Retail Associate

General Purpose

The Retail Associate is responsible for ensuring customers have a positive shopping experience. The Associate makes eye contact, smiles, and greets all customers, treats fellow associates with respect, follows company best‑practice standards as outlined in all work centers, maintains a clean work area at all times, and ensures proper merchandise presentation.

Essential Functions

• Understand that safety is the number one priority and practice safe behaviors.
• Maintain a high level of awareness on the sales floor to create a safe and secure shopping environment for everyone.
• Maintain clutter‑free, clear egress to emergency exits; immediately correct or report unsafe conditions or practices.
• Treat all customers and associates with respect and courtesy; be friendly and professional at all times.
• Assist customers in any way necessary—register‑trained, help with merchandise, and answer questions politely and knowledgeably.
• Greet customers with eye contact, smile, say “hello” throughout the store, and say “thank you” with every register transaction.
• Provide prompt and efficient responses to customers at all times.
• Respond to customer service calls immediately and handle all customer issues in a courteous and helpful way, calling a member of Store Leadership when needed.
• Represent and support the Company brand at all times.
• Perform cleaning tasks: sweeping, mopping, dusting, wiping counters and mirrors, replenishing restroom supplies, and disinfecting high‑touch areas. Maintain merchandise and team areas.
• Perform daily assigned sizing and recovery per company best practice to keep the store neat, clean, and organized, and well‑maintained and merchandised to standards.
• Expedite newly received merchandise receipts to the sales floor with a sense of urgency and merchandize all items per monthly presentation guidelines.
• Understand the Loss Prevention Awareness program, the Shortage Highway, the Store Protection Specialist (SPS) position (where applicable), and merchandise protection standards.
• Demonstrate integrity and honesty in all interactions with associates and customers; safeguard confidential information, cash and credit card information, and merchandise.
• Follow all Mark‑Out‑of‑Stock (MOS) policies, including identification of MOS merchandise, proper processing of each piece, and notification of Store Leadership to review and approve all disposals.
• Follow all policies and procedures concerning cash, check, charge card and refund transactions, voids and offline procedures. Maintain a high level of accuracy when handling bankable tenders.
• Demonstrate a sense of urgency to efficiently perform their role and maximize productivity by executing all store best practices and minimizing steps and touches in their workflow.

Competencies

• Manages Work Processes
• Business Acumen
• Plans, Aligns & Prioritizes
• Builds Talent
• Collaborates
• Leads by Example
• Communicates Effectively
• Ensures Accountability & Execution

Qualifications and Special Skills

• Effectively communicate with customers, associates, and store leadership in a friendly, respectful, cooperative and pleasant manner.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations commonly used in retail environments.

Physical Requirements / ADA

• Ability to use all store equipment, including PDTs, registers and PC as required.
• Ability to spend up to 100% of working time standing, walking, and moving around the store.
• Ability to regularly bend at the waist, squat, kneel, climb, carry, reach, and stoop.
• Ability to occasionally push, pull and lift more than 25 pounds.
• Ability to use janitorial equipment, rolling racks, ladders and other assigned supplies.
• For stockroom shifts: ability to regularly push, pull and lift more than 20 pounds.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Ross is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the Company’s overall commitment to attract, hire and develop a strong, talented and diverse workforce. Ross is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws. No degree or specific years of experience required. No certifications required.