Assistant Store Manager, Fontainebleu - Maison Margiela

Maison Margiela is a Paris-based fashion house founded in 1988 by Belgian designer Martin Margiela. Celebrating unconventional aesthetics and embracing the philosophy that fashion is an art of expression rather than a cult of personality, Maison Margiela offers haute couture, ready-to-wear for women and men, contemporary line MM6, footwear, interior design, and accessories, including leather goods, fine jewelry and fragrance.
John Galliano was named Creative Director of the house in 2014, bringing his sense of spectacle and creative mastery to the unique ethos of Maison Margiela. Whilst developing his own vision for the house, John Galliano has entirely respected the Martin Margiela state of mind, creating a fascinating organic process.
In 2002, the French house became part of OTB. Along with sister brands of the group, Maison Margiela continues pushing the boundaries of modern fashion while preserving its distinctive identity and heritage.

Overview:

The Assistant Store Manager is the business owner of the store results, accountable for delivering sales and profitability targets while bringing the brand's identity to life in every client interaction. This role leads all aspects of store performance: commercial results, client development, team leadership, visual and operational standards, and compliance with company policy and local labor law.

The Assistant Store Manager builds and develops a high-performing team, sets the service standard on the floor, and cultivates lasting client relationships that drive repeat business and local market presence. Success requires balancing entrepreneurial commercial judgment with disciplined execution of brand and corporate guidelines — acting as the primary link between the store and headquarters/regional partners in merchandising, HR, operations, and marketing.

Reports To: Store Manager

Key Responsibilities:

Business Strategy & Financial Performance

- Maintain a working understanding of the business strategy and the store's sales and financial targets, and act consistently in support of them.

- Support the Store Manager in developing the store strategy and annual action plan, contributing store-level insight on team capability, traffic patterns, and product performance.

- Track and communicate store sales and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to the team daily, providing context on results and the actions needed to close gaps.

- Review business and product reports on a daily and weekly basis, surfacing trends and recommended actions to the Store Manager.

- Support expense control by monitoring controllable expense items and escalating variances to the Store Manager.

- Participate in monthly profit and loss reviews with the Store Manager and help execute the resulting action plans.

Team Recruitment & Development

- Partner with the Store Manager on recruitment, including sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding new store associates.

- Contribute to the ongoing development and performance management of the team, providing day-to-day coaching and documented feedback in partnership with the Store Manager.

- Help foster an inspiring environment for engagement and learning that empowers people to realize their full potential.

- Deliver training that ensures team members are fully competent in their job responsibilities and aligned to the store's business objectives.

- Train the team on new and existing company policies and procedures as directed.

- Observe individual strengths and development areas, and share assessments with the Store Manager to inform development plans.

- Train and coach the team to customer service standards that deliver a stellar customer experience.

- Ensure all staff are properly trained in POS transaction handling and cash management procedures.

Client Development & Customer Experience

- Execute and follow up on the clientele program, coaching sales professionals to develop and retain long-term clients.

- Hold clienteling processes to a consistently high standard on the selling floor.

- Support growth of the existing customer database through daily capture and follow-up discipline.

- Ensure CRM is executed within Company standards.

- Resolve customer issues on the floor within established guidelines, escalating to the Store Manager where resolution falls outside that scope.

Store Operations

- Execute all aspects of daily store operations, including store logistics, stock flow, inventory control, and floor readiness, partnering with the team to keep the store fully operational.

- Apply the Store Operations policies and procedures provided by Home Office to maximize efficiency and protect business integrity.

- Maintain a clean, organized, and well-maintained store that supports efficient operations and a comfortable shopping experience.

- Ensure accuracy in all POS transactions, along with cash handling and banking procedures.

- Adhere to all banking and accounting policies, and complete opening and closing procedures to standard.

Workforce Planning & Payroll Management

- Draft and maintain store schedules for Store Manager review and approval, using Company scheduling tools to plan coverage that supports productivity and business potential.

- Monitor daily floor coverage and adjust in the moment to meet traffic and service demands.

- Operate within the headcount and payroll budgets set for the store, flagging risk to the Store Manager before it affects the period.

Merchandising & Visual Presentation

- Execute store merchandise standards in line with the Company's direction and the Store Manager's priorities.

- Monitor best-seller and slow-seller performance on the floor and report commercial store needs to the Store Manager.

- Partner with the visual associate to manage merchandising in a way that maximizes sales.

- Implement all visual standards and guidelines (criteria and quantities), maintaining product and display presentations to standard.

Leadership in the Store Manager's Absence

- Assume full responsibility for store operations, team leadership, and business results when the Store Manager is not present.

- Make in-the-moment decisions within defined authority limits, and escalate matters exceeding that authority promptly.

- Provide the Store Manager with a clear handover of business results, team matters, and outstanding issues on their return.

Qualifications & Skills

- 5+ years of experience in retail management or related role.

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

- Strong customer service skills.

- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

- Experience in retail, luxury retail or service-oriented organization preferred.

- Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment.

- Flexible availability, including weekends, holidays, and early/late shifts as needed.

- Previous client book preferred.

- Financial Management experience.

- Ethical conduct must lead by example.

- Learning Orientation and ability to train and teach.

- Performance Management.

- Leadership, comfortable having difficult conversations.

- Elevated market awareness and networking skills

Salary range: $75k-$80k (salaried exempt)

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and be able to provide proof of employment eligibility upon request. Employment is contingent upon the successful verification of this authorization in compliance with federal immigration laws.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

OTB Group North America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, marital or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process.

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