Retail Territory Manager (Travel)

At Lakeshore, we create innovative learning materials and world-class guest experiences for teachers, parents and children. Since 1954, we’ve grown into a global community—with a thriving e-commerce business, multiple catalogs, over 50 stores, a peerless national sales force, plus international offices that support our preeminent supply chain division. But today we’re working better, smarter and faster than ever—and setting our sights even higher. We’re building an infrastructure designed for scalability, embracing data-driven decision-making and using technology to improve efficiency and ensure the best tools for the best work. Most importantly, we continue to invest in a diverse team of inquisitive top talent who fuel each other’s passions and curiosity, take risks, try new things and believe that every new day brings opportunities for growth.

Job Description

We are seeking a Retail Territory Manager to lead a group of Lakeshore stores. In this role, you’ll build and grow strong Store Manager teams, hold every location to our brand and operating standards, and deliver your territory’s sales goals through the quality of that work. 

You’ll spend much of your time in our stores, coaching leaders, solving problems on the spot and making sure every teacher, parent and child who walks in has a great experience. This role is for a hands-on multi-unit leader who measures success by the leaders they develop and the results their stores deliver. 

A day on the job looks like this: 

• Recruiting, developing and retaining Store Managers, building a bench of future leaders and coaching your managers to do the same on their own teams 
• Setting clear expectations for store leaders and managing performance through regular feedback, development plans, recognition and corrective action 
• Leading planned store visits with a clear agenda, documented follow-up and verified closure on open items 
• Holding every store to Lakeshore’s brand and operating standards, including visual sets, inventory accuracy, shrink, safety and compliance 
• Bringing company sales programs and institutional outreach to life in every store, launched on time and sustained after launch, and reporting back on what worked and what needs to change 
• Planning labor and managing payroll and expenses ahead of promotions, holidays and seasonal peaks without compromising the guest experience 
• Owning the guest experience across your territory, coaching teams to customer-first service and closing the loop on guest feedback 

Qualifications

Got the skills and experience? Here’s what we’re looking for: 

Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience 
• 5+ years of multi-unit retail management experience 
• 5+ years leading people, including managing other managers 
• Track record of developing talent, building bench strength and planning for succession 
• Proven ability to hold a group of locations to consistent operating standards 
• Strong business sense, with the ability to read store reporting and find the execution issue behind the number 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel 
• Ability to travel regularly within the territory up to 75% each week and work productively from remote locations 

Preferred: 

• 10+ years of multi-unit retail leadership, including managing managers 

What Sets You Apart:

• You lead by example and give clear, consistent feedback 
• You hold the line on standards while building a team people want to stay on 
• You take real pride in recognizing great work and delivering a great guest experience 

Additional Information

And here’s our end of the bargain!

• Competitive compensation based on skills and experience
• Bonus eligible
• Paid leave for new parents to support work/life balance and family bonding
• Excellent medical/dental and vision coverage — EPO, PPO and HSA
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution (because you will retire someday)
• Flexible benefits — choose what you like, ignore the rest
• On-site preschool for our employees' children
• On-site employee gym for all levels/fitness needs
• Generous employee discount
• Casual dress…and we really mean it

At Lakeshore, we know our diversity makes us stronger, and when everyone feels included and valued, we all win. We strive to embrace our differences and create an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that is representative of the teachers, families and children we serve.

We know we couldn't do the extraordinary things we're doing without the people on our team. Thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of this spectacular group, Lakeshore is more than a great place to work—it's a great experience to be part of. Day in and day out, we give everything we've got to create products that instill a sense of wonder and foster a true love of learning. To help maintain this high bar for success, we're constantly on the lookout for people to join us. So if you're a down-to-earth professional who shares our desire for making a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

To learn more about Lakeshore, visit

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy 

People are selected to become members of the Lakeshore family based on skill, merit and mind-boggling talent—not based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, marital status, domestic partnership status, military status, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, alienage, AIDS or AIDS-related complex status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, status as a victim of domestic violence, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If things aren’t equal, we all lose. 

To learn about how we collect and use Applicant information, please visit our Employee/Applicant Privacy Policy.

Lakeshore is an E-Verify employer. We use E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. 

Please see the E-Verify Participation Poster and Know Your Rights Poster in English and Spanish for more information. INDRLL1