Ralph Lauren Assistant Store Director

Company Description
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands. At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.

Position Overview
The Store Director leads our flagship locations on Madison Avenue, ensuring that the highest standards of Ralph Lauren service excellence are followed, and customer expectations consistently exceed expectations. This position develops store strategies to drive long term, sustainable business results through assessment of performance KPIs, client retention and new client acquisition opportunities. The Head of Madison Avenue, Women's Kids, and Baby is accountable for ensuring operational efficiencies in store and prioritizes their team, through in the moment feedback, coaching and development.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

* Creates a clear, achievable, and inspirational strategy for assigned stores that can be achieved through people and product
* Responsible for delivering sales plan and positively influencing overall performance KPI targets.
* Owns store P&L expenses and strategically optimizes payroll budget.
* Accountable for team Engagement & Enablement scores and developing and keeping action plans alive while driving improvements in culture year on year; achieve above retail norm scores on E&E. Owns key employee lifecycle processes for assigned Flagship locations including pathway to growth, compensation review and performance management.
* Owns recruitment strategy and succession planning; conducts career pathing conversations with high potential employees to build internal bench strength.
* Responsible for selection of talent for assigned stores, including reduction in fill time, reduction in employee turnover, and maintenance of talent pipelines for all positions within assigned flagship locations.
* Maintains a team that represents the consumer base of the stores - DEI representation variation; partners with Employee Experience Manager to organize all Ave team and community moments.
* Creates and fosters a culture of coaching, feedback and accountability. Provides continuous feedback on performance.
* Ensures all Department Managers and Assistant Department Managers understand roles and responsibilities- execution of BSDs resulting in improved sales professional accountability, brand standards, stock room management, operational excellence, and overall store cleanliness expectations.
* Leads Manager all Avenue Operations to ensure operational efficiencies and excellence resulting in a positive end to end customer experience.
* Responsible for client spend and retention; ensures team is focusing on client data capture, bespoke quality outreach per consumer segmentation and marketing event execution, resulting in new client growth, retention and spend growth year over year.
* Ensures quick resolution of customer issues and escalates as required.
* Acts as an ambassador externally, fostering and developing new relationships for partnership and competitive benchmarking.
* Ensures consistent presentation standards are met, through partnership, planning, and execution with Brand Image team.
* Responsible for swift resolution on store people issues such as performance and escalated employee relation issues in partnership with Employee Experience Manager and People Team.
* Escalates outstanding Repairs & Maintenance as needed and ensures all store Health and Safety standards are being met.
* Responsible for ensuring input and feedback to cross-functional teams is escalated as needed. Breaking down roadblocks and barriers as needed through close partnership with corporate team including Hospitality (Ralph's coffee), Marketing/PR (special in-store events/activities), Buying/Planning/Allocation, Corporate Brand Merchandising; welcomes employees into the flagship location during store visits/tours.

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

* Proven people leadership skills, to inspire, motivate and lead highly engaged, productive teams.
* Ability to influence and collaborate strategically with cross-functional partners.
* Deep understanding of Retail, including a knowledge and appreciation for luxury.
* Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
* Strong business acumen and analytical abilities to drive store strategies.
* Experience leading teams of people leaders, with a focus on continuous talent assessment and development of team.