Pet Supply Manager

Ace-Hardware; Sugar Grove Township (IL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Ace Hardware in Sugar Grove Township, IL is seeking a Pet Supply Manager to oversee daily operations of the Pet Supply department and maximize sales and profitability. You will manage staff, stock, merchandising, and customer service while controlling expenses and ensuring safety and training standards.

You will partner with the Store Manager to hire, train, and develop associates, forecast staffing, and deliver strong department results through effective leadership and knowledge of pet products.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a retail team in pet or related retail.
• Strong leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to train staff and drive department sales.
• Familiar with POS systems and basic Excel capability.

Responsibilities

• Foster petcentric culture and deliver excellent customer service.
• Lead department team to maintain store conditions and service.
• Drive department sales, answer questions and meet customer needs.
• Collaborate with Store Manager to hire, train and develop staff.
• Ensure proper merchandising, stock levels, and accuracy of reports.
• Forecast scheduling needs to meet customer demand and safety standards.
• Communicate daily goals to Associates and supervise task completion.
• Maintain safety culture and adhere to safety policies.
• Manage department financial results to meet or exceed budgeted sales and margins.
• Coordinate with distributors on credits and rotation procedures.

Skills

Leadership

Customer service

Communication

Problem solving

Sales drive

Team building

POS systems

Excel

Training & development

Education

High School degree

College preferred

Tools

POS system

Excel

Job description

Position Summary

The Pet Supply Manager reports to the Ace Store Manager and is responsible for the complete day-to-day operation of the Pet Supply department. They are responsible for maximizing department sales and profitability, along with managing expenses while ensuring that the department is optimally stocked and merchandised, ensures all department Associates are properly trained and that all customers receive assistance, have questions answered and provided with excellent customer service.

Major Responsibilities

The major responsibilities for this position include:

• Fosters a petcentric culture within the department by creating memorable neighborly connections with customers and their pets through the free sharing of knowledge, information and trustworthy helpfulness.
• Creating a team environment within the department, then leading that team to deliver outstanding store conditions and amazing customer service each and everyday.
• Drive department sales by ensuring that all customers are acknowledged, questions are answered, knowledge is shared freely with customers without prescribing or pushing customers, ensuring their needs are met, and concerns are resolved quickly.
• Works with Store Manager to hire, then trains and develops department staff to deliver on the goals of the department and store. Regularly provides performance feedback and recognize accomplishments within the department.
• Ensures the department is clean, neat and properly merchandised to drive sales through proper ordering, rotates retail inventory to ensure product freshness, reduce shrinkage, maintain appropriate stock levels and ensure report accuracy
• Works with Store Manager to forecast department scheduling needs to meet customer demand.
• Clearly communicates daily goals and tasks to department Associates and ensures proper completion through follow-up.
• Is a safety role model that develops and delivers a safety culture where all safety policies and procedures are followed.
• Responsible for department financial results by meeting or exceed budgeted department sales, margin and expenses.
• Ensure that proper rotation procedures and credit policies are followed. Works with distributors and vendors on all credits.

Minimum Requirements

The minimum requirements for this position include:

Education/Training:

High School degree, college preferred. Posses a vast product knowledge of

Pet related products along with a willingness for continued learning

Experience:

• Minimum of 2+ years retail experience leading a team in specialty pet or other related retail industry
• Passion for pets and understanding the needs of pets and their owners.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Strong leadership and analytical skills to effectively problem solve and drive business results
• Proven ability to drive amazing customer service, comfortable with selling and helping associates lean engagement and selling skills.
• Solid written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in all situations
• Knowledge of retail computer point of sale systems and Excel.
• Ability and willingness to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends and holidays to meet the needs of the business.

Physical Requirements and Abilities:

The minimum physical requirements for this position include:

• ·Ability to process information/merchandise through the POS register system.
• Ability to freely access all areas of the pet department including backroom, register area and sales floor to actively supervise and work the pet department.
• Ability to interact with pets in this pet friendly environment.
• Ability to operate and use all equipment to run a pet department.
• Ability to move, stock, rotate or transfer merchandise throughout the pet department and store generally weighing up to 50 pounds
• Ability to climb ladders, bend and kneel
• Candidates must have reliable transportation to drive to the store.
• Flexibility in work schedule including the ability to work extended hours, weekends, and holidays as operational need may require
• Ability to stand for an extended period of time

Job responsibilities may change based on the needs of thebusiness.

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.