Store Operation Consultant

ACE Hardware•Oak Brook, IL

2d•$102,900 - $128,600•Hybrid

About The Position

The Store Operations Consultant – People Management works across Ace Hardware to help retailers improve store execution through practical people-management processes, best practices, training, and technology solutions. Store Systems and Operations researches, develops, field tests, markets, deploys, and trains the day-to-day operating practices used in Ace stores. The department owns or supports key operational processes, including Inventory Management, Financial Management, and People Management, and partners with other functional areas to deliver the Ace Way of Retailing and supporting technology solutions. This role has primary responsibility for workforce-management practices and solutions, including recruiting, labor planning and scheduling, time and attendance, payroll, people development, and related customer and employee engagement practices. The consultant independently handles defined workstreams, leads small to medium projects of moderate complexity, and contributes subject-matter expertise while escalating higher-risk, strategic, or policy decisions. The department's vision is to create the most operationally efficient convenience hardware stores on the planet.

Requirements

Proven research, analysis, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to investigate issues and develop practical solutions.
B.S. / B.A. degree in business administration or commensurate work experience.
Typically 3–5 years of relevant experience, including experience as an Associate Store Operations Consultant or equivalent retail, workforce-management, HR technology, payroll, or store-operations experience.
Working knowledge of workforce-management systems such as scheduling, time and attendance, payroll, recruiting platforms, and/or HRIS systems.
Understanding of the operational aspects of running a retail store or functional expertise gained from working at Ace.
Ability to develop clear best practices, business requirements, process documentation, job aids, and training materials.
Effective presentation and facilitation skills; capable of training retailer groups and/or field staff teams.
Polished interpersonal, collaboration, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills; able to build credibility with retailers, field staff, vendors, and internal partners.
Strong project-management skills with attention to detail, risk management, follow-up, and delivery across multiple priorities.
Advanced PC skills, including skilled use of Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Ability to travel approximately 10%.

Responsibilities

Leads the research, piloting, development, and documentation of defined People Management best practices and repeatable store processes.
Recommends refinements to existing practices and solutions, using retailer, field, operational, and vendor input.
Independently completes assigned workstreams; obtains final approval for new or materially changed standards from senior leadership.
Maintains strong working knowledge of workforce-management systems, including scheduling, time and attendance, payroll, recruiting platforms, and HRIS capabilities.
Builds working knowledge of in-store systems, ACENET, and related data interfaces that support People Management processes.
Partners with Product Management, IT, vendors, field staff, and retailers to research issues, document requirements, test changes, and support implementation.
Serves as a subject-matter expert within People Management and provides practical guidance to retailers, field staff, and internal partners.
Handles a broad range of routine and moderately complex retailer questions independently and escalates high-risk or cross-functional issues as appropriate.
Supports Associate Consultants through knowledge sharing, hands-on coaching, and shadowing opportunities.
Develops and delivers training for retailer groups, field staff, and internal partners on assigned topics.
Creates or updates presentations, job aids, process documentation, and other curriculum in collaboration with Retail Training and subject-matter partners.
Plays a meaningful role in communicating and promoting the business value of completed Store Operations initiatives.
Serves as an operational contact for vendor partners supporting workforce management and related retail solutions.
Coordinates training, issue resolution, testing, retailer feedback, and implementation activities; contributes to business reviews and solution assessments.
Escalates pricing, contractual, policy, or material relationship decisions to management.
Leads small to medium projects or defined workstreams of moderate complexity and risk, sometimes across multiple initiatives concurrently.
Determines the project approach, research plan, participating field staff and retailers, documentation method, and day-to-day execution within established objectives.
Monitors milestones, risks, dependencies, and adoption; escalates strategic, political, or high-impact decisions.

Benefits

Incentive opportunities
Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution
Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year)
Up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
Annual Ace Cares Week
20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice
Opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
On-site classes, facilitator-led courses
Generous tuition assistance program
Employee Appreciation Week
Vendor demos
Cookouts
Merchandise sales
Mobile spas
Auto maintenance
Car wash and detailing
Dry cleaning
Dentists
Eye doctors
Flu shots
Recycling
Employee discounts on Ace merchandise
Travel discounts
Fitness discounts
Computer discounts
Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
Adoption cost reimbursement
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
Identity theft protection