Assistant Store Manager

Barnes & Noble; Westminster (MD); On-site; Full time

Job summary

A leading bookseller is seeking an Assistant Store Manager who is passionate about books and customer service. You will support the Store Manager in enhancing the shopping experience, developing the team, and achieving sales goals. Your role includes training staff, ensuring store presentation, and fostering a collaborative environment. The ideal candidate will have strong bookselling knowledge and effective communication skills, prioritizing customer satisfaction and team development.

Benefits

Employee Discounts

Vacation

401(k)

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement

Qualifications

• Experience managing and developing employees at all levels.
• Strong bookselling knowledge across genres.

Responsibilities

• Ensure consistent, friendly, and informed customer service.
• Achieve sales goals and operational excellence.
• Develop the bookselling team through engagement and coaching.

Skills

Customer Service

Bookselling Knowledge

Effective Communication

Team Development

Job description

As an assistant store manager (ASM), you enjoy working with people, are energized by your passion for books, and model excellent service every day. You serve as the deputy to the store manager (SM), focusing on the store's appearance and consistent presentation, empowered to make decisions that ensure a satisfying shopping experience for customers. You communicate regularly with your SM to share ideas and drive this experience through our booksellers, actively participating in their development. In your role, you ensure sales and profit by leveraging resources to enable booksellers to provide first-class service. As a leader, you work collaboratively with the team to foster an engaging environment where booksellers are passionate about discussing and selling books.

What You Do

1. Ensure consistent, friendly, and informed customer service through your example and by training the team.
2. Create a vibrant bookstore by flawlessly executing store basics.
3. Assess the store from the customer’s perspective and collaborate with the SM to implement improvements.
4. Model handselling skills to promote campaigns like Our Monthly Picks and preorders, enhancing book expertise and sales.
5. Develop the bookselling team through engagement, coaching, and providing feedback to foster individual strengths and talent development.
6. Achieve sales goals and operational excellence to maximize efficiency and minimize loss through timely process execution.
7. Ensure compliance with safety standards, customer communication protocols, and store operations.
8. Communicate respectfully and urgently with the team on key issues, fostering a culture aligned with company values.
9. Embrace the cluster structure and collaborate across locations for collective improvement.
10. Perform on the selling floor, which involves physical activity such as standing, bending, lifting, and climbing.
11. Open and close the store, ensuring safety for employees and customers.

Knowledge & Experience

• Strong bookselling knowledge across genres and a solid understanding of the book industry.
• Enthusiasm for books, reflected in high standards of service for the community.
• Experience managing and developing employees at all levels.
• Effective organization, planning, and workload prioritization.
• Ability to delegate tasks and work through others.
• Effective communication skills and comfort in interactions.
• Proven ability to build collaborative, productive relationships.
• Capability to deliver honest, constructive feedback.

Expected Behaviors

• Prioritize the customer experience above all.
• Commit to and develop booksellers.
• Execute bookstore basics flawlessly.
• Drive results through thoughtful development and coaching.
• Empathize with and understand people.
• Demonstrate collaboration and adapt communication style to individual needs.
• Provide clear direction, monitor progress, and give feedback.
• Understand financial indicators and make decisions to improve results.
• Solve problems effectively, even in ambiguous situations.
• Optimize processes with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Motivate the team through engagement, dialogue, and feedback.
• Be receptive to feedback and use it for growth.
• Show adaptability and maintain a sense of urgency.

Notes

Starting hourly rate: $23.00

Benefits vary by employment status, including sick pay, employee discounts, vacation, personal days, holidays, 401(k), and additional benefits such as medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, transit, and tuition reimbursement.

Barnes & Noble, Inc., is an American bookseller.