Associate Manager, Strategy Enablement (18 Month Contract)

Sportchek; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 64,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited is seeking a strategic leader to drive Lighthouse initiatives, growth planning, and cross‑functional execution in a fast-paced retail environment.

You will translate customer insights into actionable strategies, influence stakeholders, and deliver executive-ready analyses and materials, partnering with COO/CCO stakeholders and multi-disciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Commerce, Marketing, Strategy, Economics, or a related field.
• 4–5 years of experience in strategy, consulting, customer insights, merchandising, marketing, project management, retail, or related functions.
• Strong analytical skills to synthesize multiple sources into clear insights, recommendations, and implications.
• Experience translating customer insights and business analysis into actionable strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects with multiple stakeholders and priorities.
• Strong communication, storytelling, and presentation skills for executive-ready materials.
• Ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Experience working cross-functionally and building productive relationships.
• Strong business acumen and curiosity about customer behavior and retail growth.
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment while juggling priorities.
• Advanced proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Manage Lighthouse workstreams from planning to execution, including timelines and risk mitigation.
• Develop and refine customer-centric growth strategies using research and market data.
• Collaborate with merchandising, marketing, digital, loyalty, and store ops teams to translate insights into launches.
• Demonstrate accountability and drive strategic workstreams and deliverables.
• Track performance and conduct post-Lighthouse reviews to identify improvement opportunities.

Skills

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder influence

Presentation skills

PowerPoint

Excel

Strategic thinking

Communication

Leadership potential

Multi-tasking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

What You’ll Do

• Project Management & Lighthouse Execution

  Manage assigned Lighthouse (Occasions) workstreams from planning through execution, including critical path timelines, stakeholder coordination, and performance tracking. Coordinate cross-functional inputs, monitor progress, and proactively identify risks, dependencies, and mitigation plans. Facilitate working sessions and planning discussions to drive alignment and advance business priorities. Prepare status updates, recommendations, and reports for leadership stakeholders. Support the successful execution of broader strategic priorities through strong project management and organizational skills.

• Strategic Planning, Customer Insights, & Business Recommendations

  Contribute to the development and refinement of Customer Centric growth strategies by leveraging customer research, market intelligence, competitive insights, and business performance data. Translate customer research into actionable recommendations that inform assortment and go-to-market strategies. Support COO and CCO stakeholders in evaluating opportunities, prioritizing initiatives, and making evidence-based business decisions. Develop strategic narratives, business cases, analyses, and executive-ready materials that communicate opportunities, implications, and recommendations. Partner with the Customer Research Team and cross‑functional stakeholders to identify emerging trends, customer need, and opportunities for growth.

• Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Influence

  Build strong relationships with merchandising, marketing, digital, loyalty, store operations, and other cross‑functional teams to translate customer insights into customer‑focused assortments and go‑to‑market plans. Influence cross‑functional stakeholders through fact‑based recommendations, strong communication, and customer‑centric thinking. Facilitate communication and information sharing across teams to ensure alignment on objectives, priorities, and execution plans. Support leadership discussions and planning forums by providing clear analysis, recommendations, and updates.

• Leadership & Growth

  Demonstrate accountability and initiative in the delivery of strategic workstreams and key deliverables. Act as a trusted partner to stakeholders through strong problem‑solving, communication, and collaboration skills. Share knowledge and best practices with peers and cross‑functional partners. Seek opportunities to broaden strategic, commercial, and leadership capabilities in preparation for future growth opportunities.

• Performance Measurement & Continuous Improvement

  Track business performance and customer outcomes to evaluate strategy effectiveness and identify opportunities for optimization. Conduct post‑Lighthouse reviews to identify learnings, implications, and opportunities for future improvement. Stay informed on industry trends, competitive activity, customer behaviour, and retail best practices to help identify emerging opportunities.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Commerce, Marketing, Strategy, Economics, or a related field.
• 4-5 years of experience in strategy, consulting, customer insights, merchandising, marketing, project management, retail, or related business functions.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to synthesize multiple sources of information into clear insights, recommendations, and business implications.
• Experience translating customer insights and business analysis into actionable strategies and plans.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects, initiatives, or workstreams involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Strong communication, storytelling, and presentation skills, including the ability to create concise, compelling, executive‑ready materials.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and build alignment without direct authority.
• Experience working cross‑functionally and building productive relationships across diverse teams.
• Strong business acumen and curiosity about customer behaviour, retail strategy, and growth opportunities.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment while managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Advanced proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel.

Our typical hiring range is between $64,000.00 and $106,000.00 CAD Annual. The target salary range is between $85,000.00 and $95,000.00 CAD Annual. Salary decisions are also dependent on other factors such as your experience, job‑related knowledge, skills and competencies, market location, industry benchmarks, internal equity and other role‑specific requirements.

We may use artificial intelligence tools as part of our recruitment process to assist in the initial screening of resumes. All hiring decisions, including candidate evaluation, selection, and disposition, are made by human recruiters.

About Us

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (“CTC”) is one of Canada’s most admired and trusted companies. With more than 90 Owned Brands, over 1,600 retail locations, financial services, exemplary e‑commerce capabilities, and exciting market‑leading merchandising strategies. We dream big and work as one to innovate with purpose for our customers at every level of our business, investing in new technologies and products, and doubling down on top talent to drive the company forward.

We offer competitive salaries and wages to CTC employees, as well as store discounts, supported learning through our Triangle Learning Academy, Canadian Tire Profit Sharing, and retirement and savings programs for eligible employees. As part of our enhanced flex benefits program, we offer mental health benefits in the amount of $5,000 per year for benefits‑eligible employees and their families, including total well‑being, and mental health tools and resources for all employees.

Join us in helping to make life in Canada better through living and working our Core Values: we are innovators and entrepreneurs at our core, outcomes drive us, inclusion is a must, we are stronger together and we take personal responsibility. It is an especially exciting time to join CTC and its family of companies where career opportunities are wide-ranging! Join us, where there's a place for you here.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

We are committed to fostering an environment where belonging thrives, and diversity, inclusion and equity are infused into everything we do. We believe in building an organizational culture where people are consistently treated with dignity while respecting individual religion, nationality, gender, race, age, perceived ability, spoken language, sexual orientation, and identification. We are united in our purpose of being here to help make life in Canada better.

Accommodations

We stand firm in our Core Value that inclusion is a must. We welcome and encourage candidates from equity‑seeking groups such as people who identify as racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, and beyond. Should you require any accommodation in applying for this role, or throughout the interview process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to help meet your needs.

We are one of Canada’s most admired and trusted companies. With world‑class owned brands and exciting market‑leading merchandising strategies, we are continually innovating with purpose: to excite and serve Canadian customers from coast‑to‑coast. We are connected to communities, big and small, from coast‑to‑coast, offering products and services that reflect the diverse nature of every one of them. From sports to outdoors, automobiles to homes, we know and understand life in Canada like no other retailer can. We are always on the lookout for curious, creative people who are able to navigate and excel in a rapidly evolving retail environment. If you’re ready to take on new challenges – be it in digital, IT, marketing, data & analytics, merchandising, or one of the many other roles we have – there is a place for you here, so