Store Director at Hester & Cook

Reports to: VP of Visual Merchandising & Store Curation
Location: Franklin Location -OR- Nashville Locations (HV, WB, BC)
Pay: Salaried

Overview:
The Store Director is a critical player on our growing team, leading the store team for their assigned store(s). This is a full time position during retail hours, Saturdays & Sundays included. The responsibility of this position facilitates a cohesive, welcoming, H&C store experience to the consumer while maintaining inventory levels and profitability at store level. This position will develop and mentor their team, grow store revenue and develop new programs for their assigned store(s) as well as partner with the other Store Director to propose initiatives, promotions and new policy & procedures for all retail
locations. This position works closely with both the Merchandising team and Visual team, as well as with other Store Directors.

Customer Service, Driving Sales & Store Presence:

  • Provide top notch customer service and increase sales with direct customer interaction.
  • Mentor retail employees to do the same
  • Upsell and suggestive sell to customers, while maintaining genuine connections
  • Responsible for meeting daily/monthly revenue goals
  • Meet or exceed sales targets and KPIs
  • Create and keep monthly sales trackers up-to-date
  • Maintain a presence on the sales floor, through active selling techniques & customer engagement
  • Drive revenue through coaching staff on best sales practices
  • Create meaningful, impactful customer relationships through excellent customer service
  • Handle customer concerns and ensure resolutions
  • Exemplify Hester & Cook’s commitment to superior customer service and model best-practices to other staff members
  • Lead by example when sales associates are present by actively engaging customers on the sales floor and encouraging other staff members to provide the same high level of customer service
  • Be present at the store during high volume days, peak sales, and events to support sales goals. This includes weekends and holidays. Be sure that each store has either the SD, ASD or coordinator scheduled for high volume days.
  • Present ideas to upper management to increase sales, traffic and KPIs in assigned store(s)

Team Management, Staffing, Leadership & Development:

  • Manage all retail store personnel in assigned retail store(s)
  • Ensure stores are properly staffed for daily traffic as well as events
  • Create and maintain employee schedule for the store(s). Submit 2 weeks prior to the start of the month. Staff the store(s) appropriately while adhering to the payroll budget.
  • Approve payroll bi-weekly
  • Approve requests off for staff
  • Maintain a staff document with up-to-date employee status and availability. Request additional staff as needed.
  • Recruit, interview and hire new sales associates as necessary
  • Train new team members on all store operations and expectations
  • Develop consistent and effective training programs
  • Maintain an up-to-date product knowledge training manual, sharing with team members as new brands and vendors are introduced.
  • Use continuous coaching to ensure knowledge is retained and sales team is always well-educated
  • Bring staff to the next level, fostering growth and development. This includes teaching product knowledge, Hester and Cook company history, an overall solid understanding of every product on the floor. Preparing team members to grow with the company where there is talent and desire.
  • Participate in Weekly Manager Zoom calls as well as any necessary meetings at HQ
  • Maintain a streamlined channel of communication with store staff and HQ
  • Act as a liaison between HQ, Merchandising and Visual to the Store Staff. Ensure staff is well-informed about product, promotions, events and initiatives.
  • Communicate daily, weekly and monthly goals to store staff and hold staff accountable for goals
  • Have monthly touch-bases with sales associates, communicating to them overall store performance and individual performance
  • Have daily touch base meetings with the store team to outline daily sales goals, specials and pertinent store information.
  • Communicate with teams any store hour changes, inclement weather closures, etc.
  • Ensure policy and procedure is being adhered to by all staff members

Store Operations & Inventory Management:

  • Opening/Closing the store
  • Make weekly deposits, ensuring accuracy of all deposits
  • Serve as on-site POS/Systems/Policies expert, troubleshooting when POS problems arise and there are policy questions on returns, pricing and discounts.
  • Solve all ringing issues by partnering with the Merchandising team as soon as an issue is noted
  • Fix negative inventory daily, research the cause of the issue and address it
  • Loss Prevention: monitor loss, both internal and external. Execute policies and strategies to lower shrink and train staff on loss prevention best practices.
  • Conduct weekly inventory spot-checks to ensure accurate stock levels
  • Supervise and delegate the stock levels for all supplies, bags and tissues. When 2 boxes remain of any size, immediately reorder or contact the warehouse for items.
  • Maintain all other store supply levels. Order store supplies as needed.
  • Report any maintenance issues immediately to ensure a safe working environment
  • Manage all IT and Security needs for your assigned store(s)
  • Manage store access by providing keys to keyholders and keeping accurate logs of store keys
  • Maintain the store(s) budget. Meet with Keith monthly to discuss P&L
  • Maintain Lighting Sales spreadsheet and communicate commissions to Patsy
  • Execute directives from HQ teams, including sale pricing and transfers in a timely manner. Normal requirement 24 hours.

Visual Merchandising & Product:

  • Manage store restock process, ensuring no gaps in merchandising
  • Maintain the back stockroom and all back stock
  • Receive purchase orders and transfers in the system
  • Tag and place product on sales floor as it arrives in a timely but accurate manner
  • Train staff on inventory receiving process
  • Delegate inventory receiving projects to sales associates as necessary
  • Ensure all inventory is easy to identify in the sales system, limiting ringing issues and negative inventory. Partner with Merchandising team to solve any ringing or inventory issues
  • Oversee all incoming deliveries and transfers in assigned store(s)
  • Partner with other Store Director to complete store-store transfers as needed
  • Partner with Merchandising team for all other transfers and product needs
  • Place weekly orders for all Hester & Cook product and any other assigned categories.
  • Maintain Hester and Cook inventory levels in the stockroom by utilizing sales level and min/max reports. Manage the process to get product checked in within 48 hours.
  • Stay informed about stock levels and merchandising at other Hester & Cook locations by consistently communicating with other Store Directors
  • Communicate with the Merchandising team regarding product needs, stock levels, etc.
  • Communicate with Visual Team on a regular basis regarding product placement, sales
    performance, signage, fixture needs and more.
  • Assist Visual Team in store resets, seasonal sets, window displays, new product launches, table settings, floor-sets, etc.
  • Maintain visual merchandising standards for all key areas of the store.
  • Assure that all displays, tablescapes, and other fixtures within the store are upheld to company standards at all times and within the visual story
  • Facilitate cohesive merchandising strategies as directed by leadership
  • Train store staff on visual standards, best practices and product placement
  • Maintain merchandise guides and Visual guidebook for store staff to reference
  • Ensure that signage is implemented throughout the store to communicate pricing in a way that is appropriate for the Hester & Cook brand.
  • Complete a signage walkthrough daily, making sure all signage is visible and impactful, all pricing is clear and all items are tagged.
  • Submit signage requests to Marketing
  • Delegate tasks to store’s team members and enforce accountability in order to be more productive in your role. This includes: restocking the floor, checking in product, ticketing merchandising tables, cleaning the store. A regular cleaning schedule is a must.

Events & Marketing:

  • Keep yearly calendar with all store events
  • Keep yearly calendar with all local events, holidays or any other influxes in sales
  • Plan & schedule seasonal events at assigned store(s)
  • Assist, attend, and represent Hester & Cook sponsored events at said events at assigned store(s)
  • Coordinate and execute events to brand standards. Always using Hester and Cook products in all events, representing the look of the store and our merchandising direction.
  • Help create supporting activities that coordinate with the store events
  • Submit store events in Asana and to Marketing Team
  • Propose new events for both locations, with a goal of 1 event per quarter in each store
  • Propose new in-store promotions and traffic drivers to VP of Visual/Store Curation
  • Network amongst the community to seek out new opportunities
  • Create lasting relationships in the community

Physical Requirements & Other Duties:

  • Stand and walk for long periods of time
  • Lift boxes and items up to 50lbs
  • Adhere to all policies in Employee Handbook
  • Some travel required
  • Other duties as assigned
  • Store shifts 5 days/week - schedule ASD or RSC on days when you are not scheduled

To apply: Email resume and cover letter to kacey.bengtson@hesterandcook.com. Use subject line “Store Director” and indicate whether you are interested in full or part time.