Vice President - Head of Stores

Athleta; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

50% off regular-priced merchandise

Competitive Paid Time Off

401(k) plan with company matching

Employee stock purchase plan

Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance

Job summary

A notable performance lifestyle brand in San Francisco is seeking a Head of Stores to lead its retail organization across North America. This role focuses on driving exceptional store performance and enriching customer experiences. The candidate should have over 15 years of progressive retail leadership experience, with a proven track record in developing high-performing teams and operational excellence. The position champions a culture of inclusion and community connection, aligning with the core purpose of inspiring women and girls through movement.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive field and retail leadership experience.
• Proven ability to connect operational excellence with brand purpose.
• Demonstrated success in fast-paced settings.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer-obsessed store strategy for women and girls.
• Develop a multi-year strategy for omni-channel growth.
• Ensure operational excellence across all stores.

Skills

Operational excellence

Leadership

Customer experience innovation

Team building

Inclusive leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Talent Acquisition Leader @ Gap Inc. | Talent Builder | Innovator | Operator | Mom

About Athleta

For the past 25 years, we’ve committed ourselves and our brand to a single aim: to empower all women and girls. Inspiration. Collaboration. Connection. Inclusivity. It’s what we do best, and we’re on the hunt for people who share our passion for leading an active lifestyle, growing personally as well as professionally, and creating game‑changing products and experiences.

We use business as a force for good by putting people and the planet right up there with profit, which is why Athleta is a certified B Corp. Ready to make a move? Join us. Because we know that alone we’re strong, but together we’re unstoppable.

About the Role

The Head of Stores for Athleta leads the brand’s retail organization across North America, driving exceptional store performance, customer experience, and operational excellence. This role is pivotal in delivering on Athleta’s purpose of inspiring women and girls to build confidence, strength, and belonging through movement.

Reporting directly to the Athleta Brand President & CEO, the Head of Stores is a key member of the Athleta Leadership Team and oversees Field Leadership, Store Operations, and Visual Merchandising. This leader champions an elevated, purpose‑driven store experience that brings Athleta’s mission to life—uniting performance and lifestyle through product, community, and connection.

The Head of Stores builds and inspires a high‑performing field team that leads with heart, acts with agility, and performs with accountability. By cultivating a culture grounded in inclusion, empowerment, and collaboration, this leader drives profitable growth, operational excellence, and a seamless brand experience across every store.

At Athleta, how we reach our results is just as important as the results themselves. This leader models our values‑based leadership behaviors, ensuring that teams operate with integrity, collaboration, and shared success.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and evolve a customer‑obsessed store strategy that fosters belonging, confidence, and connection for women and girls.
• In partnership with Head of Digital, develop and execute a multi‑year strategy for omni‑channel growth aligned with Athleta’s long‑range brand plan.
• Lead key strategic initiatives that modernize the store and omni‑channel customer journey, champion customer experience innovation, transform the retail environment and strengthen Athleta’s position as a purpose‑driven performance lifestyle brand.
• Drive an integrated store strategy that aligns business priorities, operational excellence, and customer experience through influential partnership across Real Estate, Sourcing, Service, WFM, Tech, Visual Merch, etc.
• Ensure operational excellence and brand consistency across all stores, leveraging data and feedback to continuously enhance the in‑store experience and exceed customer expectations.
• Develop innovative in‑store experiences that inspire movement and community, creating meaningful connections that extend beyond transactions.
• Drive a high‑performance culture that celebrates inclusivity, accountability, and motivates and inspires teams to deliver beyond expected results.
• Champion continuous improvement and innovation in store operations, leveraging technology, insights, and best practices to optimize performance.
• Influence product, marketing, and brand strategy to meet the needs of the customer and omni business.
• Build and sustain a strong, diverse, and inspired field organization through intentional leadership, mentorship, and succession planning.
• Collaborate across the Athleta and Gap Inc. ecosystem to ensure that the right tools, processes, and resources are in place to enable success.
• Measure and assess the impact of major initiatives, adapting as needed to deliver sustainable results.

Who You Are

• 15+ years of progressive field and retail leadership experience in high‑performance, multi‑unit environments.
• Proven ability to connect operational excellence with brand purpose and customer experience.
• Demonstrated success leading transformation and driving results in complex, fast‑paced settings.
• Deep understanding of customer behaviors and passion for delivering human, holistic, and inspiring omni‑channel experiences through retail.
• Experience developing diverse, high‑performing teams through coaching, mentorship, and inclusive leadership.
• Strong ability to build alignment and trust across cross‑functional and corporate partners.
• Openness to feedback, curiosity about new ideas, and ability to translate insights into action.
• Willingness to travel and work across varied schedules to meet the needs of a dynamic retail business.

Benefits at Athleta

• Merchandise discount for our brands: 50% off regular‑priced merchandise at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta, and 30% off at Outlet for all employees.
• One of the most competitive Paid Time Off plans in the industry.*
• Employees can take up to five “on the clock” hours each month to volunteer at a charity of their choice.*
• Extensive 401(k) plan with company matching for contributions up to four percent of an employee’s base pay.*
• Employee stock purchase plan.*
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance.*
• See more of the benefits we offer.
• Gap Inc. is an equal‑opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, training and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and make all employment decisions without regard to any protected status. We have received numerous awards for our long‑held commitment to equality and will continue to foster a diverse and inclusive environment of belonging. In 2022, we were recognized by Forbes as one of the World’s Best Employers and one of the Best Employers for Diversity.