Store Manager in Training

Goodwill-of-the-Olympics-and-Rainier-Region; Puyallup (WA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, and Dental insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Vacation

Paid Holidays

Sick leave

Childcare benefits

Merchandise discounts

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region is hiring a Store Manager in Training in our Puyallup, WA store. The SMIT will rotate through store operations, learn leadership and budgeting, and drive sales, donations and customer experience.

This position offers a clear path to Store Manager with hands-on training, coaching, and development opportunities, while maintaining high standards of service excellence and accountability.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required.
• 3+ years in retail operations and customer service.
• Ability to learn budgeting, financial analysis, workforce planning and performance management.
• Supervisory or high-volume retail experience preferred.
• Strong analytical, judgment, decision-making and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Participate in all aspects of retail store operations to develop knowledge to perform the Store Manager role.
• Learn and apply retail management principles to achieve sales, donation and customer service goals.
• Assist in maximizing sales through merchandise rotation, display, pricing and inventory levels.
• Maintain a clean, safe, welcoming sales floor and conducive work environment.
• Gain experience in managing store financial performance, including labor, expenses, productivity and budgets.
• Monitor performance metrics and implement action plans to improve sales and customer experience.
• Ensure cash handling, vault access, deposits and financial reporting compliance.
• Develop leadership skills through coaching, training and development planning.
• Participate in scheduling, payroll, and labor planning activities.
• Assist with recruitment, onboarding, and training of retail staff.
• Support safety, security, and risk management practices and asset protection initiatives.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Leadership

Coaching

Budgeting

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Our vision is that every person has the opportunity to learn, work, and thrive in all aspects of life.

To achieve our vision, we are committed to dismantling racism and advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion so we can help people reach their fullest potential through our education, job placement, and career pathway services. We do our work with great gratitude for the community donations, purchases, and partnerships that make our mission possible.

Right now, our Puyallup, WA store is hiring a Full Time Store Manager In Training!

Position Summary: The Store Manager in Training (SMIT) participates in all aspects of retail store operations to develop the knowledge, skills, and leadership capabilities required to successfully perform the Store Manager role at any regional Goodwill location. Through hands-on training and progressive responsibility, this position learns to oversee daily store operations, drive sales and donation performance, support financial and loss control objectives, and ensure compliance with company policies and procedures. The SMIT partners with store leadership to develop supervisory, staffing, customer service, and operational management skills while gaining experience in talent development, budget oversight, and business performance management. This role is responsible for supporting the achievement of sales, operational, staffing, and customer experience goals while fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, and service excellence that advances the mission and values of Goodwill.

Hourly Rate: $23.07 - $25.08 per hour

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: The Store Manager in Training responsibilities include the following and other duties as assigned:

Store Operations and Retail Leadership

• Participate in all aspects of retail store operations to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully perform the Store Manager role.
• Learn and apply retail management principles that support the achievement of sales, donation, customer service, and operational performance goals.
• Assist in maximizing sales performance through proper merchandise rotation, display/presentation, signage, pricing, and inventory levels.
• Support the maintenance of a clean, organized, safe, and welcoming sales floor and work environment that reflects company standards.
• Gain experience in managing store financial performance, including labor utilization, expense control, productivity, and budget management.
• Monitor store performance metrics and participate in implementing action plans designed to improve sales, operational effectiveness, and customer experience.
• Ensure compliance with cash handling procedures, vault access controls, register accountability, deposits, and required financial reporting.
• Develop leadership skills through coaching, training, motivating, and supporting supervisors and hourly team members.
• Participate in employee performance management activities, including coaching conversations, recognition efforts, training, and development planning.
• Assist with store audits, operational reviews, and compliance processes to ensure company standards are maintained.
• Learn inventory management processes, including inventory preparation, execution, reconciliation, and follow-up activities.
• Partner with production, inventory, and new goods teams to understand merchandise flow strategies that support sales goals and customer demand.
• Participate in scheduling, payroll administration, and labor planning activities to develop an understanding of workforce management and budget expectations.
• Assist with maintaining accurate employee records, timekeeping documentation, personnel transactions, and store administrative processes.
• Support facility and equipment maintenance efforts by identifying operational issues and ensuring appropriate follow-up.
• Demonstrate increasing accountability for assigned operational responsibilities and contribute to achieving retail store objectives.
• Serve as the leader on duty and maintain overall accountability for retail store operations, including opening, closing, and emergency response procedures as required
• Actively participate in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and training retail employees in accordance with Goodwill's hiring guidelines and practices
• Participate in special projects, at the discretion of leadership, at any location within the region
• Successfully complete all assigned training objectives and development milestones in preparation for promotion to a Store Manager position at leadership’s discretion.
• Learn and support all retail store safety, security, and risk management practices while ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures.
• Promote awareness and adherence to all company policies related to asset protection, cash control, and operational compliance within the retail store environment.
• Investigate, document, and communicate security incidents and operational concerns as appropriate.
• Ensure Loss Prevention (LP) audits are completed and maintained at acceptable levels.
• Verify that security and safety systems are operational, including door locks, alarms, bank deposits, refunds, vouchers, and incident reporting procedures.

Customer Service

• Ensure that quality customer service is presented and provided by employees in a timely and courteous manner to all shoppers, donors and other employees.
• Foster a positive, welcoming, and inclusive retail shopping experience for customers, donors, and employees.
• Resolve customer concerns professionally and efficiently while maintaining a focus on customer satisfaction and relationship building.
• Learn how to balance operational priorities with customer service expectations to create a consistently positive retail experience.

Location(s)

Puyallup , Washington , United States

Requirements

Qualifications/Basic Job Requirements:

• High School diploma or GED required
• 3+ years of related experience and/or training in retail operations and customer service
• Demonstrated ability or aptitude to learn budgeting, financial analysis, workforce planning, and performance management principles.
• Supervisory or high-volume retail experience preferred
• Exceptional analytical, judgment, decision‑making and communications skills
• Superior coaching, leadership and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build understanding and concensus

We Have You Covered! Benefits Offered:

• Medical, Vision, and Dental (M/V/D) insurance coverage for employees.
  • We provide coverage for you, with a portion of the employee premium paid by Goodwill.
  • Dependent coverage is available, with the cost being the responsibility of the employee
• Accident & Life insurance options to ensure financial protection.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Vacation (1-4 Years: 80 hours annually)
• 10 paid Holidays annually
• 8 days prorated sick leave annually
• Access to Childcare Benefits through Upwards
• Parental leave covered by sick/vacation hours
• All employees receive merchandise discounts
• We strongly believe in promoting from within, and have multiple avenues for career growth

Supervisory Responsibilities: Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.

Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret hard data and metrics. Ability to write creatively and articulately with an emphasis on tact and diplomacy. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of the organization.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and average. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra when working on spreadsheets. Ability to create and manage departmental budget.

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge Microsoft Office products, specifically Word and Excel and PowerPoint.

Other Skills and Abilities: Comprehensive understanding of all aspects of Store Manager in Training.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Valid First‑Aid card which meets OSHA and WISHA standards (may be obtained within 30 days of hire).

Other Qualifications: Self-motivated; resourceful, creative; high integrity; problem solver; looks to resolve issues; positive can-do approach; and ability to build effective working relationships.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is constantly required to stand, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Will constantly lift 1-15 pounds, frequently lift 15-20 pounds, and occasionally up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Work Environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts and fumes or airborne particles. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Goodwill gladly considers requests for accommodation and, if the requested accommodation is reasonable, will make such reasonable accommodations as will enable an otherwise qualified person with a disability to perform the essential functions of this position.

At Goodwill we are committed to creating and sustaining a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion. We embrace our employees' differences, and believe in meeting the members of our workforce and their communities where they are. Since our doors first opened in 1921, we have been changing lives by offering a hand up, not a hand out. We invite you to join us for our next 100 years of service to our neighbors.

Our Mission is to help people reach their fullest potential through individual education, job placement and career pathway services made possible by community donations, purchases and partnerships.

At Goodwill, we welcome people with diverse backgrounds, including persons with disabilities or other disadvantages. In fact, a substantial portion of our employees have a disability and/or economic disadvantage and we strongly encourage such persons to apply.

This organization participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a service that verifies authorization to work in the U.S. through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Social Security (SSA). For further information on E-Verify contact DHS at 1-888-464-4218.

Pay Rate Minimum

$23.07 per hour

Pay Rate Maximum

$25.08 per hour