At L.L.Bean, we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us. We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and creating safe, inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome—both here and Outside. We value individual differences and are dedicated to maintaining an inclusive work environment where everyone can bring the best of their experience and talents and truly thrive.
Our Old Orchard Retail Store in Skokie, IL is currently searching for a Store Team Leader of Retail Merchandising to join their team.
Position Purpose: Drives business results, directs team talent, supports store leadership team and ensures delivery of the legendary L.L.Bean customer experience within an outdoor lifestyle concept retail store. Promotes the company's core values of Outdoor Heritage, Integrity, Service, Respect, Perseverance and Safe and Healthy Living to ensure the integrity of the brand, culture and mission of L.L.Bean is upheld at all times.
Responsibilities Include:
Merchandising
- This is a support role under the Product area of responsibility for stores.
- Plans maps and executes floor sets by translating Trail Guide and floor sets into compelling and inspiring merchandise presentations
- Analyzes reports and uses business acumen to make smart decisions to drive sales
- Completes and supports all visual display and windows execution
- Works closely with Operations Productivity team to plan and efficiently process floor sets and replenishment
- Executes marketing signage and promotions
- Executes markdowns and merchandise recovery
Customer Experience
- Models and fosters an environment where service is the top priority. Enthusiastically seeks opportunities to convert every customer that enters the store continually striving to drive sales and brand loyalty through great service. Rallies the rep team towards the same objectives.
- Acts as a Leader on Duty as scheduled to drive conversion and sales.
- Leverages business reports including Qualtrics, variance reporting, and merch group sales to analyze trends, understand wins and identify opportunities. Builds compelling actions to enhance customer loyalty and improve service metrics through introspective business analysis and strong acumen skills.
- Executes and implements all recognition programs including living the legend efforts, in store contests, etc.
- Reviews all forward-looking business events (holidays, promotional weekends, market trends).
- Develops meaningful activations and selling efforts to drive even greater sales results.
- Ensures that the sales floor is full, and all sizes are represented by performing regular size audits.
- Ensures the highest level of fitting room service is occurring driving conversion and UPT.
Training
- Supports and trains associates, communicating standards and processes, company policies and procedures
- Has a passion for learning and sharing product knowledge as a tool to build the sale and increase customer loyalty.
- Delivers GUIDE training for new hires as well as ongoing GUIDE training efforts for year-round team members in conjunction with the exempt leader team. Ensures all guides are performing at a high level and 30-day/ongoing assessments are completed.
- Supports, directs, and develops store champions (buddies) and experts.
- Facilitates all new hire product training modules for store or area of responsibility and develops a strategy and execution plan for delivering all seasonal product training materials.
- Maintains and manages all employee facing communication including break room messaging, and communication boards. Ensures start up meeting are occurring, and that content is compelling and inspiring.
- Models L.L.Bean’s inclusive and fair hiring practices
- Fosters an inclusive work environment by seeking team members’ perspectives, actively listening to others' opinions and experiences, and modeling and encouraging respectful communication among the team.
- Values and works collaboratively and respectfully across a variety of differences among team members and customers.
Total Store Accountability
- Aids in the achievement of all financial measures as well as area specific metrics.
- Key holder as required serving as a potential opener/closer for the store.
- Prepares & communicates daily task responsibilities to staff. Leverages knowledge and strengths to foster growth and development of the team
- Recommends adjustment to staffing levels/schedules to meet work requirements.
- Address and respond to employee issues/conflicts related to day to day operations within defined parameters in accordance with company policies and procedures under direction of supervisor.
- Provides in the moment input, feedback, and coaching. If performance concerns exist, hands off to store management for performance management process
- Contributes to Peak planning preparation and readiness.
- Leverages knowledge and strengths to foster growth and development of the team.
- Expense management ownership ensuring proper use of resources and adherence to budgetary guidelines with a focus on payroll management.
- Is an active participant in health and safety by following all safety policies and procedures, reporting unsafe conditions or at-risk behaviors to leadership, and conducting work in a safe manner.
- As assigned:
- Maintains the cash office per policy ensuring proper signatures, accurate reconciliation, and general organization is achieved.
- Ensure the service hub is fully stocked, free of clutter, and operating effectively.
- Accountable for cashier execution and efficiency with a focus on service delivery.
Health and Safety Requirement: Every employee is responsible for contributing to a safe and healthy workplace. Employees are expected to be active participants in health and safety by following all safety policies and procedures, reporting unsafe conditions or at-risk behaviors to leadership, and conducting work in a safe manner. Those in a leadership role are also expected to model safe behaviors, evaluate risk, and ensure that risks are reduced to acceptable levels.
Education Level: 2-Year Associates Degree
Years of Experience: 2+
Skills and Qualifications:
- Associate degree or equivalent with at least 2 plus years of retail experience in relevant retailer
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Systems knowledge (POS, Word, Excel) and comfort with social media platforms
- Capability to build strong partnerships and to work collaboratively to achieve goals
- Ability to inspire and motivate others
- Ability to maintain a high level of enthusiasm and a positive attitude
- Demonstrated ability to foster an inclusive work environment and customer experience.
- Demonstrated capacity for collaborative work in a retail environment, is adept at serving customers and teams from a variety of backgrounds
- Demonstrated interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays
- Mobility and desire to relocate a plus
L.L.Bean uses a market-based compensation approach. The anticipated starting base pay for this position is $20.70 - $25.87. Individual compensation may vary based on factors such as a candidate’s experience, qualifications, education, geographic location, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.
If you care about the outdoors, joining L.L.Bean is a great way to feel good about what you do. Our benefits package makes a good thing even better, with programs and perks designed to support your health and financial goals. Plus, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and re-charging outside are all part of the plan.
If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you'd be great at this role, we'd love to learn more about you! At L.L.Bean, we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us. We strive to reflect this every day in our commitments to employees and partners and in our efforts to promote belonging.
