Area Leader - Retail - Richmond, VA - Area

Follett•Richmond, VA

18h•$70,800 - $85,000

About The Position

The Area Leader leads and inspires store leaders and teams within a specific geographic market to deliver operational excellence in sales growth, talent development, campus relations, and customer service. The role provides direction aligned with strategic priorities, motivates teams through collaborative communication, drives accountability, and leads hiring, training, development, and retention while elevating the retail shopping experience. The Area Leader builds campus relationships, communicates company priorities and guiding principles, achieves budgets and financial goals, supports high-quality customer service, prepares and executes store operating plans, oversees student course-material delivery, ensures strong General Merchandise presentations, directs accounts receivable processes, and supports store operations across market locations. The position exemplifies Follett’s values and strategic core competencies. Travel requirements are greater than 50%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
5–7 years of multi-unit store experience.
Results- and sales-driven.
Experience with full-cycle talent management.
Passion for customer service.
Ability to foster strong campus relationships.
Travel requirements greater than 50%.
General computer skills.

Responsibilities

Lead ongoing in-person and virtual store visits within the assigned market.
Review market and store financial reports and initiate plans and actions to improve results.
Partner with store leaders to plan and implement sales events, including Back to School, Gameday, and Homecoming.
Champion execution of standard operating procedures, programs, and initiatives.
Coach teams to meet merchandising and store presentation standards.
Contribute to assortment and product planning meetings with store leaders and One Team Center partners.
Ensure store schedules support customer-service standards and selling opportunities while complying with labor-hour budgets.
Partner with ACCESS leaders to develop new ACCESS business and support and grow existing business.
Lead in-store course-material activities across the market in collaboration with course-materials leadership.
Oversee accounts receivable, account invoices, chargebacks, and stock-shipment coordination in accordance with company directives and procedures.
Meet the annual shrink budget.
Recruit, train, coach, and develop talent across all stores.
Promote continuous performance feedback and conduct periodic performance evaluations.
Maintain succession plans and talent pipelines, developing internal candidates and cultivating external talent.
Develop cross-functional teams to execute standards and drive business results, and foster accountability.
Build and maintain relationships with campus communities, administration, athletics departments, faculty, and staff.
Review campus operations and business results with campus partners and collaborate on opportunities on campus and in local communities.
Partner with store leaders to conduct SPR meetings twice per year with relevant campus stakeholders.
Lead teams in delivering an engaging, best-in-class customer experience and incorporating the GET customer-service model into in-store and online experiences.
Coach store leaders and teams on customer-service behaviors and follow up to recognize performance.
Optimize store scheduling to provide exceptional customer service.
Help stores resolve escalated customer issues and incidents in a timely manner.
Review SMG data, share it with team members, and take proactive steps to improve results.
Perform other duties as assigned to support general store operations.