New Store Development Manager

Seeking great candidates who have retail operations experience, enjoy training others, have strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, love retail, and want to have a positive impact while developing a career at a thriving business!

Winmark Corporation is a nationally recognized franchisor of Once Upon A Child®, Plato’s Closet®, Play It Again Sports®, Music Go Round® and Style Encore®. As a New Retail Store Development Manager, you will support franchisees in opening new resale retail stores and help make a positive impact to communities throughout North America (50% travel). Work in a collaborative group setting to help create a tailored experience for new franchisees and guide them through the beginning operations of a new store. You will assist franchisees before their store opens, training essential skills, and helping the stores as they open to buy, grand openings to sell, and help create continued training programs. This role is pivotal to the successful onboarding of new retail store franchisees.

POSITION PURPOSE 

Position provides regular communication and assistance to franchisees beginning before a franchisee opens their location to buy items through the time of the store opening to sell. Develops, updates and monitors store design, layout, and merchandising for new stores to maintain efficient and consistent brand standards. Position also assists in the development, creation, and facilitation of training programs to ensure franchisees attain the necessary knowledge and skills for effective store and business operations.  

MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Travel pre-opening to franchisee stores to ensure standards are met. Provide consultation on issues related to the used buy process, inventory quality and pricing, product mix, merchandising, pre-opening advertising, staff hiring and training, reviews business plans, and all other operational areas. Return to stores at time of opening and assist through opening day/s. 
• Conduct virtual visits with franchisee stores to provide consultation related to the used buy process, inventory quality and pricing, product mix, merchandising, pre-opening advertising, staff hiring and training, reviews business plans, and all other operational areas.
• Provide timely reporting of franchisee store activity to training department. Reporting includes inventory levels, category mix and marketing metrics as well as keeping staff informed of problem areas and special needs.
• Enter detailed information in CRM software system on all new store development activity and provide regular updates and communications with training, marketing and operations staff regarding store opening, transfer, relocation and expansion store events via documentation of phone calls and store visits. 
• Review and update existing training programs and tools to ensure a smooth and successful path to store openings, and franchisees attain the necessary knowledge and skills for effective running of their business. Assist in the creation, development, and implementation of new training programs and modules that align with Winmark objectives and strong franchisee business operations.
• Provide training during Resale University 101 and 201 training weeks, by covering aspects of store operations including but not limited to the buying used process, inventory management, vendor relations, marketing, merchandising, employee management. 
• Provide assistance with special projects and department priorities (i.e. real estate, conference planning, workshop development, and training video creation).
• Promote Winmark philosophies by establishing effective support programs and fostering productive work relationships with franchisees, vendors, and other third-party affiliates, as well as serve as a liaison between the various departments within the corporate office and franchises.    

QUALIFICATIONS

• 4-year degree preferred in business management or related field.
• 2 years’ experience in retail operations. Experience with customer experience, inventory management, merchandising is required. Assistant Store Manager, Key Holder, Team Lead experience is preferred. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other desktop applications. 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills required along with abilities to present to and train small to medium groups. 
• Must display a high degree of professionalism and ethical standards, using confidentiality, tact and diplomacy in all interactions with franchisees. 
• Strong organizational, program development and time management skills with attention to detail. 
• Ability to work independently, as position travel requirement is at least 50% based on store opening schedules.
• Must have valid driver’s license and be 22 years of age for car rental purposes. 
• The nature of this role requires standing for long periods of time when training or traveling, and lifting and stretching while at stores. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Stationary position requiring approximately 6 hours per day at a desk and computer terminal when at the office. Freedom to get up and move around as required.
• Must be able to stand for lengthy periods of time 8-10 hours when training and visiting franchisees.
• Lifting not to exceed 50 lbs. unassisted.
• Activities include bending, reaching, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, talking, hearing, and visual acuity requirements conducive to retail office environment. 
• Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.