Store Manager

Store Manager

A store manager (SM) delivers a commercially relevant and profitable store in the community you serve. Your focus on the sales floor ensures that all elements exceed our standards from presentation to service. You assess your store from the customer perspective and communicate your ideas to your area manager to improve the store. In addition, you identify obstacles and opportunities for the business, communicating and working through cluster support partners for the betterment of the company. As a leader, you recognize the strengths of the team, provide opportunities for career growth and use company tools to develop ready talent. You ensure ownership and accountability for the business through respectful communication. In your role, you seek and respond to feedback from the cluster support partners, to improve sales and gain continuous efficiencies. You are committed to supporting the cluster structure as requested by the area manager and work with the cluster leader as needed in accordance with our core values.

Ensure consistent, friendly and informed service to customers, first by the example you set and second by the training and encouragement of first-class service by all your team. Create a vibrant bookstore through the flawless execution of bookstore basics. Teach and reinforce compelling merchandising with both visual integrity and title affinity through knowing the best place to put books on your floor to generate sales. Build your team through engagement, motivation and coaching; assess performance and address any issues proactively and timely. Communicate collaboratively with your cluster commercial support (CCS) to tailor the inventory, selection and assortments to reflect your community and customer. Manage pricing to offer a value statement consistent with your customers' expectations, while protecting the margin and profitability of your store. Ensure the efficient execution of store operations with timely management of receiving, vendor returns and other day-to-day processes. Manage your roster to optimize the store efficiency through scheduling and payroll, working with area rota and cluster rota support. Work with area people support to ensure well trained employees. Interview and hire booksellers that are knowledgeable and will provide an optimal shopping experience for our customers, partnering with cluster support when appropriate. Use the store roster to schedule appropriately, optimizing process efficiency and store payroll. Understand issues of shrink and expenses, holding the store team accountable to do the same. Collaborate with the caf manager to convert traffic into caf sales and create a superior customer experience. Engage your community through social media and events specific to your customers' interests. Use remote working technology (Teams, Outlook 365, etc.) to support the above. Work a majority of the time on the selling floor, which requires physical activity (I.e., prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, climbing). Open and close the building, ensuring the safety of our employees and customers.

Solid bookselling knowledge across various genres. Experience in managing and developing employees at all levels. Experience managing payroll and scheduling effectively. Experience driving positive key financial results. Ability to organize, plan and prioritize workload. Manage own time efficiently and effectively. Able to delegate and to work through others well. Communicate clearly and comfortably across all levels of the business. Build collaborative working relationships at all levels. v Deliver honest and constructive feedback, holding team members accountable when necessary.

Expected Behaviors

Run an excellent commercial bookstore. Grow knowledge of industry and market. Prioritize customer experience above all else. Drive results. Provide feedback, coaching and development. Exhibit genuine passion to deliver better bookstores through our people. Listen to others. Can empathize with and understand people. Demonstrate collaboration. Address issues proactively. Make good decisions and engage in solution-based problem solving. Take calculated risks. Is comfortable with ambiguity. Act with respect and kindness. Show adaptability and work with a sense of urgency all the time. Maintain positivity. Remain discreet and unbiased.