Neighborly Shop Location Manager

Lincoln Square Location Manager

FT: 32-40 hrs/wk

Neighborly is an ethically sourced, design-driven shop offering home goods, artwork, and gifts for urban Midwesterners. Neighborly sources many of its products from small, independent craftspeople and takes care to find products that fit our particular aesthetic style, are affordable and functional. It began in 2012 and currently operates two brick and mortar locations in Wicker Park and Lincoln Square, as well as a seasonal mini-shop on the Chicago Riverwalk. It is local and woman owned. Please visit our "About" and "Mission" pages to learn more about Neighborly.

Neighborly is looking to hire a Location Manager for our Lincoln Square location at 4710 N Lincoln Ave. The Location Manager will serve as a leader of our retail team, keeping the shop looking organized & adhering to visual merchandising and cleaning standards, but above all else, keeping the customer experience front of mind. 

They will also have the important task of representing Neighborly within the “small town in a big city” community of Lincoln Square - sharing the shop's story, as well as acting as an ambassador for over 200 independent makers and small businesses whose products we carry. They are an integral participant in the success of our small business.

Please note Saturdays are required. This is our busiest day of the week and provides the best opportunity to connect both with customers and with the retail team. Sunday availability from time to time is also required to help for special events and during the holiday season.

Requirements:

> 5+ years retail experience with 1+ year in a management role, preferably at a small business

> excellent communication and customer service skills, ability to confidently approach people and naturally create conversations with a genuine and warm personality

> experience in development and management of a retail team - providing continual support, coaching, and feedback in meeting operational standards and encouraging excellent customer service

> ambition and initiative to jump in wherever needed to help our small business grow - employee management, customer service, merchandising, inventory management, constant creative problem solving, and so much more

> ability to prioritize, multi-task,  and excel during high traffic times & seasons, while still working calmly, efficiently, and with purpose

> physically able to be on your feet the majority of the day, as well as lifting and carrying boxes up to 25 lbs on a frequent basis

> interest in independently made products and/or the arts with an eye for style trends and Modern design

Responsibilities:

> Customer Experience: Offer exceptional customer service - confidently greet and initiate genuine interactions with customers, assist them with product information and recommendations, provide an easy and pleasant shopping and checkout experience. Role model and provide ongoing sales training to retail team to do the same. Constantly look for ways to improve our service and offer customers an experience they can’t get anywhere else.

> Standard Operating Procedures: Manage all day-to-day procedures at your location. Maintain resources/plans and communicate to the retail team to ensure execution of all operational standards. Keep organized across multiple systems. Monitor results and completion of delegated tasks.

> Management: Assist with managing retail assistants as their "front line” contact, set expectations and hold assistants accountable. Adapt to each unique personality, learning style, and management preferences. Handle performance issues, coaching, and discipline; celebrate successes, diffuse conflict, and provide constructive and respectful feedback for areas requiring improvement. 

> Merchandising: Adhere to visual merchandising guidelines and directives. Constantly adjust how products are merchandised to incorporate new products, fill in and adjust when products sell out, identify weak performers based on product placement and notify Retail Director or Visual Merchandiser, coaching retail team to do the same. Delegate tasks including cleaning, restocking, and remerchandising for optimal customer experience. 

> Operations: Monitor inventory & staffing levels, assessing & collaborating with Retail Director and Owner or Buyer to optimize as needed to meet the needs of the business and customer experience. Assist with receiving new product and inventory transfers. Monitor e-comm sales, carefully pack items, and ship online orders.

> Teamwork: Maintain consistent communication with shop Owner and Retail Director about daily happenings, inventory needs, customer or staff issues, and more. Take initiative and bring creative ideas to improve all aspects of the business.

> Community Outreach: Help maintain Neighborly’s position as an active participant in Chicago’s creative scene, particularly in the hyperlocal Lincoln Square community. Support our role in uplifting local makers and artists.

A no task too small attitude is required in the management of a small business’ day to day operations - cleaning, receiving, tagging etc. are tasks that every team member takes part in. You must be able to independently prioritize and perform tasks with accuracy in a busy environment that brings unique challenges every day. This is an ever-evolving role that requires a genuine love of retail and customer service, and a whole lot of adaptability in order to support the needs of the shop and the team as they arise.

Compensation:

> Salary TBD commensurate with experience
> Annual bonus based on company performance
> 64-80 hrs PTO/year + floating holidays
> Healthcare Premium Reimbursement Arrangement
> Employee discount on all merchandise

To apply:

Please no calls or drop-ins. Email your résumé and a short note about why you want to work at Neighborly to getajob [at] neighborlyshop [dot] com and use subject “Location Manager”. 

Neighborly is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, age, citizenship status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.