Retail Store Manager - Palo Alto

Full-time - Mid Level

East Palo Alto, CA

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers

About the position

Founded in San Francisco, Pet Food Express is one of the country's leading independent pet food and supply retailers, with customer loyalty built on our philosophy of providing the best for pets. We are seeking a confident and experienced Store Manager that excels at store operations and looks for opportunities to make an impact through the success of the team. We hire experienced, driven leaders who model our values in action, communication and decision-making with their store team. We are seeking candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to employee development, equity and inclusion; creating processes and opportunities to engage employees in meaningful ways and ensure all voices are heard and valued.

Responsibilities

• Coach and lead your team of passionate pet people to engage and build a loyal customer base, understand the needs of both our two-legged and four-legged customers, and educate customers on how our products will enhance the wellbeing of their pets.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the health and safety of employees and customers while teaching employees how to maintain excellent floor awareness.
• Become an expert in pet parenthood and nutrition staying up-to-date on new products, industry trends, developments and opportunities and share your knowledge with your team.
• Connect all store employees to the 'why' behind the vision. Generate team buy-in by connecting policies and programs to Pet Food Express' core values, brand promise and the big picture.
• Develop and upskill your team in understanding, setting and achieving store and individual sales goals, and customer service and visual merchandising standards.
• Use our Skill Level Program to mentor your team through each stage of their professional development. Ensure Store Team members have a clear, detailed understanding of their roles and are accountable for learning, skill development and follow-through on tasks to meet the expectations of their position.
• Evaluate and manage the performance of Store Team members through dialogues, development plans, feedback, and follow-ups, and take actions to improve performance to support the business needs.
• Create an equitable, inspiring, and inclusive work environment that encourages and fosters collaboration, honesty, openness, and is welcoming for all.
• Recruit, hire and develop a strong and diverse team that includes team members with various experiences, backgrounds, and skillsets to drive store operations today and build the bench strength for future growth.
• Partner with Recruiting/HR, District and Area Managers, other Store teams and stakeholders to develop applicant streams of talented leaders from inside and outside the organization to fill open positions.
• Leverage tools, reports, and insights to make appropriate adaptations that result in increased sales and service for customers.
• Execute the store operations playbook to ensure a clean, friendly, and efficient store. Achieve financial and operational store objectives including expense control, loss prevention, and store audits.
• Lead store team through store opening and closing, implementation of visual merchandising directives while maintaining standards consistent with Pet Food Express' brand guidelines.
• Communicate with corporate partners regarding assortments, trends, and replenishment.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3+ years of successful retail management experience demonstrating dynamic leadership skills with the ability to lead, motivate and develop future leaders.
• Drive and Ambition. We're growing and need people who can grow with us.
• Eagerness to learn and a willingness to lead and participate in daily educational activities.
• Proficiency in interpreting and using retail financial metrics to drive key performance indicators (KPI).
• Demonstrated ability to set standards and hold self and team accountable.
• Commitment to deliver an outstanding customer experience.
• Willingness to travel between multiple locations around the Bay Area.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the business; will require weekends, evenings, and holidays.
• Must be able to lift, move and carry up to 50 pounds while using the appropriate lifting techniques and following all safety rules.
• Ability to climb and balance using a ladder and/or step stool.
• Ability to continuously stand, walk, bend, stretch and engage in repetitive motions throughout shift.

Benefits

• Grow with us: Many potential career paths and options for advancement within the company.
• Continued Learning: A focus on your development and leadership training. Investment in your pet and product knowledge, you'll never see pets the same way!
• Generous in-store employee discount that extends to your family.
• Benefits: All employees are eligible to participate in a number of Company-sponsored benefits, such as life insurance, pet insurance, Employee Assistance Program(EAP) and more. FT employees are eligible for Health coverage, FSA options, dental, and vision insurance.
• Plan for the future: 401k with employer match.
• Rest and Relax: Competitive Paid Time Off.
• Bring your well-behaved pet to work.
• Opportunities to make an impact in the community through the Pet Food Express Pet Fair, in-store fundraisers and adoption events benefiting local rescue and shelter partners, and more!