General Manager, Store 19164

Ace Hardware Corporation; Hillsboro (IL); On-site; USD 51,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

Ace Retail Group is seeking a General Manager to lead store operations, maximize sales, and manage payroll and expenses while upholding our core values. You will drive customer service excellence, oversee inventory, and ensure safe, professional store conditions.

The role emphasizes staff development, performance coaching, and community involvement to strengthen customer loyalty and store performance across multiple departments.

Qualifications

• Minimum of retail management experience.
• Prior hardware store experience preferred.
• Ability to stand, walk, lift up to 25 lbs and climb.

Responsibilities

• Provide positive representation of Westlake Ace Hardware.
• Proactively assist customers in solving problems.
• Greet customers entering and throughout the store.
• Thank customers when finished and when they are leaving the store.
• Provide a friendly, outgoing demeanor; work well with customers as well as associates.
• Ensure all calls and pages are answered promptly, courteously and effectively.
• Handle customer complaints.
• Work to resolve problems with the customer and have Westlake’s best interest taken into consideration.
• Possess excellent product knowledge and knowledge of store layout and location of products.
• Supervise the generic operations of the entire store.
• Responsible for ordering and maintaining desirable product inventory levels to ensure store profitability.

Skills

Retail management

Customer service

Hardware store experience

Education

High School diploma or GED

Job description

About Ace Retail Group

About Ace Retail Group Ace Retail Group (ARG), is a division of Ace Hardware Corporation that owns and operates several Ace brands, including Westlake Ace, Great Lakes Ace, Buikema’s Ace, Outer Banks Ace, Dennis Company, and Breed & Company. ARG is one of the largest hardware retailers in the United States and has two headquarters located in Lenexa, KS and Farmington Hills, MI. ARG’s origins date back over a century and operates over 250 neighborhood stores located throughout the United States. Great people make ARG stand out in our industry, and we are looking for individuals who strive for personal and professional growth, and who want to work with a company founded on (and still led by) our solid Core Values of: Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility and Teamwork.

General Summary

The General Manager is responsible for ensuring superior customer service in their store. They must develop associates at all levels, drive sales and profitability, and maintain effective expense and payroll budget management. They will also ensure compliance with effective inventory management and merchandising practices and all Westlake policies and procedures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Customer Service

• Provide positive representation of Westlake Ace Hardware.
• Proactively assist customers in solving problems.
• Greet customers entering and throughout the store.
• Thank customers when finished and when they are leaving the store.
• Provide a friendly, outgoing demeanor; work well with customers as well as associates.
• Ensure all calls and pages are answered promptly, courteously and effectively.
• Handle customer complaints.
• Work to resolve problems with the customer and have Westlake’s best interest taken into consideration.
• Possess excellent product knowledge and knowledge of store layout and location of products.

Store Operations

• Ensure a positive, professional and safe work environment for all associates.
• Supervise the “general operations” of the entire store.
• Responsible for ordering and maintaining desirable product inventory levels to ensure store profitability in compliance with corporate objectives.
• Ensure compliance with all practices, policies and procedures necessary to manage inventory shrink.
• Monitor shrink numbers and take corrective actions.
• Manage and direct preventative maintenance and repairs in order to maximize and protect all physical assets (i.e. building, fixtures and equipment).
• Ensure receiving, checking in, stocking of merchandise for the store is being done completely.
• Responsible for maintenance of back stock levels.
• Oversee and assist with the daily maintenance, orderliness and cleanliness of the sales floor, stock room and outdoor merchandise areas.
• Provide assistance in the overall general maintenance of the store.
• Ensure forklift operations and receiving is completed in a safe and efficient way.
• Ensure weekly price changes are being completed.
• Ensure monthly cycle counts and negative on hand reports are being completed.
• Ensure signage is current in the entire store.
• Provide a clean and orderly sales floor, including end caps and ad goods merchandised.
• Ensure special orders and rain-checks are being completed properly.
• Ensure ad signage and products are ready for the customers.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Store Support Operations

• Responsible for the P & L and other corresponding reports.
• Assist District Manager with the budget process for sales and expenses.
• Manage payroll and other controllable expenses.
• Responsible for the implementation of Store Support programs.
• Attend trade shows and seminars with company guidance.
• Responsible for successful Loss Prevention, Safety and Internal Audits.
• Assist with special projects within the district as set forth by the District Manager.

Hiring and Training of Associates

• Conduct weekly management staff meetings.
• Ensure effective training and development of all associates.
• Recruit prospective associates for possible management positions throughout Westlake Ace Hardware.
• Manage and support the hiring, scheduling, reviewing, rewarding and coaching of all store associates including management.
• Actively recruit and promote the advancement of Westlake associates.

Leadership

• Become an integral part of the community in which you live and work through civic organizations and being community minded.
• Challenge all associates to think of ways to better merchandise product, control expenses and increase sales.
• Lead by example; be approachable by all associates and customers.

Other Essential Requirements

Ability to exhibit and incorporate our Core Values into daily decisions and interactions with others: WINNING – In business, money is the score. To win, we must perform, compete, and have fun. At Ace, we win through people- our strength is being helpful. EXCELLENCE – Excellence honors God and inspires people. We aspire to be the best, to continuously improve and to inspire others by giving the team our very best. LOVE – Love the people, love the work and love the results. INTEGRITY – For Ace to win, we need to be able to trust each other. And trust will require us to be honest, reliable, caring, of high character and of unquestioned ethics. GRATITUDE – We recognize that we are blessed to be in the business of serving others. HUMILITY – We strive for greatness with a humble, modest and respectful attitude. TEAMWORK – We will fight the natural tendency for control and credit in favor of collaboration and mutual success, recognizing that Together, we are Ace.

Minimum Skills, Requirements and Qualifications

• High School or GED equivalent.
• Must have previous retail management experience.
• Hardware experience preferred.
• Standing, walking, lifting (up to 25lbs) and climbing.

Compensation Details

Starting Pay $60,000.00

Equal Opportunity Employer

Equal Opportunity Employer Ace Retail Group is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military discharge, or any other action covered by federal or state laws.