ASSISTANT STORE MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION

Every retail brand makes a promise to its customers. When that promise breaks through inconsistent service, undertrained staff, or a sales floor that doesn't reflect the brand, the store manager alone cannot repair it fast enough. The Assistant Store Manager holds the day-to-day execution standard that keeps that promise intact, owning the intersection of team performance and commercial results across the full trading floor. In apparel and luxury lifestyle retail, where conversion rates, units per transaction, and Net Promoter Score are tracked at the individual store level, this role carries direct accountability for outcomes that show up in weekly business reports. Ambiguous authority won't work here.

As the Assistant Store Manager, you partner with the Store Manager to drive sales performance, team capability, and operational standards across the store, with direct accountability for KPIs including conversion, UPT, and NPS. You lead the sales floor during peak trading periods, manage a team of brand ambassadors and sales associates, and own the coaching and development cadence that determines the store's service standard.

Career Impact: Owning conversion and UPT accountability at the store level builds the commercial fluency and floor leadership track record that hiring managers look for when selecting Store Managers in apparel and luxury retail.

Business Impact: The teams you develop, the service standard you model, and the KPI rhythm you establish directly determine whether a store meets its weekly sales plan and retains the customer loyalty that drives repeat purchase.

Growth Opportunity: The breadth of this role, spanning people leadership, visual merchandising, clienteling, and P&L awareness, creates the multi-functional readiness needed to step into a Store Manager seat or a field leadership role.

• Lead the sales floor during peak trading periods to model selling behaviors, maintain service standards, and drive conversion and units per transaction.
• Coach and develop team members through regular one-on-one feedback, on-floor observations, and structured development plans tied to individual performance gaps.
• Analyze weekly business reports to identify missed opportunities in sales, payroll, and inventory, and recommend action plans to the Store Manager.
• Execute visual merchandising directives and product placement within brand guidelines to maintain commercial and aesthetic store standards.
• Manage recruitment, selection, and onboarding of store associates to maintain sufficient staffing levels and a pipeline of capable talent.
• Partner with the Store Manager to build and execute the clienteling program, ensuring associates capture customer data and execute proactive outreach to grow and retain the client base.
• Oversee back-of-house operations including stock receipt, inventory controls, and loss prevention procedures to protect store assets.
• Manage scheduling and payroll allocation to optimize productivity while controlling labor spend against budget.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Retail Management, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 2 or more years of retail management experience, with demonstrated responsibility for a sales team and store KPIs.
• Proven ability to coach and develop retail associates, with measurable improvement in individual and team performance outcomes.
• Strong commercial acumen, including the ability to read sales reports, identify trends, and translate data into floor-level action.
• Demonstrated experience executing visual merchandising standards and maintaining brand presentation across a retail floor.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by trading demands.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to give clear, constructive feedback at all levels of a store team.
• Physical capability to stand for extended periods, lift to 50 pounds, and move actively throughout the sales floor and stock room.

• Experience in a luxury, lifestyle, or high-volume fashion retail environment where clienteling and brand representation are core to the role.
• Familiarity with clienteling tools, guest relationship management platforms, or automated scheduling systems used in specialty retail.
• Exposure to a flagship or high-traffic store environment with accountability for both top-line sales and labor cost management.
• Graduate gemologist qualification or GIA coursework (relevant for roles in fine jewelry or luxury accessories retail).

• Conversion rate, measured against store target as a direct indicator of floor leadership and selling behavior coaching.
• Units per transaction (UPT), tracking the effectiveness of associate product knowledge and cross-sell execution.
• Net Promoter Score (NPS) or equivalent customer feedback measure, reflecting the service standard delivered by the team.
• Inventory shrinkage percentage, indicating the rigor of loss prevention and back-of-house stock management.
• Payroll-to-sales ratio, reflecting scheduling discipline and productivity management against the labor budget.
• Typical tools: clienteling and CRM platforms (commonly Salesforce Retail or proprietary clienteling tools); scheduling and payroll systems (commonly ADP or similar workforce management platforms).

• Base Salary Range: $55,000 – $75,000 annually, depending on brand tier and market
• Bonus: Store performance bonus, typically 5–15% of base salary
• Equity: Not standard at this level; offered selectively at corporate-owned flagship stores
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution varies by company
• PTO: 10–15 days annually plus public holidays; increases with tenure
• Common Perks: Employee merchandise discount (typically 30–50%), product training allowances, and potential for company-sponsored GIA coursework in luxury segments

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Successful completion of a pre-employment background check is a condition of employment. All qualified applicants will be considered for this position without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process or to perform the essential functions of this role should notify the hiring team at the time of application. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

The Assistant Store Manager owns store performance by analyzing business reports to identify missed opportunities, directing client service efforts, and managing associate development to increase transactions and productivity. Working alongside the Store Manager and cross-functional teams, this role shapes financial results, visual merchandising execution, and scheduling to sustain a high-performing client-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze business reports to identify missed opportunities and recommend solutions to positively impact store performance.
• Direct client service efforts consistent with established standards to increase transactions and capture client opportunities.
• Foster a client-focused team environment by driving volume and anticipating client needs.
• Provide exceptional client service by role-modeling service standards and immediately addressing client concerns.
• Actively manage associates' client service skills by providing informal and formal feedback.
• Assist in the recruitment, attraction, selection, and hiring of diverse talent.
• Assist in the development of associates by delegating appropriately, matching talents with tasks, and recognizing accomplishments.
• Hold self and associates accountable for the achievement of financial results and statistical standards.
• Communicate appropriate goals, results, and directives to the team.
• Execute brand visual standards, standard operating procedures, and visual merchandising updates within corporate guidelines.
• Prioritize and lead execution of task directives within designated timeframes, using tools and resources to drive a high level of productivity.
• Adjust weekly schedules as needed to maximize productivity and control payroll spend.
• Support loss prevention practices and complete operational assessments to protect company assets.

Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of visual standards and techniques.
• Knowledge of store reports to maximize performance, drive volume, and react to business trends.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain a team.
• Proven ability to organize, delegate, prioritize, meet deadlines, and follow up on all store activities.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend shifts, with open availability.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 20 pounds occasionally and maneuver effectively around the sales floor, stockroom, and office.

Embedded within the store leadership team, the Assistant Store Manager delivers measurable results by monitoring KPIs, proposing action plans, and assisting the Store Manager in driving operational initiatives to ensure profitability and efficiency. Working closely with team members and customers, this role builds an inclusive environment where coaching, development, and brand representation sustain a consistently high standard of service.

Core Functions

• Drive results by monitoring and analyzing data, leading people, and making timely decisions to move the organization forward.
• Use available tools and data to measure KPIs and propose action plans to elevate the customer experience.
• Assist the Store Manager in driving operational initiatives and ensuring profitability and efficiency of the store.
• Ensure the store is kept to a high standard, services are exceptional, and all customers and staff feel safe and welcome.
• Cultivate creativity and disruption to ensure the store represents the brand and culture, using policies, values, and best practices as a guide.
• Provide support to team members and customers in challenging situations.
• Help others grow by understanding their strengths and providing coaching and development.

Qualifications & Experience

• Previous retail management experience at an equivalent sales-volume store.
• Experience as a hands-on leader who enjoys being on the sales floor to motivate, coach, and help teams succeed.
• Strong emotional intelligence, resilience, and communication skills, with the ability to influence team members.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and management skills.
• Passion for excellent client service and experiential retail.
• Flexible availability to work nights, overnights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds, bend and stretch to stock shelves, stand and walk the sales floor for an entire shift, and work in a fragrance-filled environment.

Reporting to the Store Manager, the Assistant Store Manager leads the team by example through motivation, support, and communication to deliver an exceptional lifestyle experience for both internal and external guests. Partnering with retail team members across sales, merchandising, and operations, this role achieves the sales plan through efficient planning, coaching, and streamlined store processes that promote internal career growth.

Primary Duties

• Partner with the Store Manager to lead the team by example through motivation, support, and communication, to provide an exceptional lifestyle experience for both internal and external guests.
• Build strong sales and service relationships with guests across all aspects of store operations, consistently role-modeling key sales and service behaviors to create an optimal guest purchase experience.
• Achieve the sales plan through efficient planning, execution, business analysis, and streamlining of store processes.
• Create a learning environment to coach and develop retail team members.
• Promote sales and internal career growth through thoughtful hiring and clear performance expectations.

Skills & Qualifications

• College degree in Business or a related field.
• 3+ years of retail experience.
• 2+ years of management and team supervision experience.
• Experience coaching and developing a team.
• Exposure to merchandising and retail visual concepts.
• Ability to analyze reports, identify opportunities, and take initiative in making merchandising and presentation adjustments.
• Strong leadership and organizational skills.

Sitting at the intersection of sales leadership and people development, the Assistant Store Manager maximizes sales and profit performance by managing team members, overseeing high-volume stock operations, and collaborating with the Creative Services team to identify commercial opportunities. Operating across recruitment, coaching, and vendor relationships, this role builds the commercial foundations and team capability that sustain store performance against weekly targets.

Duties

• Manage the team to maximize sales and profit performance.
• Motivate the team to achieve weekly targets and store standards.
• Coach and mentor the sales team, including ongoing evaluation, development, and training.
• Manage and process high volumes of stock and oversee back-of-house operations.
• Manage the recruitment and selection of talent into the business.
• Collaborate with the Creative Services team to identify opportunities and deliver on plans.
• Build and maintain solid commercial relationships with the wider business.

Requirements

• Prior experience as a Team Leader or Assistant Store Manager.
• Proven track record in sales, customer service, and managing performance.
• Strong merchandise and stock management experience.
• Sound understanding of fashion, retail trends, and the competitive environment.
• Excellent team player who enjoys motivating and mentoring the team.
• Strong communicator who is confident with both customers and technology.

A key member of the store leadership team, the Assistant Store Manager delivers the finest level of customer service while keeping the store well merchandised, commercially correct, and running smoothly through consistent operational oversight. Collaborating with the Store Manager and store team, this role builds selling skills and career development through training and coaching, with additional responsibility for ear-piercing services following full training.

Accountabilities

• Drive and achieve retail store sales and profit targets.
• Deliver the finest level of customer service.
• Keep the store running smoothly and ensure it is well merchandised and commercially correct.
• Assist the Store Manager in training and coaching the store team to enhance their skills and career development.
• Perform ear-piercing services following full training.

Experience & Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum one year of retail management experience.
• Ability to analyze sales reports and strategically problem-solve.
• Sound understanding of mathematics and strong reading comprehension skills.
• Basic computer skills, including the ability to operate a POS system.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to stand during scheduled shifts and maneuver up to 25 lbs regularly and up to 75 lbs occasionally.
• Ability to perform bending, stooping, extended reaching, and climbing ladders and step stools while placing merchandise and assisting customers.

Reporting to the Store Manager, the Assistant Store Manager shapes daily store operations by maintaining a clean, properly stocked, and merchandised store while managing inventory levels, vendor relations, and staffing to maximize sales and profitability. Partnering with the wider operations team, this role identifies and resolves sales obstacles and sustains inventory controls that keep the store running at full commercial capacity.

Job Functions

• Ensure sufficient staffing levels to meet the needs of guests.
• Recruit, train, and develop staff.
• Develop strong vendor relations.
• Maintain a clean, properly stocked, and merchandised store.
• Maximize sales and profits.
• Identify and resolve sales obstacles.
• Manage and maintain proper inventory levels and controls.

Background & Experience

• Minimum 1 year of experience as a store manager or assistant store manager.
• Basic knowledge of inventory management and product assortment.
• Ability to work overtime, double shifts, graveyard shifts, and on-call shifts.
• Ability to receive, check in, and put away all deliveries correctly.
• Ability to stock, organize, and condense deliveries.
• Ability to write daily, multi-day, and non-daily orders.
• Strong sense of responsibility, accountability, and credibility.

Impact-led store performance depends on the Assistant Store Manager, who leads the Brand Ambassador team by teaching, coaching, and executing the customer journey across talent development, operational excellence, and financial targets. Based within a luxury lifestyle retail environment, this role serves as a steward of brand values while continuously recruiting talent, managing labor spend, and building lasting client relationships through community involvement and strategic outreach.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Achieve or exceed sales targets, including both top- and bottom-line results.
• Continuously analyze key performance indicators and leverage insights to create and execute action plans that drive performance.
• Partner with the Store Manager to ensure the store has adequate resources to achieve and exceed performance goals.
• Deliver a superior customer service journey that translates into an exceptional Net Promoter Score.
• Teach, coach, and demonstrate sales floor leadership and selling behaviors that drive conversion and units per transaction.
• Ensure maintenance of exceptional visual merchandising reflective of a luxury lifestyle brand.
• Resolve customer issues through a customer-centric lens by investigating opportunities, developing solutions, and coaching the team on resolution of similar challenges.
• Create and foster lasting client relationships through consistent engagement and use of available tools.
• Represent the brand in the market, developing the client base through community involvement and partnerships with local businesses and events.
• Create a culture of talent development and ongoing education for the entire store team, actively coaching direct reports to improve performance and foster growth.
• Inspire and maintain an outstanding employee experience and drive employee engagement through an open-door environment that encourages feedback.
• Continuously recruit to build an external network of talent.
• Analyze and proactively react to inventory needs and merchandise flow to ensure product availability.
• Lead loss prevention with a teaching mindset that minimizes loss and increases safety.
• Create and execute schedules that prioritize the customer journey, maximize productivity, and manage labor spend.

Professional Experience

• Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred.
• 3–5 years of leadership experience in a related industry.
• Experience working with luxury lifestyle brands is an asset.
• Experience in guest relationship management tools.
• Experience with payroll and expense management.
• Solid understanding of retail math and the use of analytics in a business environment.
• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office, specifically Word and Excel.
• Strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Fluency in English, both written and oral, with proficiency in the local language highly desired.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time and flexibility to work retail hours, including peak and holiday periods.

As the Assistant Store Manager, this role supports the Store Manager in leading, developing, and coaching the sales and operations team to meet and exceed sales plans and profitability targets through consistent, superior client service delivery. The luxury retail team relies on this work to execute the clienteling program, grow the existing customer base, and develop individual action plans that position and realize future sales opportunities.

Ownership Areas

• Partner with the Store Manager to create, communicate, and execute a vision for the sales team.
• Use sales reporting tools to create recommendations for increasing sales and regularly communicate corporate strategies and initiatives to the team.
• Partner with the Store Manager to lead and champion the team in executing consistent, superior sales and service delivery to increase and retain customer loyalty.
• Partner with the Store Manager to execute the clienteling program to develop a new customer base and grow existing business.
• Ensure the team captures meaningful customer data for the purposes of building relationships and personalizing future client development opportunities.
• Ensure the team executes proactive strategic outreach to position and realize future sales opportunities and exceed customer expectations.
• Assist in managing the current customer base by cultivating new relationships and migrating existing customers to higher levels.
• Support key company, regional, and local events and product launches with strategic client attendance and sales results.
• Partner with the Store Manager to use established coaching tools to ensure employees are providing a consistent luxury experience.
• Partner with the Store Manager to encourage and develop the team through regular coaching and performance observations.
• Partner to develop individual action plans with team members to increase sales and improve performance.
• Communicate development needs in a consultative and supportive manner, using real-time on-the-floor feedback to support each team member weekly.

Technical Qualifications

• College or university degree.
• Graduate gemologist degree or previous Gemological Institute of America coursework preferred.
• Minimum 1–2 years of management experience in retail, luxury retail, or a relevant customer-related field such as hospitality.
• Experience in sales generation and managing the achievement of sales results.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and a Point of Sale system.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to inspire trust, integrity, fairness, and professionalism with both clients and team members.
• Flexibility to work non-traditional hours, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced, changing environment and in various roles based on business needs.

The Assistant Store Manager produces results by acting as the leader on duty, managing teams of 20 or more, and delegating effectively to execute standard operating procedures and deliver exceptional customer and employee experiences. Working alongside store associates and senior leadership, this role drives continuous improvement by identifying root causes, using data and metrics to implement solutions, and maintaining a safe, engaged, and high-performing store culture.

Role Responsibilities

• Act as the leader on duty in the store, focused on delivering results while enabling a positive customer and employee experience.
• Manage a team of associates, including relaying expectations, managing performance, providing regular feedback, and supporting career development.
• Delegate effectively to drive exceptional results, including executing standard operating procedures, identifying areas of improvement, implementing solutions, and providing ongoing feedback.
• Maintain a positive employee culture built on customer obsession and leadership principles.
• Maintain a culture of engagement by routinely listening to feedback from leaders, associates, and customers and implementing solutions to solve problems.
• Identify areas of opportunity, determine root causes, and seek support to implement solutions to continuously improve the overall performance and culture of the store.
• Perform store walks and engage with associates on the floor, modeling successful behaviors and fulfilling associate activities when needed.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and secure environment to ensure the security of all employees, customers, and products in the store.
• Work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, and be comfortable working in a physical environment.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related area preferred.
• 4+ years of retail or operations experience.
• 2+ years of people management experience leading teams of 20 or more.
• Experience working independently in an ambiguous environment with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to use data and metrics to back up assumptions and implement effective solutions.
• Demonstrated success in problem-solving and delivering results.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

The Assistant Store Manager develops organizational capability by implementing store strategy, managing daily operational tactics, and leading a large retail team to deliver positive customer experiences through a high-performance service and selling culture. Working closely with the leadership team and brand partners, this role oversees the allocation of operational responsibilities to empower, coach, and build the team's capacity to adapt and exceed financial performance targets.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Work closely with the leadership team to implement store strategy and effectively execute the store plan.
• Manage daily activities, evaluating and adapting tactics as needed to drive financial performance.
• Lead the store to deliver positive customer experiences, with particular focus on optimizing productivity of space, merchandise, and people.
• Actively drive a high-performance, customer-focused service and selling culture aligned to organizational values.
• Allocate and manage store operational responsibilities in a coordinated and collaborative manner.
• Lead, empower, coach, and develop the team to build organizational capability.
• Encourage the store team to adapt to new ways of operating through effective communication and role modeling.

Position Requirements

• Retail management and store leadership experience is essential.
• Demonstrated skill in evaluating and adapting operational tactics to drive high performance.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a large retail team towards results, with experience coaching retail managers to build organizational capability.
• Advanced computer skills, with the ability to analyze data to highlight opportunities.
• Strong mix of business and people management skills.
• Proven ability to drive and exceed results with strong operational strengths.

The Assistant Store Manager refines team performance at the Eastgardens store by training, mentoring, and coaching team members toward goals and succession planning, while supporting the Store Manager in setting management expectations across all areas of the operation. Working with the Visual Merchandising team and store floor staff, this role takes a proactive approach to loss prevention, roster management, and problem resolution to sustain a well-organized and efficiently run store.

What You'll Do

• Lead by example to assist in setting management expectations across the team.
• Train, mentor, and coach team members to work towards goals and succession planning.
• Manage the team across the shop floor and back of house to ensure tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.
• Assist with roster management and payroll approval.
• Take a proactive approach to loss prevention management, including stock shrinkage.
• Work with the Visual Merchandising team to ensure all creative visions are applied within the store.
• Provide solutions to problems as they arise.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 2–4 years of well-rounded retail management experience.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• High level of written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, tasks, and overall expectations.
• Adaptable and supportive approach to team management.