Employment Opportunities at USD

Position Title & Department:

5773

The USD Torero Store, located in the Hahn University Center, serves as the University of San Diego's primary campus retail hub. This store provides students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors with USD-branded apparel, gifts, course materials, technology, and everyday campus essentials. Operating under Auxiliary Services, the Torero Store team is dedicated to delivering exceptional customer service, engaging campus promotions, and a welcoming retail experience that reflects the spirit of the university.

The University of San Diego, an engaged and contemporary Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity’s urgent challenges.

The Retail Store Manager oversees retail operations for the USD Torero Store and is responsible for apparel, emblematic, gift merchandise planning and forecasting of sales. The Retail Store Manager supervises, trains and assists employees like sales representatives and retail store specialists in customer service, store maintenance and product promotions. Develop and maintain a schedule for employees and promotions centered on special sales events and other cycles. Seeks ways to better promote the store, the product line and services within the store. Maintain proper inventory levels, ensure stocking, implement purchasing plans and maintain contact with suppliers to ensure maximum efficiency in meeting sales goals. Implement cross-training of employees to always maintain productivity. Manage all controllable costs with a view to maintain profitability. Ensure the store always remains clean and presentable. Hire and train as needed to ensure adequate personnel is on hand to provide outstanding customer services. Responsible for timely and accurate POS data entry and maintenance. Periodically, this position may be asked to contribute to either ad hoc or ongoing division/campus projects outside the scope of their day-to-day activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Supervision/Leadership

• Exercise administrative supervision over student sales associates and assigned staff.
• Assist with development and implementation of sales associate work schedules.
• Serves as a leader for employees while fostering teamwork, employee morale, motivation, and open communication.
• Understands and assures compliance with all USD Torero Store, USD Licensing, Auxiliary Services and University of San Diego policies and procedures
• Conducts new employee orientation for apparel and emblematic merchandise, sales floor, and back-stock storage organization
• Be an example and teacher of non-negotiable standards of performance to sales associates and assigned staff.
• Set leadership example by a willingness to work all job tasks.
• Provide opportunities for sales associates development through mentorships and internships
• Delegate assignments as appropriate and follows up to ensure that work is accurate and complete
• Responsible for the smooth flow of work, communication, and ideas through a congenial, caring, and supportive attitude
• Takes corrective action to ensure acceptable employee performance and provides both positive and corrective feedback to employees regarding performance.
• Represent the USD Torero Store at off-site locations in a professional manner. Attend trade shows and educational seminars as assigned.
• Monitor customer service delivered by student sales associate employees to maintain superior customer service levels.

Apparel Fashion, Emblematic, Gift Buying

• Plans, forecasts, and initiates purchasing for apparel, emblematic and all other assigned merchandise categories.
• Meets with vendors on a regular basis.
• Coordinates with Licensing Director on licensing promotions, vendor compliance and other projects as needed.
• Evaluates pricing, buying group data, terms, freight, discounts, co-op, and markdown dollars, return policies, brand identification, and representation.
• Responsible for updating products and pricing in POS and on e-commerce site, updating, and modifying descriptions, and other technology systems on a continual basis
• All sales, margins, etc. reviewed weekly with Director to determine adherence to gross margin goal objectives. Maintains appropriate inventory levels to achieve sales and service goals.
• Assure adherence to all USD branding and graphic standards.
• Promote and adhere to USD licensing standards and protocol.
• Create, market, and maintain apparel and emblematic assortments for departmental and student organization purchase.
• Stay abreast of merchandise trends; continually seek out new vendors and products.
• Maintain delivery calendar for peak times in conjunction with all Torero Store departments.
• Creatively merchandise in Torero Store and other auxiliary units as needed.

Operations/Financial Management

• Conducts weekly analysis of inventory levels and sales trends.
• Merchandise sales floor to ensure that all product is stocked, clean and displayed to maximize sales. Rotate sales floor on a continual basis. Ensures inventory on sales floor at levels allowing maximized sales momentum and shopablity.
• All purchase orders to be entered accurately, completely, and timely.
• Plans promotions, sales, and special events across campus. Coordinate with other store departments as needed, as well as other departments of the university on a regular basis.
• Maintains accurate inventory management system, including all markdowns, markups, special promotions, and inventory transfers between units.
• Meets with Director weekly to ensure all service levels operate at optimum, to evaluate revenue, expenses, and promotions
• Assist in planning and implementation of employee meetings.
• Assist in preparing Merchandise Department for annual physical inventory.
• Share in operational management of sales floor, opening and closing of store, daily cash deposits, and student sales associate supervision

General Duties

• Manage store as needed (evenings, weekends, and holidays)
• Participates in administrative staff meetings and assist in long-range unit planning activities.
• Assists with establishing and maintaining departmental goals.
• Prepares report as required.
• Strives to improve and streamline departmental operations through the continuous assessment of guidelines and procedures, work processes and program effectiveness/value.
• Participates in professional organizations, conferences and training activities, representing the department as required or assigned.
• Some travel required.
• Able to operate Torero Store equipment and train others on proper use

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to work a varied work schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule to accommodate Fall and Spring Back-to-School seasons, special events and annual inventory.

Background check:  Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required. Related experience may substitute for the education requirement at the rate of one year of experience equals two years of education (in addition to the five years of experience).
• At least 5 years of retail management experience.
• At least 5 years of apparel/emblematic/git etc. buying in retail industry.
• Demonstrated knowledge of open to buy, inventory management, gross margin calculations, turns and other financial considerations for a profitable department.
• Knowledge of graphics, emblematic product, and apparel trends.
• Demonstrated knowledge of principles, techniques, practices, and procedures in retail, purchasing and sales.
• Demonstrated knowledge of supervisory techniques and employee development and evaluation.
• Demonstrated competency with computer applications, including Google Suite and Microsoft Office suite. (Adobe Photoshop or similar applications preferred.)
• Demonstrated knowledge of merchandising skills across diverse retail products.
• Demonstrated knowledge of website management systems.
• Knowledge of POS and inventory management systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge of retailing trends.
• Ability to design cutting edge campus apparel.

Performance Expectations - Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to make appropriate buying decisions, sustaining inventory based on financial purchasing principles, including markdowns, sales goals, forecasting, gross margins, etc.
• Ability to develop and implement marketing strategies and goals.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, as well as attention to detail and ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to merchandise a wide array of product in an attractive, clean, uncluttered and creative fashion.
• Ability to update products and pricing on e-commerce site.

$5,858.67 - $6,116.67 Per month; Excellent Benefits

The University of San Diego offers a very competitive benefits package including; medical, dental, vision, a retirement contribution given to you by the University, and access to on-campus Fitness Centers.  Please visit the benefits section of our website to view all of the perks and benefits that USD has to offer.  USD: Human Resources: Benefits

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position.  Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including departmental budget.

Resume and Cover Letter Required

Click the 'Apply Now' button to complete our online application. In addition, please upload a cover letter and resume to your application profile for the hiring managers’ review.  If you have any questions or difficulties please contact the Employment Services Team at jobs@sandiego.edu.

Hours: 40 hours per week 

Closing date: Open until filled

Note: External job postings will be up for at least three days. After that time, applications will be reviewed by the hiring manager/committee throughout the posting period. A candidate may be selected at any time which could then close this posting on a date earlier than listed.

The University of San Diego is a smoking and tobacco-free campus. For more information, visit www.sandiego.edu/smokefree.