Retail Sales Supervisor

About the Role

The Sales & Experience Lead (Sales Supervisor) is the heartbeat of the FAO Schwarz boutique at Nordstrom. This first-line leader ensures the guest experience is warm, energetic, theatrical, and consistently on-brand across all touchpoints, including experiences, demonstrations, sales floor, and register. The role thrives on variety, owns its areas with full accountability, and steps up to lead the entire floor when needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Floor
  • Set and protect the guest experience standard across all boutique touchpoints.
  • Conduct regular observations and provide direct, specific coaching to raise performance, guest connection, and sales.
  • Manage guest flow and zoning in real time, adjusting coverage and redeploying the team to maintain optimal operations.
  • Maintain experience props, costumes, and areas to ensure the boutique is always guest-ready.
  • Play an active role in special events, activations, and product launches, ensuring team readiness and seamless execution.
• Lead the Team
  • Develop a team of Sales & Experience Associates, adapting coaching styles to build confidence across all responsibilities.
  • Own the onboarding experience for new team members, ensuring quick and confident integration.
  • Recognize strong performance and hold the team accountable for meeting expectations.
  • Build selling skills, product knowledge, and experience standards into everyday interactions.
• Run the Operation
  • Own the daily zone chart and team deployment, ensuring balanced and responsive coverage.
  • Lead opening and closing routines, setting up the boutique for the day and ensuring all details are addressed.
  • Maintain readiness standards for props, costumes, stock levels, and product availability.
  • Uphold register compliance and cash-handling processes to ensure consistency and accuracy.
• Drive Business Performance
  • Track boutique KPIs and use insights to focus the team on behaviors that drive results.
  • Foster a team culture where confident, natural selling is the standard.
  • Coach the team to identify and convert guest curiosity into purchases using product knowledge and selling skills.
  • Use floor observations and performance data to adjust strategies and sharpen team focus.
• Partner Across the Store
  • Work closely with fellow Leads and the broader boutique team to ensure cohesive operations and shared standards.
  • Navigate the dual-brand environment of FAO Schwarz and Nordstrom, embedding both standards seamlessly.
  • Cascade key communications to align the team on goals, events, and expectations.
  • Surface guest insights, team feedback, and floor trends to the Boutique Manager for informed decision-making.

What Success Looks Like

• The team is clear on expectations, feels supported, and grows in confidence, product knowledge, and commercial instinct.
• Leadership-on-duty (LOD) shifts run smoothly with aligned teams and proactive resolution of guest concerns.
• Sales targets are met, and the team understands how their engagement drives results.
• Both FAO Schwarz and Nordstrom standards are upheld consistently without compromising either brand’s magic.
• You exhibit a calm, confident presence that the Boutique Manager and wider team rely on.
• Seamless handoffs during area-of-responsibility (AOR) rotations ensure uninterrupted guest experiences.

Requirements

• 2+ years of leadership experience in retail, hospitality, experiential, or performance-based environments.
• Track record of coaching and developing a team through feedback and daily floor leadership.
• Strong floor presence and confidence in making real-time decisions under pressure.
• Ability to lead across a broad range of guest-facing responsibilities without compromising energy or standards.
• Natural selling instinct and the ability to build this capability across a diverse team.
• Strong communication skills and adaptability in a dual-brand environment.
• Genuine interest in toys, play, and the FAO Schwarz brand.
• Flexibility to work days, evenings, weekends, and peak retail periods.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 25 pounds.

Experience in experiential, flagship, or concession retail environments is a strong plus. A love of play is non-negotiable.