Operations Delivery Manager Designates

The Operations Delivery Manager Designate provides specialized operational expertise, deployment support, coaching, and operational intervention across multiple properties throughout the United States. The role partners closely with Regional Directors, Divisional Sales & Operations Managers, and Multi-Unit Managers to improve operational execution, inventory accuracy, compliance, and leadership capability.

Location: San Francisco International Airport (SFO Airport)

Ability to travel extensively throughout North America (up to 75%) to support operational initiatives, training, and field priorities.

Salary: $85,000-$95,000 annually DOE

Job Responsibilities

• Partner with Multi-Unit Managers to strengthen operational execution across assigned properties through targeted coaching, operational assessments, and hands-on support. Translate enterprise strategies into practical execution that improves consistency, productivity, compliance, and customer experience.
• Evaluate operational performance using business analytics, inventory reporting, audit results, compliance assessments, shrink data, and financial metrics to identify root causes, prioritize operational risks, and develop corrective action plans that improve sustainable business performance.
• Lead initiatives that strengthen inventory integrity, receiving, transfers, stockroom organization, merchandising standards, asset protection, food safety, health & safety, and regulatory compliance. Ensure operational controls are consistently executed while reducing operational risk and trading losses.
• Deliver structured coaching, field training, and operational development that builds leadership capability and strengthens execution across all levels of the organization. Support onboarding, leadership transitions, new store openings, enterprise initiatives, and operational change management through practical, hands-on development.
• Deploy to high-risk, underperforming, or transitioning properties to stabilize operations, improve execution, prepare for regulatory inspections, support physical inventories, execute operational recovery plans, and ensure readiness for major commercial events and strategic initiatives.
• Partner with Field Operations, Central Operations, Profit Protection & Risk Management, Finance, Commercial, Facilities, and People teams to identify opportunities, implement operational improvements, support enterprise projects, and ensure consistent execution of company standards across all operating formats.
• Serve as an enterprise deployment resource, providing flexible operational support across multiple regions, business formats, and strategic initiatives. Assignments may include leadership vacancies, acquisitions, remodels, new store openings, operational transformations, inventory events, and other business-critical priorities requiring immediate operational expertise.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, Management, Hospitality, Retail Operations, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5–8 years of progressive leadership experience in retail, hospitality, travel retail, airport operations, or other high-volume customer-facing environments.
• Proven multi-unit leadership experience with accountability for sales, profitability, operational performance, compliance, and people leadership.
• Demonstrated success leading training, coaching, operational improvement, change management, and large-scale initiative deployment.
• Strong expertise in labor management, inventory control, shrink reduction, operational controls, compliance, health and safety, and employee relations.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to analyze performance data, identify root causes, and develop actionable business solutions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, LMS, and operational reporting and analytics tools.
• Experience supporting new store openings, operational transformations, and multiple retail formats preferred.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended field assignments as business needs require.

About Us

WHSmith is a leading global travel retailer with over 1,700 stores across 30 countries worldwide. WHSmith North America, incorporating Marshall Retail Group (MRG) and InMotion, represents over half of the Company’s international store estate, with a collection of attractive, successful specialty retail stores located in airports and resorts across North America.

EEO/ADA/DFWP

WHSmith North America is committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin/ancestry, age, gender identity, gender expression, military/veteran status, marital status, disability status or any other basis prohibited by law.