District Manager Licensee

Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit sharing

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC in Chicago is seeking a District Manager to oversee licensee performance, support product training, merchandising and assortments, and partner on velocity walks to help grow wholesale sales.

This role requires travel up to 80%, supports new store openings and onboarding, ensures brand standards, builds strong licensee relationships, attends markets, and helps drive program execution and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in Business Administration, Management, Marketing or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Three to five years of retail sales and sales management or distribution center experience; preferably with furniture retail and fulfillment-based operations employing a license or franchise model.
• Visual Merchandising, Furniture or Training experience a plus.
• Exceptional knowledge of retail, sales and training operations processes.
• Willingness to travel 80%
• Ability to facilitate training and/ or presentations in front of small and large audiences.
• Strong business acumen, with demonstrated knowledge of finance, management, marketing and merchandising.
• Knowledge of licensed business owner or franchise law.
• Knowledge of training management and improvement methods and tools.
• Outstanding analytical and problem solving skills, with the ability to dig deep into the data and then turning that insight into action to drive results.
• Outstanding leadership skills, with the ability to build an inspiring culture through vision, empowerment and development.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to organize thoughts, communicate clearly, completely and concisely.
• Strong project/resource management and organizational skills, with the ability to consistently meet demanding deadlines.
• Strong skills in relationship management and coaching that result in the accomplishment of goals.
• Strong skills in agility, along with the ability to pivot easily when directions and priorities change on short notice.
• Strong skills in MS Office Suite or similar office software.

Responsibilities

• Conduct ongoing location visits to identify and support the licensee in product training, merchandising and product assortments, partner on velocity walks and help support any additional areas of opportunity to help grow wholesale sales.
• Supports licensee new store openings and grand re-openings. Participates in new licensee onboarding.
• Participates in operational strategy meetings to devise execute best practices or improvement plans to address region licensee needs or correct identified issues.
• Ensures licensees in district remain in compliance with the TUA. Monitors brand standards, including product and visual, through a rigorous protocol of field visits and licensee self-reporting to help improve and continually enhance brand equity in the licensee community.
• Fosters the licensee network communication process, including field reports, weekly newsletters, quarterly business strategy meetings and reporting protocols. Maintains strong relationships with the region licensees. Resolves licensee issues and concerns.
• Attends Markets to help introduce licensees to new products and programs.
• Participates in quarterly Licensee Sales meetings to provide team building and support to licensees.
• Assists in the support of Tier 2-5 licensees as needed. Works as part of a team, plus on occasion will engage in deeper dives into problematic areas or developing opportunities as a member of a "strike force" approach.
• Promotes the Ashley brand image through active involvement in community associations and events, such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, or Rotary Club or volunteer organizations.
• Demonstrates the company’s core and growth values in performance of all job functions.

Skills

leadership

training facilitation

sales strategy

relationship management

analytics

communication

project management

agility

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Management/Marketing or related field

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Conduct ongoing location visits to identify and support the licensee in product training, merchandising and product assortments, partner on velocity walks and help support any additional areas of opportunity to help grow wholesale sales.

Supports licensee new store openings and grand re-openings. Participates in new licensee onboarding.

Participates in operational strategy meetings to devise execute best practices or improvement plans to address region licensee needs or correct identified issues.

Ensures licensees in district remain in compliance with the TUA. Monitors brand standards, including product and visual, through a rigorous protocol of field visits and licensee self-reporting to help improve and continually enhance brand equity in the licensee community.

Fosters the licensee network communication process, including field reports, weekly newsletters, quarterly business strategy meetings and reporting protocols. Maintains strong relationships with the region licensees. Resolves licensee issues and concerns.

Attends Markets to help introduce licensees to new products and programs.

Participates in quarterly Licensee Sales meetings to provide team building and support to licensees.

Assists in the support of Tier 2-5 licensees as needed. Works as part of a team, plus on occasion will engage in deeper dives into problematic areas or developing opportunities as a member of a "strike force" approach.

Promotes the Ashley brand image through active involvement in community associations and events, such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, or Rotary Club or volunteer organizations.

Demonstrates the company’s core and growth values in performance of all job functions.

Build Your Career with Ashley

District Manager

What Will You Do?

Conduct ongoing location visits to identify and support the licensee in product training, merchandising and product assortments, partner on velocity walks and help support any additional areas of opportunity to help grow wholesale sales.

Supports licensee new store openings and grand re-openings. Participates in new licensee onboarding.

Participates in operational strategy meetings to devise execute best practices or improvement plans to address region licensee needs or correct identified issues.

Ensures licensees in district remain in compliance with the TUA. Monitors brand standards, including product and visual, through a rigorous protocol of field visits and licensee self-reporting to help improve and continually enhance brand equity in the licensee community.

Fosters the licensee network communication process, including field reports, weekly newsletters, quarterly business strategy meetings and reporting protocols. Maintains strong relationships with the region licensees. Resolves licensee issues and concerns.

Attends Markets to help introduce licensees to new products and programs.

Participates in quarterly Licensee Sales meetings to provide team building and support to licensees.

Assists in the support of Tier 2-5 licensees as needed. Works as part of a team, plus on occasion will engage in deeper dives into problematic areas or developing opportunities as a member of a "strike force" approach.

Promotes the Ashley brand image through active involvement in community associations and events, such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, or Rotary Club or volunteer organizations.

Demonstrates the company’s core and growth values in performance of all job functions.

What Do You Need?

• Bachelor's degree required in Business Administration, Management, Marketing or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Three to five years of retail sales and sales management or distribution center experience. Preferably with experience in furniture retail and fulfillment-based operations employing a license or franchise model.
• Visual Merchandising, Furniture or Training experience a plus.
• Exceptional knowledge of retail, sales and training operations processes.
• Willingness to travel 80%
• Ability to facilitate training and/ or presentations in front of small and large audiences.
• Strong business acumen, with demonstrated knowledge of finance, management, marketing and merchandising.
• Knowledge of licensed business owner or franchise law.
• Knowledge of training management and improvement methods and tools.
• Outstanding analytical and problem solving skills, with the ability to dig deep into the data and then turning that insight into action to drive results.
• Outstanding leadership skills, with the ability to build an inspiring culture through vision, empowerment and development.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to organize thoughts, communicate clearly, completely and concisely.
• Strong project/resource management and organizational skills, with the ability to consistently meet demanding deadlines.
• Strong skills in relationship management and coaching that result in the accomplishment of goals.
• Strong skills in agility, along with the ability to pivot easily when directions and priorities change on short notice.
• Strong skills in MS Office Suite or similar office software.

Who Are We?

At Ashley, we are more than a business…we are family. As the largest manufacturer of home furnishings in the world, we know what it takes to build incredible furniture and future leaders. We are problem solvers with the grit to persevere during challenging times and innovators who won't coast when times are good. We create solutions, not excuses. And never settle for status quo. Its the reason we are always searching for better ways to delivering an exceptional customer experience. That's why Ashley Furniture is #1 in our industry. Ready to grow? You’ve come to the right place. Ashley Furniture has a "Growth Mindset", and once you join our team, you’ll learn from the best in the business.

Profit sharing is available to eligible employees; this discretionary program is dependent on the profitability of the company.

Benefits: When you join our family, you are eligible to participate in our comprehensive benefits programs which includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life/Disability, Flexible Spending Accounts, 401(k), Paid Holidays, 80 hours paid vacation and 40 hours of California Paid Sick Leave. Benefits may vary based on position and location, so we encourage you to speak with the recruiting team during the interview process.

Our Core Values

• Honesty & Integrity
• Passion, Drive, Discipline
• Continuous Improvement/Operational Excellence
• Dirty Fingernail
• Growth Focused

To learn more about Ashley Furniture, our community engagement programs, environmental stewardship, and our core values, please visit our Corporate Social Responsibility information page: Corporate Social Responsibility

This company values its diversity and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made on the basis of an individual’s skills, qualifications, merit, and business need.

Fair Chance Hiring

The Ashley Companies are committed to fair chance hiring practices in accordance with the LA County Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring. Consideration of all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal history; qualified applicants will be considered for employment with arrest and/or conviction records in accordance with the Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act.

Conditional Job Offer

Conditional job offers are contingent on the successful submission and completion of a signed application, submission of established documents of an I-9 form, eligible drug screen, and pre-employment background check.

Criminal Background Checks

The position of interest, aligns to supervisory authority of other employees and/or is an individual contributor role, which interacts with the public (including minors), potential access to customers’ financial information and personal data; including access to Company property in an unsecure environment. Background checks are required to safeguard safety risk, harm, or harassment to our general public; including but not limited to staff, employees, contractors, vendors, associates, clients, or our customers. Conditional offers will not be withdrawn without the applicant receiving written notification of the decision, copy of criminal history report and following the legal rights of dispute accuracy of the applicants criminal history. Criminal background check convictions will be considered in accordance with the LA County Fair Chance Ordinance and California Fair Chance Act.

About

To learn more about Ashley Furniture, our community engagement programs, environmental stewardship, and our core values, please visit our Corporate Social Responsibility information page:

https://www.ashleyfurniture.com/about-us/corporate-social-responsibility/report/

We are an equal opportunity employer and provide a drug-free working environment. While Ashley appreciates the interest of all candidates only those meeting specific position requirements may be contacted. Principals Only.