Market Leader - Full-time

Based in Chicago, the Market Leader will oversee approximately 15 stores in IL, MI, MN, WI, OH, PA and MO and will drive business results for all locations in their market. As a LACOSTE Market Leader, you enjoy the challenges of developing individuals, building teams, and affecting PERFORMANCE and growth across LACOSTE Boutiques and Outlets. You demonstrate successful leadership ability with a focus on excellence and consistent execution of LACOSTE strategies. Even when you’re not present, you maintain a constant influence in every location — articulating the LACOSTE Brand vision to inspire and make a daily impact on your management teams and Associates. A LACOSTE Market Leader is the bridge between the corporate and retail world and combines executive vision with field execution to contribute to the future success of LACOSTE.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Inspire and lead teams to deliver in store experiences that build customer and brand loyalty.
• Provide training, coaching and feedback to Managers that continually refocuses your teams to strive for peak performance.
• Know what is happening in your local market (trends, competition, customers, local events, etc.), provide insights, actions and execute local strategies to increase market penetration.
• Analyze key metrics and make business decisions that will lead your market to achieve and exceed LACOSTE’s sales plans, margins and KPI’s.
• Oversee the recruiting, hiring, and training in your Market for all current locations and new store openings to ensure building respected leadership teams and developing sales talent to support business growth. Support and execute all Retail Academy programs and trainings.
• Ensure General Managers and Store Managers manage and control operational expenses (including payroll, and hours scheduled) within planned budget.
• Train and set goals to manage expectations through clear communication of sales and customer service training programs; operational procedures; performance standards; dress code and all other LACOSTE policies and procedures. Manage by providing frequent feedback through coaching and performance reviews ensuring timely delivery of all reviews.
• Monitor and coach client development by location by reviewing CRM goals and priorities.
• Ensure that visual directives are executed and that the standards of housekeeping are maintained.
• Ensure the protection of store assets and inventory. Manage loss prevention and shrink by controlling theft and ensuring compliance with paperwork procedures.
• Ensure that Store Managers are providing coaching and feedback to teams on a regular basis and managing to LACOSTE’s expectations.
• Administer store audits and ensure all stores in your Market are in compliance with LACOSTE policies and procedures.
• Uphold LACOSTE’s core values.
• Perform all other duties as assigned and required.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• At least 2 years of multi-store supervisory experience and 5 years of store management in the apparel industry with a proven track record of driving sales and operations in your market.
• Recruiting, interviewing, planning, organizational, and performance management skills required.
• Strong leadership and training skills required. Must be able to communicate LACOSTE policies and procedures in a clear and concise way.
• Able to function independently in a multi-task environment as well as part of a team.
• Must be able to travel to all locations in your market on a regular basis (at least once per calendar month) to monitor performance, provide support and training.

Core Values and Traits:

Accountable:

• Providing answers to questions
• Propose solutions
• Integrating our role as a global economic player

Collaborative:

• Succeeding together
• Working together
• Sharing information
• Trusting each other

Caring:

• Respecting our people
• Caring for customers
• Different points of view
• Diversity
• Concerned by others

Audacious:

• Taking risks
• Being creative & innovative
• Following the less taken path
• Creating value

Be LACOSTE:

• Understanding the brand
• Being enthusiastic, passionate & optimistic
• Being sincere, yourself & honest in relationships
• Gentleness, harmony

* This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. They can be changed orally or in writing at any time by the discretion of management. We as Lacoste associates must always ensure that all functions of our position are represented with our core values being: Accountable, Collaborative, Caring, Audacious and Be LACOSTE.