Manager Strategic Initiatives( Multiple Positions "Mid-Atlantic" "Southern" "Norfolk/Richmond"

About the role

The Strategic Initiatives Manager delivers sustainable growth in sales, profits, and people while ensuring consistent execution of initiatives across a Division. This role requires travel and the ability to work within the Richmond/Norfolk, Virginia, Southern, and Mid-Atlantic divisions or relocate to the area.

Responsibilities

• Implement, plan, and roll out banner initiatives, tests, and pilot programs as defined annually, including operationalizing and refining them within the assigned Division (~176 stores).
• Accountable for delivering Divisional KPIs for banner initiatives, conducting trend analysis, and troubleshooting areas of opportunity for feedback and follow-up.
• Collaborate with the Director of Execution and Implementation and Director of Operations to prioritize opportunities within the Division/Region, focusing on banner initiatives.
• Communicate and train all regional resources, serving as the subject matter expert for new banner initiatives in collaboration with merchandising leads and retail operations.
• Manage an effective feedback loop between retail and all business partners on the effectiveness and execution of banner initiatives.
• Ensure banner initiatives align with current retail standard practices and training; partner with the Standard Practice team to create guidelines for all banner initiatives.
• Monitor the Divisional competitive landscape and market, reporting significant findings, including competitive openings and closings, to the Food Lion Strategy team.

Requirements

• Merchandising, Retail Operations, and/or Category experience.
• Thorough understanding of Standard Practices and Merchandising techniques.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (including Excel and PowerPoint).
• Cross-functional leadership experience with a demonstrated ability to work with cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated leadership and ability to influence others.
• Must live within the respective division or be able to relocate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of Fresh or Center Store categories.
• Experience with organizational change management.
• 2+ years of responsibility for multiple retail locations.

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and related work experience.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to manage day-to-day activity in support of identified business area and functional area strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to implement and analyze retail business using consumer insights and trend analysis.
• Active listener with an ability to build trust across varying levels of the organization.
• High degree of credibility and the ability to work with and through all levels of management.
• Excellent organizational, planning, influence, communication, and presentation skills.
• Self-motivated and persuasive in presenting, selling ideas, and executing their implementation.

Physical Requirements

Ability to lift, push, or pull 50 lbs.

Schedule

100% travel, with 50-75% overnight depending on Divisional geography.