Assistant in Training

Columbiana Centre•Columbia, SC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant in Training (AIT) supports the store’s mission to create the most enjoyable shopping experience possible for Guests. Working with the Store Manager and Leadership Team, the AIT helps develop sales, recruit Teammates, provide leadership, and train and motivate the team. The AIT also performs sales, merchandising, and operational tasks, including cashiering, merchandise display and pulls, register procedures, and routine facility cleaning. The AIT shares responsibility for acting as Store Manager in the manager’s absence. The Assistant Manager role is a progression from AIT and includes additional high-level duties, while most duties and responsibilities are shared. The role focuses on sales generation and Guest service; Teammate recruiting, training, and development; visual merchandise management; store operations; and leadership. The AIT helps achieve sales goals, deliver strong Guest experiences, maintain visual and operational standards, and support store staffing and team growth. The position is performed in a retail store setting and may require a flexible schedule based on store and business needs.

Requirements

High school diploma or general education degree (GED), or one to three months of related retail experience and/or training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to work a flexible schedule that may include mornings, evenings, weekends, and the day of or day after Thanksgiving and Christmas, based on store and business needs.
Ability to perform sales, merchandising, training, leadership, and store operational duties.
Ability to give and receive feedback and maintain professional relationships with Teammates and Management.
Ability to travel to and cover other stores within the district based on business needs.
Ability to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel items, reach, climb or balance, jump, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, and talk or hear regularly; sitting is occasionally required.
Ability to lift and maneuver up to 50 pounds throughout the store and backroom.
Vision abilities including close, distance, color, peripheral vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment.

Responsibilities

Greet Guests, provide attentive service, answer questions, recommend merchandise, and help Guests find products that meet their needs.
Demonstrate product knowledge, share information about current sales and promotions, and suggest additional items to enhance the Guest experience.
Meet personal sales goals and help improve team sales presentations and store performance.
Build Guest relationships and support Guest loyalty, fit appointments, Buckle credit card activity, and Guest connections.
Plan sales goals with the Store Manager and demonstrate ownership of store sales performance.
Identify recruiting opportunities and assist the Store Manager with recruitment and staffing needs.
Train, coach, motivate, and develop Teammates in sales presentation, accountability, loss prevention, leadership, and non-sales positions.
Help maintain a positive floor culture and model professional dress, showmanship, and customer service.
Support department results, execute department calendar actions, and help implement store education focuses.
Take part in daily setup, training, performance tracking, and review activities.
Manage product and zone ownership, assign projects and learning goals, and help maintain visual standards and merchandising.
Partner with the Store Manager to delegate, demonstrate, and review store zones and visual execution.
Recognize merchandising opportunities, communicate recommendations, and help ensure freight is displayed appropriately and the sales floor is organized.
Use store planning tools and complete opening and closing checklists.
Follow loss prevention guidelines, recognize security risks, and execute and teach point-of-sale procedures.
Handle payments, returns, exchanges, calls from the Corporate Office, and challenging situations involving Guests or Teammates.
Complete scheduled shifts, cover shifts when needed, and maintain a clean, organized, and shoppable store.
Communicate merchandise handling concerns, policy violations, and Teammate or Guest concerns to the appropriate leaders.
Complete or oversee new-hire paperwork and tasks in accordance with Human Resources guidelines and legal policies.
Complete markdowns, pulls, inbound and outbound freight, recalls, and returns to vendors.
Maintain relationships and communication with Corporate Office departments to support store operations.
Monitor supplies and respond to emergencies in the Store Manager’s absence according to company guidelines.
Support leadership, conduct interviews as needed, handle schedule changes professionally, and travel to cover other district stores based on business needs.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.