Assistant in Training

The Buckle, Inc.•Lexington, KY

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant in Training (AIT) supports the Store Manager and Leadership Team in creating the most enjoyable shopping experience possible for Guests. The role performs sales, merchandising, and operational work such as cashiering, merchandise displays and pulls, register procedures, and routine facility cleaning. The AIT helps develop sales, recruit Teammates, and provide leadership; shares responsibility for training and motivating Teammates; and acts as Store Manager when the manager is absent. The Assistant Manager role is a progression from AIT and includes additional duties, while most responsibilities are shared. The position emphasizes Guest service and sales performance, Teammate recruiting and development, visual merchandising, store operations, and leadership. The AIT helps maintain store standards, execute business goals and training, support staffing needs, and respond to operational issues. The role assists the Store Manager in supervising and may travel to or cover other stores within the district based on business needs. The role is based in a retail store setting with usually moderate noise. The schedule is flexible and may include mornings, evenings, weekends, and the day of or day after Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to store and business needs. Physical requirements include standing, walking, handling merchandise, reaching, climbing or balancing, jumping, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and lifting and maneuvering up to 50 pounds throughout the store and backroom.

Requirements

High school diploma or 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.
Ability to travel to and cover other stores within the district based on business needs.
Ability to stand, walk, handle and feel merchandise, reach, climb or balance, jump, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, talk, and hear as required by the role.
Physical ability to lift and maneuver 50 pounds throughout the store and backroom.
Required vision abilities include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Ability to provide customer service, communicate professionally, coach and motivate Teammates, and handle challenging Guest or Teammate situations.
Ability to perform the essential duties satisfactorily; reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Responsibilities

Provide friendly, engaging Guest service; answer questions and recommend merchandise based on Guest needs.
Build Guest relationships and support client-based business, loyalty, fit appointments, credit card, and Guest Connect goals.
Meet personal sales-per-hour, average sale, and total net sales goals; contribute to store sales performance and plan sales goals with the Store Manager.
Use product knowledge, sales education, showmanship, and the Sales Presentation Guide to support sales and Teammate presentations.
Recognize and communicate Guest levels, ask for and remember Guest names, and keep the Team informed.
Recruit Teammates and assist the Store Manager with store staffing needs, interviews, referrals, and maintaining a talent contact list.
Train, coach, motivate, and develop Teammates in sales, service, loss prevention, accountability, shift orientation, and non-sales positions.
Support daily setup, training, performance reviews, leadership development, and department education priorities using tools such as the Performance Tracker.
Execute department calendars, weekly delegation plans, mid-week check-ins, and sales-focused actions.
Own and influence product presentation through zone ownership; assign projects and learning goals to Teammates and partner with the Store Manager across all four zones.
Maintain visual standards, visual library and checklists; ensure freight is displayed appropriately and the sales floor is sized and shoppable.
Identify merchandising opportunities and recommend solutions to the Store Manager; anticipate product changes and improve visual results.
Use the planner and complete opening and closing checklists; execute and train others on checklist procedures.
Watch for security risks and theft, follow loss-prevention guidelines, and perform daily bag and purse checks.
Execute and teach point-of-sale procedures and follow policies for payments, returns, exchanges, and loss prevention.
Maintain a clean, organized, shoppable store and adequate supply inventory; provide feedback on merchandise handling.
Complete markdowns, pulls, inbound and outbound freight, recalls, and returns to vendors.
Complete new-hire paperwork and tasks accurately and promptly under Human Resources and legal guidelines.
Communicate policy violations and Teammate or Guest concerns confidentially and promptly to the appropriate leaders or Human Resources.
Handle emergencies in the Store Manager's absence according to company guidelines and cover shifts when needed.
Support the Leadership Team, provide and receive feedback, promote personal and store growth, and maintain professional relationships with Teammates.
Travel to and cover other district stores as business needs require; handle schedule changes professionally.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.