Assistant Store Manager

Gazelle Sports; Holland (MI); On-site; USD 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A local specialty retailer in Holland, Michigan is looking for an Assistant Store Manager to drive operations and enhance customer experience. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, a passion for running, and experience in retail management. Responsibilities include leading team performance, ensuring operational standards, and fostering community relationships. Flexibility in scheduling is required, and a strong commitment to customer service and teamwork is essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Engagement in the running community.

Responsibilities

• Lead the store operations and assist the Store Manager.
• Model and lead customer experience aligning with core values.
• Ensure team members are adhering to policies and procedures.

Skills

Effective verbal and written communication

Strong interpersonal skills

Community building skills

Problem-solving abilities

Collaboration skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

About Gazelle Sports

Gazelle Sports is a run specialty & active lifestyle retailer. We're Michigan-based, locally owned and operated, and proud to be born and raised in Michigan. It is our mission to inspire movement through exceptional experiences. We do that by striving to provide the best customer care, building relationships and empowering and inspiring others to move. We seek to foster and support an active community in every place we call home. This was true when we opened our first store in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1985, and it’s still true today across our 7 retail locations, Gazellesports.com and at Team Gazelle.

Position Vision

The Assistant Store Manager is responsible for leading the store operations and brand initiatives of the store and local market, with the support of the Store Manager. The Assistant Store Manager will lead people, store operations, and store environment to drive traffic and sales to the Holland store. This role is tasked with maintaining operational standards, delivery of customer experience and sales KPIs, and supporting the community activations in the Holland store and community.

As a leader in the store, the Assistant Manager is also responsible for supporting the Store Manager.

The ideal candidate for this role is passionate about running, specialty retail, and eager to be an actively engaged member of the local running community.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Model and lead customer and team member experience that supports Gazelle Sports core values
• Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new team members to meet performance and cultural‑add expectations
• Conduct timely, well‑documented performance reviews that provide clear, actionable feedback and establish accountability for improvement and growth
• Ensure team members are adhering to all Gazelle Sports policies and procedures
• Consistently coach, mentor and develop team members through regular check‑ins, real‑time feedback, and documented action plans to ensure delivery of an exceptional customer experience
• Oversees the day to day operational needs of the store, including front of house and back of house

Position Expectations

• Supports delivery of results against individual store annual budgets (sales goals, labor/wages, and expenses) to maximize profitability
• Maintain meaningful relationships with key community partners, vendors, local businesses, and other strategic partners
• Promote a diverse and inclusive environment for team members, customers, and community members
• Strategize and execute business development strategies to drive sales and brand affinity with a focus on new customer acquisition
• Support execution and evaluation in‑store events
• Support execution and evaluation of event sponsorships and partnerships, including:
• Promote a diverse and inclusive environment for team members, customers, and community members
• Support shipping and receiving tasks and responsibilities
• Support visual merchandising and brand messaging to create a premium, welcoming environment

Position Requirements

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills
• Intuitive community building and grassroots marketing skills
• Attention to detail, consistency in communication and documentation
• Consistency in meeting deadlines, and attention to detail
• Skilled at problem solving with an ability to quickly adapt to the needs of event or activation
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate when appropriate
• Thrives in a high‑paced environment, with an ability to calmly manage stressful situations
• A strong focus on collaboration with all teams and departments across Gazelle Sports
• Engagement in the running community and experience participating or volunteering with running events
• High school diploma or equivalent

Preferred Skills and Experience

• 3 years experience in retail
• Experience in specialty retail
• Experience in grassroots marketing and business development
• Experience in event planning and execution

Other Requirements

• Flexibility and willingness to work a combination of mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays based on the needs of the business with evening and weekend availability required
• Must work a minimum of 20 scheduled sales floor hours per week