Market Leader - General Merchandise

Position Overview

As a Market Leader of General Merchandise, you will drive sales, directly and indirectly, manage the General Merchandise departments within a geographic market, collaborate with campus and One Team Center partners, demonstrate your leadership skill set in training and developing team members, and elevate the retail shopping experience within our stores.

You will foster multiple campus relationships by ensuring excellence in the execution of retail operations, outreach, and events.  Accountabilities include achieving budgets and financial goals and meeting and exceeding service level expectations in adherence to General Merchandise administration with store directors and/or store managers.

Through your leadership and influence, you will motivate and empower team members through strong collaborative communication, inspire and lead change management and provide clear direction to maintain alignment with strategic direction and drive accountability. 

You will consistently exemplify Follett Values - We Are One Team, We Do What's Right, We Innovate & Create, We Own the Results, We Put People First, We Stand for Inclusion. Demonstrates proficiency in Follett Strategic Core Competencies - Thought, Results, People, and Self.

Responsibilities

Driving Sales/Results: Consistently deliver exceptional results through business insight, general merchandise, and operational expertise within a specific geographic market, including:

• Analyze merchandising reports to drive business results and develop appropriate strategies to capitalize on business strengths and impact deficiencies in collaboration with the market leader, campus partners, store team(s), and One Team Center leaders.
• Deliver impactful visual presentations and optimal merchandise execution standards, utilize monthly promotional plans and new product launch directives, and tailor to-store assortment using benchmarks and sales results.
• Facilitate effective workload planning process to accomplish tasks and plan appropriate time to direct and organize merchandise receipt placement, replenishment, and sales promotion set-up/signage; plan, execute and lead floor/fixture moves, merchandise placement, and presentation while ensuring compliance is maintained to support merchandise protection standards.
• Maintain appropriate inventory control in alignment with store operational procedures: Including managing inventory levels, markdowns, special orders, and proper shipping/receiving for all general merchandise.

Campus Relationships: Establish and foster strong relationships with the campus communities, campus administration, athletics departments, faculty, and staff, including:

• Actively pursue opportunities for additional participation on campus and across the community, including creating and participating in key events and developing and initiating more grassroots, local events.

Talent Management: Champion full cycle talent management for all stores, including:

• Drive the communication, development, and training of team members supporting visual merchandising standards related to merchandise placement, execution, and style, including visual elements.
• Actively seek and share best practice photos and actions with peers and team and provide direct feedback to team members.
• Communicate and collaborate to support receipt flow, placement, and stockroom management. Train the store team to utilize reporting tools to drive sales.
• Team member development through continuous performance feedback and effective, periodic performance evaluations.

Customer Service: Is passionate about Customer Service and leads teams to provide a fun, best-in-class experience for all customers, including:

• Participate in regularly scheduled product planning meetings with One Team Center
• Create and maintain an engaging customer service culture, focused on solutions-based selling and fostering an exceptional shopping experience in-store and online.
• Work in collaboration with university licensees and one team center partners to ensure university licensing brand standards.

Other duties as assigned to support general store operations.

Follett Higher Education is a drug-free workplace environment.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of Experience
• Results and Sales Driven
• Experience with full-cycle talent management
• Passionate about Customer Service
• Foster strong relationships with campus relations
• ​​Bachelor's Degree or equivalent
• Travel Requirements 10%-50%
• ​General Computer Skills