General Manager, Plaza del Lago & Edens Plaza

WS Development•Wilmette, IL

6d•$140,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

The General Manager (GM) has overall responsibility for the day-to-day operational excellence of Plaza del Lago and Edens Plaza, and is relentlessly focused on delivering an exceptional customer, tenant, and client experience – while always keeping the financial bottom line in mind. The GM owns the operational rhythm of the property: ensuring the physical environment, service standards, vendor performance, and on-the-ground execution consistently reflect the caliber of the brands and guests the properties serve. Both properties have seen recent revivals, with Plaza del Lago undergoing a major transformation focused on the preservation of the historic architecture and the elevation of the shopping experience, introducing luxury tenants to the North Shore. Sustaining that elevated experience day-to-day – through impeccable operations, proactive issue resolution, and hands-on presence – is central to this role. The GM is a leader at WS Development and has direct reports including an Operations lead, a Marketing lead, and a Property Coordinator. Familiarity and experience with luxury retail brands is strongly preferred. The ideal candidate is an operationally-minded leader who motivates a cross-functional and direct report team with a passion for and understanding of a modern consumer-centric experience. This person looks to analogous but disparate industries (think Disney, cultural centers, civic public space, etc.) for inspiration on operational excellence and service delivery, and understands our innate challenge is a battle for people’s time – in the pursuit of creating places where people want to be. This person is comfortable in the details: property maintenance, vendor and contractor management, security and safety protocols, tenant coordination, and event/activation logistics, all in service of a seamless guest experience. Further, this person will possess exceptional interpersonal skills, the ability to sell what we do and inspire partners around the mission. This includes selling in the context of Leasing tours and brand partnership development. We work in an entrepreneurial environment, so the candidate must have the ability to pivot and evolve, and to make sound operational decisions in a rapidly-changing environment. Comfort with business plans, budgets, and financial fluency supports day to day project and vendor management. Candidates will come from a wide variety of backgrounds including retail operations, hospitality, facilities/property management, entertainment and marketing. The day-to-day work of a GM is highly cross-functional and operationally hands-on in nature. The GM will report to a regional Director of Asset Strategy and Experience.

Requirements

Operations- and experience-centric mindset
Enthusiasm, curiosity, entrepreneurial initiative, and a strong work ethic
A people-person who enjoys developing people, growing relationships and collaboration
Ability to provide both strategic guidance and day-to-day tactical, operational direction on a wide variety of operational and marketing-related matters
Strong organizational skills and attention to operational detail
Salesmanship and passion
Clear, concise communication skills
Desire to work hard & with a strong sense of urgency
Can-do, optimistic attitude
Orientation toward innovation and trying new things
Consistent focus on optimization and improvement (both self-improvement and the work)
High ethical standards and integrity
Proficiency in computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Word, Excel and Outlook
Experience leading a cross-functional team towards productive, shared outcomes
Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously, with a bias toward hands-on execution
Comfort with ambiguity and adaptability to change
College degree required
7+ years experience in retail property management, retail operations, consumer goods, hospitality, marketing or a service industry preferred
Experience working in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving workplace
Demonstrated success as a proven leader, passionate about hiring great people, leading great people, and developing great people

Nice To Haves

MBA or other advanced degree preferred
Familiarity and experience with luxury retail brands is strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Overall responsibility for achieving excellence in the day-to-day operations of Plaza del Lago and Edens Plaza, with most of the time and focus spent on Plaza del Lago – including customer service, property operations, brand management, marketing, sales and administrative management
Own the on-the-ground guest experience: property upkeep, cleanliness, safety, vendor and contractor performance, and service standards that make every visit exceptional
Develop and drive a proactive Manager-on-Duty (MOD) plan for the center, ensuring consistent, hands-on presence and rapid response to day-to-day issues
Partner with Construction and Development to complete property projects, improve the property and continually focus on the operational details that make the customer experience the best it can be (consider parking, added services, amenities, public spaces, art, etc.)
Be an integral part of the launch of Plaza del Lago from construction close outs to tenant fit outs, tenant marketing and staggered openings. This will continue into the property’s coming years, ensuring that new tenants are operationally and logistically integrated into the property and community.
Build + manage external partnerships, including those with tenants, customers, the community, the government and financial partners
Actively consider your consumer and help identify leads for Leasing; partner with Leasing to attract, retain, and grow the best tenants in the market
Build and drive strategic brand partnerships, resulting in incremental revenue and added value experiences for your guests
Oversight and ownership of the general budget, supporting the business plan, and thinking like a fiduciary – manage the property finances within the context of its performance and critically evaluate financial trade-offs, including preparing a budget and its management
Operate effectively in a complex cross-functional environment involving management of a wide variety of stakeholders– including the Executive Committee, marketing, operations, brand partnerships, competitive landscape, etc.
Juggle a large workload with a focus on impact vs effort (and where your operational ROI will be the most effective)