tied to revenue goals.
• Generate online leads through Facebook Marketplace, social media and digital advertising.
• Use promotional videos and product content to bring customers into the store.
• Ensure online inquiries receive immediate responses.
• Convert internet leads into appointments, store visits and completed sales.
• Track advertising performance by source, cost, appointments and revenue.
• Manage the promotional calendar based on inventory and sales goals.
• Adjust campaigns quickly when they are not producing results.

Own CRM and Customer Follow-Up

• Ensure every lead and store visitor is entered into the CRM.
• Establish required follow-up procedures for all salespeople.
• Monitor calls, texts, emails, appointments and outcomes.
• Track lead-response times and conversion rates.
• Ensure missed appointments and unsold customers are contacted.
• Use CRM reporting to identify lost opportunities and improve performance.

Run Daily Operations

• Manage staffing, scheduling and sales-floor coverage.
• Maintain accurate inventory, pricing and sales documentation.
• Improve merchandising, showroom layout and customer flow.
• Coordinate receiving, warehouse preparation, deliveries and pickups.
• Oversee warranty processes and customer resolutions.
• Establish clear responsibilities, checklists and accountability.
• Manage labor and operating expenses within approved budgets.
• Provide the Founder and CEO with concise performance reporting.

Prepare for Expansion

• Build systems that allow the company to operate without the Founder’s daily involvement.
• Create a repeatable sales, marketing and operating model.
• Develop leaders capable of managing future locations.
• Assist with expansion into additional markets within the next 12 months.

Required Qualifications

• Proven success personally managing a high-ticket retail store.
• Direct experience selling furniture, appliances, flooring or comparable products.
• Strong personal selling, negotiation and closing skills.
• Experience leading a commission-based sales team.
• Demonstrated success recruiting, training and developing salespeople.
• Documented revenue growth under your leadership.
• Experience creating marketing campaigns that produced measurable sales.
• Understanding of Facebook Marketplace, social media and online lead generation.
• Experience managing CRM activity and customer follow-up.
• Knowledge of retail financing and lease-to-own programs.
• Experience with merchandising, inventory, deliveries, warranties and customer service.
• Ability to build processes and lead without constant direction.
• Availability to work retail hours, including evenings and weekends.

District or regional management experience alone does not meet the requirements. The candidate must have direct store-level leadership experience and personal accountability for sales and profitability.

Experience opening, rebuilding or turning around a retail store is strongly preferred.

Compensation and Growth

• Performance-based bonuses or commissions.
• Uncapped earning opportunity tied to profitable revenue growth.
• Total annual compensation may exceed $200,000 as the company increases revenue and expands into additional markets.
• Relocation assistance may be considered for an exceptional candidate.

The selected candidate must relocate to the Dubuque area, report on-site and be prepared to begin work by October 1, 2026.

Application Questions

Please submit your resume and answers to the following:

1. What high-ticket retail store did you personally run?
2. What were its monthly or annual sales?
3. How much measurable revenue growth did you produce?
4. How many commission-based salespeople did you recruit and lead?
5. What marketing campaigns did you create, and what revenue did they generate?
6. Describe a store, sales team or department you built or turned around.
7. What would you prioritize during your first 30 days?
8. Are you willing to relocate and begin working on-site by October 1, 2026?

Please provide specific numbers and measurable examples.

We are looking for a proven revenue generator who can close sales, build the team, drive marketing and take complete ownership of the company’s daily operation.

Stu’s Home Improvement Outlet

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