WLA Assistant Manager, Merchandising

Assistant Manager, Operations

Ace Retail Group (ARG), is a division of Ace Hardware Corporation that owns and operates several Ace brands. ARG is one of the largest hardware retailers in the United States and has two headquarters located in Lenexa, KS and Farmington Hills, MI. ARG's origins date back over a century and operates over 250 neighborhood stores located throughout the United States. Great people make ARG stand out in our industry, and we are looking for individuals who strive for personal and professional growth, and who want to work with a company founded on (and still led by) our solid Core Values of: Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility and Teamwork.

The Assistant Manager, Operations manages overall store operations and the achievement of company goals and directives.

Customer Service

• Provide positive representation of Westlake Ace Hardware.
• Proactively assist customers in solving problems.
• Greet customers entering and throughout the store. Thank customers when finished and when they are leaving the store.
• Provide a friendly, outgoing demeanor; work well with customers as well as associates.
• Ensure all calls and pages are answered promptly, courteously and effectively.
• Handle customer complaints. Work to resolve problems with the customer and have Westlake's best interest taken into consideration.
• Possess excellent product knowledge and knowledge of store layout and location of products.

Store Operations

• Ensure a positive, professional and safe work environment for all associates.
• Supervise the "general operations" of the entire store.
• Responsible for opening and closing the store.
• Assist with the implementation of Store Support Center programs.
• Ensure successful Loss Prevention, Safety and Internal Audits.
• Work with General Manager and Assistant Manager Merchandising on all aspects of running the store.
• Participate in weekly management staff meetings.
• Communicate issues to the appropriate Store Support Center department with General Manager approval.
• Assist with special projects within the district as set forth by the District Manager.
• Implement new Standard Operating Procedures into store execution.
• Assist with daily maintenance, orderliness and cleanliness of the sales floor, stock room and outdoor merchandise areas.
• Ensure that weekly price changes and label updates are completed timely and accurately.
• Oversee all cashiering functions including training, maintenance, audits, and reports.
• Manage and direct preventative maintenance and repairs in order to maximize and protect all physical assets (i.e. building, fixtures and equipment).
• Visit competition to be familiar with what they are doing.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Inventory & Merchandising

• Assist to ensure forklift operations and receiving is completed in a safe and efficient way.
• Assist to ensure receiving, checking in and stocking of merchandise adheres to best practices and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Responsible for maintenance of back stock levels.
• Assist to ensure that cycle counts and negative on hand reports are completed timely and accurately.
• Assist in ordering and maintaining desirable product inventory levels to ensure in-stocks and store profitability.
• Assist with merchandise resets throughout the store.
• Assist to ensure all signage is current in the store.
• Assist in presenting a clean and orderly sales floor, including end caps and promotional and incremental merchandising.

Hiring & Training of Associates

• Assist in training of all associates.
• Actively recruit and promote the advancement of Westlake Ace associates.
• Assist in hiring, training, scheduling, reviewing, rewarding and coaching Head Cashiers and Cashiers with the approval of the General Manager.

Leadership

• Manage all aspects of store operations in the absence of the General Manager.
• Lead by example; be approachable by all associates and customers.
• Participate in store meetings.
• Communicate any merchandising, cost control or sales idea to the General Manager for follow up.
• Prepare and challenge yourself for future advancement.

Other Essential Requirements

Ability to exhibit and incorporate our Core Values into daily decisions and interactions with others:

• WINNING In business, money is the score. To win, we must perform, compete, and have fun. At Ace, we win through people- our strength is being helpful.
• EXCELLENCE Excellence honors God and inspires people. We aspire to be the best, to continuously improve and to inspire others by giving the team our very best.
• LOVE Love the people, love the work and love the results.
• INTEGRITY For Ace to win, we need to be able to trust each other. And trust will require us to be honest, reliable, caring, of high character and of unquestioned ethics.
• GRATITUDE We recognize that we are blessed to be in the business of serving others.
• HUMILITY We strive for greatness with a humble, modest and respectful attitude.
• TEAMWORK We will fight the natural tendency for control and credit in favor of collaboration and mutual success, recognizing thatTogether, we are Ace.

Minimum Skills, Requirements and Qualifications

• High School or GED equivalent.
• Previous retail management experience preferred. Hardware experience preferred.
• Standing, walking, lifting (up to 25lbs) and climbing.