Director, Selling

Overview

The Vice President, General Manager - Development Program prepares the Director of Selling Experience (DSE) via a series of critical touchpoints and milestones that provide insight into SFA culture, people, client experience and business ownership. The incumbent must remain 100% mobile during their tenure in the development program. This requirement is defined as having availability to relocate to any one of SFA’s stores for additional assignments as a Director of Selling Experience, and/or future promotion to Vice President, General Manager.

The Director of Selling Experience will participate in a six to eight month development program, providing a comprehensive understanding of SFA’s leadership toolkit. The program culminates in an annual summit to include presentations to and from our Executive Leadership Team.

Under the direction of a Flagship Vice President / General Manager, the Director of Selling Experience is responsible for increasing sales by focusing on driving the selling and clienteling process through developing and managing effective selling teams, creating a service and selling culture that delivers results and ensuring the alignment of the merchandise to local needs and opportunities.

The Director of Selling Experience is responsible for developing a high performance selling organization; ensuring that all selling associates have clear selling strategies as well as broad product knowledge, and effectively coaching selling managers and associates to achieve selling goals, while ensuring that the service experience as delivered by the store team consistently exceeds customer expectations.

The Director of Selling Experience understands that the success of the organization is tied to the quality and performance of the team, and is responsible for developing, motivating and retaining talent in order to drive sales results and maximize store volume.

• 100% open availability to relocate within the United States
• Minimum 5+ years of luxury retail management experience
• Experience leading fast-paced, high retail sales volume environments
• Experience developing and leading clienteling culture (i.e. VIC loyalty programs, client events and experiences, store marketing initiatives, brand ambassadorship, etc.)
• Executive leadership presence with the ability to present/report business trends/financials
• Experience developing and promoting People Leaders
• Flexible in scheduling as the business needs including evenings, weekends and holiday schedules

• Clearly shares the work to be done and the expected outcome. Easily creates working relationships to enhance self and team.
• Seeks and expands on original ideas, enhances others’ ideas and contributes their own ideas. Place the team’s success above their own
• Establishes positive interpersonal relationships
• Champions innovation and creativity by encouraging, recognizing, and rewarding those who take initiative, develop new ideas, or improve work methods

• Drive the Saks Fifth Avenue clienteling culture through coaching and mentoring of the Client Development team
• Directly oversees all Client Development Managers except within the Fifth Avenue Club (Personal Shopping)
• In partnership with the VP/GM, act as the Chief Merchant for the store to ensure the alignment of merchandise to local needs and opportunities
• Execute the VP/GM's strategic vision for his/her store
• Drive towards the achievement of maximum sales and growth in line with company vision and values in partnership with other functional leads for all sales departments
• Analyze and develop understanding of internal / external customer behavior, trends, and preferences, adjusting processes and standards accordingly (e.g. focus programs)
• Facilitate cross-functional communication across store departments to optimize collaborative efforts
• Fulfill store senior leadership responsibilities, including attending daily, weekly, and monthly meetings
• Actively participate in, and in the absence of the VP / GM, lead Store Senior Leadership team meetings
• Partner with Merchant and Planning Organization…