Assistant General Manager

WHSmith North America; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

WHSmith North America seeks an Operations Delivery Manager to lead field operations, focusing on performance, customer experience, and team development. You will partner with store leadership to drive consistent execution, quality standards, and compliant operations.

This role requires coaching and supervising teams, analyzing sales and inventory data, implementing process improvements, and coordinating with cross-functional partners to roll out promotions and new initiatives.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of retail/hospitality/large-volume ops leadership experience.
• Proven ability to coach teams and drive accountability in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong knowledge of retail KPIs, sales performance, labor management, and inventory control.
• Ability to analyze performance data and develop actionable plans.
• Experience with merchandising, operational execution, training, and customer engagement.
• Excellent communication, organization, and partnership skills.
• Proficiency with MS Office, reporting tools, and analytics platforms.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Maintain product knowledge and uphold standards across operations, merchandising, and customer service.
• Must pass required background checks and security requirements where applicable.

Responsibilities

• Coach store leaders and teams on operations, customer service, sales behaviors, inventory, and compliance.
• Identify skill gaps and provide targeted coaching and development.
• Support onboarding, succession planning, and leadership growth.
• Partner with Multi-Unit Manager to strengthen team performance and readiness.
• Analyze sales, labor, inventory, shrink, audit, and compliance results to identify opportunities and risks.
• Execute action plans that improve performance and operational consistency.
• Strengthen operational standards, controls, merchandising, and store routines.
• Provide performance insights and recommendations to leadership.
• Support compliance, audits, loss prevention, health and safety, and operational controls.
• Identify risks, drive corrective actions, and resolve recurring issues through cross-functional partnerships.
• Drive adoption of promotions, product launches, technology rollouts, and new initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Retail operations

Data analysis

Communication

MS Office/Analytics

Tools

Microsoft Office

Analytics platforms

Reporting tools

Job description

The Operations Delivery Manager is a property-based Field Operations leader responsible for operational performance, people development, sales execution, and compliance. Working closely with store leadership, this role drives consistent execution and improves business results, customer experience, and team performance.

Core Responsibilities

People Development & Coaching

• Coach store leaders and teams on operations, customer service, sales behaviors, inventory, and compliance.
• Identify skill gaps and provide targeted coaching and development.
• Support onboarding, succession planning, and leadership growth.
• Partner with the Multi-Unit Manager to strengthen team performance and readiness.

Operational Excellence & Performance

• Analyze sales, labor, inventory, shrink, audit, and compliance results to identify opportunities and risks.
• Execute action plans that improve performance and operational consistency.
• Strengthen operational standards, controls, merchandising, and store routines.
• Provide performance insights and recommendations to leadership.

Risk, Compliance & Controls

• Support compliance, audits, loss prevention, health and safety, and operational controls.
• Identify risks, drive corrective actions, and resolve recurring issues through cross-functional partnerships.
• Support execution of sales, merchandising, service, and operational priorities.
• Drive adoption of promotions, product launches, technology rollouts, and new initiatives.
• Monitor results, coach teams, and share insights to support continuous improvement.

Leadership Expectations & Success Measures

• Lead through coaching, accountability, collaboration, and operational discipline.
• Demonstrate expertise in retail operations, talent development, compliance, inventory control, customer experience, and data-driven decision-making.
• Drive measurable improvement in sales, shrink, inventory accuracy, audit performance, labor productivity, and team capability.

Qualifications & Experience

• 3+ years of retail, hospitality, airport, resort, or high-volume operations leadership experience.
• Proven ability to coach teams, support leaders, and drive accountability in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong knowledge of retail KPIs, sales performance, labor management, inventory control, shrink reduction, compliance, and expense management.
• Ability to analyze performance data and develop action plans that improve results.
• Experience with merchandising, operational execution, training, and customer engagement.
• Strong communication, organization, follow-up, and partnership skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, reporting tools, and business analytics platforms.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to maintain product knowledge and uphold operational, merchandising, compliance, and customer service standards.
• Must successfully complete required background checks, drug testing, TAM Card, airport badging, and security clearance requirements, where applicable.