Senior Store Manager

University of Toronto Press•Toronto, ON

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This full-time salaried position is for a Senior Store Manager responsible for all aspects of retail performance at the St. George and Scarborough Campus locations of the University of Toronto Bookstores. This includes operations, sales, merchandising, campus retail events, and vending programs. The role involves leading a collaborative team across three physical stores: the U of T Bookstore flagship, the Faculty of Law Bookstore, and the U of T Scarborough Bookstore. The Senior Store Manager will ensure exceptional retail experience, customer service, business growth, and goal alignment for both in-store and online sales. Key responsibilities include managing budget, staffing, inventory, merchandising, and team engagement, as well as collaborating on new business development opportunities. The role requires an outstanding floor presence, strong stakeholder partnerships, and leadership in hiring, development, and training to optimize operational capacity. A strong focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and culture-building is essential to foster engagement, empower diverse teams, and attract talent from various backgrounds.

Requirements

Post-secondary graduate or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 10 years’ progressive retail experience, including 5+ years of management experience.
Results orientated leader with intellectual curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning is highly valued -- a growth mindset.
Current knowledge of retail best practices.
Customer-centricity, they put the customer at the forefront of what we do.
Leadership of a multifunctional retail team.
Analytical with the ability to interpret numbers and lead action plans based on findings.
Comfortable working on demanding retail sales floor while using appropriate safety techniques.
Brings a positive, service-oriented approach and strong customer service skills.
Values matter to you. You bring your whole self to work and you live our values to be the trusted collaborator, lead with intention and ingenuity, and empower many views and voices.

Nice To Haves

Sales, marketing, and NetSuite experience are considered assets.

Responsibilities

Manage operations at St. George retail locations and events.
Oversee the Scarborough store manager, who will lead on-site operations.
Lead the teams with a focus on employee engagement, attraction/coaching of high-level talent, and appropriate scheduling.
Communicate goals to the team for a shared vision.
Responsible for store schedule, operational hours, and proper execution of store protocols.
Staff appropriately for the needs of the business.
Develop and execute process enhancements and plans to improve sales, enhance customer experience, manage inventory, and reduce loss.
Act as the voice of the customer, championing and understanding the needs of our community.
Partner with University contacts to build and maintain relationships.
Leverage appropriate tools for staffing, inventory management, and sales reports including NetSuite and UKG.
Support and execute the roll out of new or enhanced technology.
Partner closely with the Course Materials team to ensure flawless execution of textbook adoption cycles, courseware rollouts, and rush/return periods.
Work closely with the Marketing, Buying, and Trade Book teams to contribute to seasonal visual merchandising plans and promotional planning.
Assess store standards and merchandising execution routinely, present a shopable, clean, and welcoming store environment.
Ensure seasonal directives and promotions are executed at store level emphasizing the clarity of commercial message for customers.
Partner with the Buying team to ensure optimal inventory levels and product placement.
Make safety, maintenance, and security a top priority - partnering with the appropriate vendors where applicable, and in accordance with provincial and institutional guidelines.
Engage in analysis, planning, and forecasting business throughout the year and as part of the annual budget process.
Steer adjustments to plan based on customer feedback and market factors.
Understand and support the activities of the University, the commercial calendar, and promotional cadence and their impact.
Communicate significant variances from plan in order to understand and properly adjust to these changes with key stakeholders.
Champion growth, procedure development, and support change management, foster an environment where staff can be authentic while learning and developing.
Lead and collaborate with HR on hiring, training, scheduling, and coaching of store staff with the goal of maintaining an effective, highly engaged team.
Build an inclusive culture that reflects UTP’s values of collaborate, empower, lead, with deep customer focus.
Set the standard for retail leadership on campus.
Embrace new challenges and lead special projects, enthusiastically support other duties as assigned.
Demonstrate a high level of integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism.