Back of House Lead

FAO Schwarz•New York, NY

13d•$23 - $25•Onsite

About The Position

The Back of House Lead is responsible for the product journey from arrival to guest delivery, making commercial decisions, organizing the stockroom, and directing team focus. This role also involves direct guest interaction when replenishing, and serving internal customers like floor teams, Visual, VIP, and store leadership. Building trust and championing the team across the business are key aspects of this role.

Requirements

2+ years of experience in a Back of House supervisory role within a fast-paced premium retail or experience-based environment.
Experience coaching and developing team members through feedback and hands-on daily leadership.
A commercial mindset; understanding how operational decisions drive sales.
Strong presence on the floor and confidence in making real-time decisions in a high-volume environment.
Solid knowledge of inventory management, shrink mitigation, and shipment processing best practices.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and stand, bend, and twist for extended periods.
Flexibility to work days, evenings, weekends, and peak retail periods.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with POS and inventory management systems is a plus.
The ability to build trust and strong working relationships with internal teams and external partners.

Responsibilities

Own the product journey end-to-end, from receiving and processing to getting the right product on the floor with speed and accuracy.
Make commercial decisions on what to process first, prioritizing bestsellers, high-margin lines, and key departments.
Design and maintain a stockroom that mirrors the sales floor for easy access and quick replenishment.
Drive replenishment with pace and a guest-first mindset.
Lead ship from store operations, managing the process of fulfilling guest purchases for home delivery with accuracy and pace.
Act as a keyholder, responsible for the safe opening and closing of stockrooms, breakroom, and back office areas.
Coach and develop the Back of House team, adapting style to bring out the best in each person.
Support new team members during onboarding to help them ramp up quickly and feel confident.
Hold the team to the same guest engagement standard as anyone on the floor, ensuring they stop to help, answer questions, and create moments of connection while replenishing.
Provide regular coaching and feedback, using on-the-floor observations to support individual and team performance.
Recognize strong performance and hold the team accountable when expectations aren’t met, escalating concerns as needed.
Drive shipment processing with urgency and accuracy, prioritizing the floor’s most pressing needs and validating every delivery to minimize shrinkage.
Keep the stockroom clean, safe, and operationally ready at all times, maintain the organizational system, and address anything that could slow the team down.
Lead the team’s daily operational rhythm, ensuring priorities are clear, coverage is set, and the floor is ready before guests arrive.
Identify maintenance and repair needs across the store and promptly escalate them to the appropriate partners.
Make commercial decisions that drive sales, prioritizing high-margin and high-velocity products.
Read and act on data, using sales trends and inventory reports to keep replenishment sharp and availability strong.
Own inventory accuracy and shrink mitigation, holding the team to consistent processes and escalating concerns.
Share operational performance with the team, helping them understand how their decisions and pace connect to store results.
Treat every team served as an internal customer by understanding their needs, responding with urgency, and consistently delivering on commitments.
Conduct daily floor walks to stay connected to the shop floor, identify replenishment priorities, anticipate needs, and strengthen relationships.
Actively promote and advocate for the Back of House team across the business.
Partner with VIP and Experience teams ahead of events and activations to ensure product availability and operational readiness.
Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors and external partners.
Cascade key communications across the team regarding events, business goals, and expectations.