Assistant Store Manager

Ace-Hardware; Centerville (MA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Ace Hardware in Centerville, MA, seeks a high-energy Assistant Store Manager to help lead our paint and hardware team. You will drive sales, mentor staff, and ensure customers leave with the exact tools and advice they need for their project.

If you are a fast learner with a lead-by-example approach, you will thrive here as you oversee operations, coaching, inventory, tinting and customer service while upholding safety and store policies.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience in a supervisory or management role, preferably retail.
• Strong track record of delivering excellent customer service and store operations.
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new systems and product knowledge, including paint chemistry and hardware specs.
• Clear verbal and written communication for interactions with customers, contractors, and team.
• Demonstrates problem-solving skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced retail setting.

Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership: Support the Store Manager in daily operations and achieving performance targets.
• Team Mentorship: Train Sales Associates on product knowledge, service standards, and tasks like paint tinting and key cutting.
• Expert Customer Service: Resolve complex inquiries and complaints while providing a premium shopping experience.
• Inventory & Merchandising: Oversee stock levels and maintain an organized, well-merchandised floor.
• Technical Proficiency: Maintain paint tinting systems, POS software, and hardware-specific machinery.
• Safety & Compliance: Enforce store policies and safety protocols, ensuring a clean, professional environment.

Skills

Proven Management Experience

Retail & Service Excellence

Technical Adaptability

Communication

Problem-Solving

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a high-energy, dependable Assistant Store Manager to help lead our paint and hardware team. In this role, you will be the bridge between our strategic goals and daily excellence on the sales floor. You aren’t just supervising; you are driving sales, mentoring staff, and ensuring every customer leaves with the exact tools and advice they need for their project. If you are a fast learner with a "lead by example" mentality, we want to talk to you.

Core Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership: Support the Store Manager in daily operations, opening/closing procedures, and ensuring the store meets performance targets.
• Team Mentorship: Supervise and train Sales Associates on product knowledge, customer service standards, and specialized tasks like paint tinting and key cutting.
• Expert Customer Service: Resolve complex customer inquiries and complaints with professionalism, ensuring a premium shopping experience.
• Inventory & Merchandising: Oversee stock levels and lead the team in maintaining an organized, well-merchandised sales floor.
• Technical Proficiency: Master and oversee the maintenance of paint tinting systems, POS software, and hardware-specific machinery.
• Safety & Compliance: Ensure all staff adhere to store policies, safety protocols, and maintain a clean, professional environment.

Qualifications

• Proven Management Experience: Minimum of 1–2 years in a supervisory or leadership role, preferably in a retail environment.
• Retail & Service Excellence: Strong background in retail operations and a track record of delivering exceptional customer service.
• Technical Adaptability: A proven ability to learn new systems and products quickly (from complex paint chemistry to hardware specifications).
• Communication: Sharp verbal and written communication skills for interacting with contractors, DIYers, and the internal team.
• Problem-Solving: The ability to think on your feet in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high attention to detail.

Note: Experience in the painting, contracting, or hardware industry is a significant plus but not required for a candidate with strong leadership fundamentals and a fast learning curve.

We are your local hardware store and we are a part of your community. Ace Hardware has over 5,000 stores around the world with the majority of those stores independently owned and operated by local entrepreneurs. These hard working men and women are part of the fabric of your community. They are small business owners who are local and loyal...just like it ought to be. While others have become large and impersonal, at Ace, we've remained small and very personal. That's why we say a visit to Ace, is like a visit to your neighbor.