Chicago Store Manager in Chicago, Illinois at Branch

Branch is shaking up the $46B office products industry to create the best work experience for the 21st century: easy, affordable and adaptable so you can sit down (or stand) and get to work.

Most people spend eight hours a day at their workspace. Our mission is creating accessible and inspiring products to help people and teams feel their best at work, wherever that happens.

We're based in NYC and Toronto, and backed by the investors behind Quip, Caraway, Eight Sleep and Peloton. Our culture combines strategic clarity with scrappy execution; we think and plan rigorously but ship fast and have fun doing it. We're looking for entrepreneurial teammates who do the same.

As the first Store Manager of our Chicago store, you will lead Branch’s retail business in the market. You’ll own store performance across sales, market engagement, people, and operations, while helping us define what great retail looks like at Branch. You’ll be both a hands-on leader and a strategic visionary, steering the store towards success through market growth and operational efficiency.

This is an opportunity for an experienced retail leader who is energized by building from the ground up, developing high-performance teams, creating a best-in-class customer experience, and is overall excited about being a part of the team as we scale the retail program.

This role is salaried with a compensation range of $75,000-$85,000 based on the candidate's experience, skills, competencies, and qualifications.

• Revenue & Profitability:
• • Own store sales performance and KPIs, with accountability for sales, payroll, and expense management
  • Manage store’s spend & seek opportunities to minimize costs without compromising the customer experience
• Brand & Customer Experience:
• • Lead by example and maintain a high bar for in-store customer experience
  • Be a source of knowledge for not just furniture but also health and ergonomics in the workplace
  • Lead in-store visual merchandising and design
  • Oversee clienteling efforts to ensure our customers are supported throughout their Branch experience
  • Identify and execute upon initiatives to drive community engagement, such as local marketing, sponsorships, and partnerships
  • Partner with the Retail and Sales teams to host activations throughout the year
  • Occasionally support our Sales Team with B2B presentations and install oversight
• People:
• • Create a store environment, through culture and training, where our team is energized to provide excellent service and prioritize high standards
  • Own the sourcing, assessment, selection, and onboarding of talent to build and grow our scaling business
  • Facilitate a growth-oriented culture for ongoing people development and provide tactical and real-time feedback, as well as cadenced performance reviews to team members
• Operations:
• • Accountable for store operational excellence, providing day-to-day support to the store team to ensure all store operations are completed in a timely, thorough manner and that brand and product standards are maintained, with the store team set-up for ongoing success, including inventory management, staffing, supplies management, etc.
  • Surface operational risks and partner cross-functionally to resolve them
  • Proficiency with digital tools such as Shopify, Slack, and Google Workspace to support business operations, client engagement, and team communication
  • Ability to actively lead on the sales floor, including standing, walking, using ladders, and lifting up to 50 lbs.

• Strong skillset in customer service and developing and maintaining a high bar across store team
• Curiosity and willingness to learn the details of our products and brand and help customers find the best fit. Our customers are well-researched and they will ask the hard questions!
• 5+ years of management experience in retail store environments (including operations and people management)
• Someone who is friendly, positive, and truly passionate about the Branch brand and story
• Financial management experience with success in driving top-line sales, interpreting reporting data, managing payroll budgets, and controlling expenses
• Exceptional leadership capabilities with a track record of attracting, developing, and motivating top talent, swiftly adapting to change, and leading others through the fast paced environments
• Desire to work in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment –you understand the importance of experimentation and iteration and are excited to develop the retail business of Branch
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, holidays and weekend shifts
• Bonus: you’ve opened a store from scratch