Operations Lead (FAO Schwarz Boutique at Nordstrom)

FAO Schwarz•New York, NY

22h•Onsite

About The Position

The Operations Lead makes the magic possible. Behind every seamless guest moment is an operation that runs with precision, purpose, and pace. You own the product journey end to end, working closely with the front-of-house team and upholding the boutique's standards for both FAO Schwarz and Nordstrom. This role is for someone who is equally at home in the back-of-house and on the floor and who thrives when no two days look the same.

Requirements

2+ years in an operations supervisory role in a fast-paced premium retail or experience-based environment.
Experience in a concession or shop-in-shop setting is a strong plus.
Confident people leader with experience coaching and developing a team on the floor.
Comfortable stepping into an opening, closing, or Manager on Duty role when needed.
Strong operational and commercial foundation, including solid knowledge of inventory management, visual merchandising, planogram execution, shrink mitigation, and shipment processing.
Understanding of how operational elements drive sales.
Sharp, decisive, and calm under pressure, able to quickly assess situations and make the right calls in a high-volume environment.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
Ability to stand, bend, and twist for extended periods.
Flexibility to work days, evenings, weekends, and peak retail periods.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a concession or shop-in-shop setting.

Responsibilities

Own the product journey end to end, from receiving and processing to delivering the right product to the boutique floor with speed and accuracy.
Make commercial decisions on what to process first, prioritizing bestsellers, high-margin lines, and key categories.
Design and maintain a back-of-house that mirrors the boutique floor for easy product access and quick replenishment.
Execute visual merchandising on the floor with precision according to the planogram, maintaining presentation standards.
Drive replenishment with pace and a guest-first mindset, ensuring empty shelves are avoided.
Lead ship-from-store operations from start to finish, managing the fulfillment of guest purchases for home delivery with accuracy and speed.
Coach and develop the Operations team, tailoring leadership style to individual needs.
Support new team members during onboarding to ensure quick ramp-up and confidence.
Hold the team to the same guest engagement standard as front-of-house team members, ensuring they engage guests during replenishment.
Step into floor leadership as Manager on Duty when needed, setting the tone, managing coverage, and ensuring exceptional guest experience.
Provide regular coaching and feedback based on on-the-floor observations.
Recognize strong performance and hold the team accountable when expectations aren’t met.
Own the daily operations zone chart and team deployment, ensuring clear, balanced, and responsive coverage.
Lead opening and closing routines as needed, ensuring the boutique is operationally ready and secured.
Step into the Leader on Duty role as needed to cover gaps, taking ownership of the boutique floor, managing the team, resolving guest concerns, and maintaining the guest experience standard.
Drive shipment processing with urgency and precision, prioritizing the boutique floor’s needs and validating each delivery to minimize shrinkage.
Maintain a clean, safe, and operationally ready back-of-house with a clear organizational system.
Lead the team’s daily operational rhythm, ensuring priorities are clear, coverage is in place, and the boutique is ready before guests arrive.
Identify maintenance and repair needs and promptly escalate them to appropriate partners.
Prioritize business impact in processing and replenishment decisions, focusing on high-margin, high-velocity products and using sales trends and inventory data.
Own send sales as a revenue channel, driving the process and ensuring team understanding of their contribution.
Treat product placement as a sales decision, positioning product to drive engagement and commercial opportunities.
Own inventory accuracy and shrink mitigation, holding the team to consistent processes.
Build the team’s understanding of how operations drive sales.
Work in close partnership with the front-of-house team, understanding their needs and responding with urgency.
Navigate the complexities of operating as a concession within a host store, ensuring both FAO Schwarz and Nordstrom standards are upheld.
Build and maintain strong working relationships with Nordstrom’s operational, facilities, and loss-prevention teams.
Conduct daily floor walks to stay connected to the boutique floor, identify replenishment priorities, and anticipate needs.
Cascade key communications across the team regarding FAO Schwarz events, Nordstrom priorities, and expectations.