Sales Manager

About the role

Saks Fifth Avenue is a leading destination for luxury fashion, driven by a mission to help customers express themselves through relevant and inspiring style. The Sales Manager plays a critical role in the achievement of the company’s objectives, facilitating partnerships across functions and leveraging team skills to build a customer-centric sales experience.

Responsibilities

• Actively recruit and seamlessly onboard new hires.
• Train and develop top talent by supporting team members in identifying career development goals and opportunities for growth and exposure; set clear goals and communicate to direct reports in alignment with department objectives and support in achievement strategy.
• Foster an environment of accountability by leading the team in appropriately enforcing policies and procedures, ensuring understanding from all associates.
• Evaluate and calibrate performance and productivity fairly for direct reports, provide feedback with consistent follow-up, coach and mentor associates on opportunities for improvement.
• Develop direct reports to build their personal brand as a fashion authority through proactive outreach, leveraging social media platforms to build fashion influencer presence, and broaden connections beyond the client base.
• Drive continued education initiatives for direct reports, with a focus on product knowledge training, client events and experiences, and targeted selling and clienteling.
• Promote a positive environment of achievement, recognition, and celebration. Resolve work-related concerns and conflicts as soon as they arise, finding common ground and settling disputes fairly and with minimal disruption.
• Empower team to take ownership of internal and external customer problems and resolve them quickly.
• Create and maintain an environment of trust and collaboration by encouraging team members to share feedback and make recommendations for improvement. Speak with truth and candor, modeling how to challenge the status quo appropriately.

Customer Experience

• Exhibit Saks Fifth Avenue’s culture and values, and create a friendly, upbeat atmosphere where customer service is consistent with Company standards.
• Role model exceptional service and client relationship building skills by consistently delivering memorable client experiences, planning and supporting client appointments to maximize results, and informing clients of in-store events to enhance engagement and loyalty.
• Proactively build positive and productive relationships, seeking to help others by identifying and meeting the needs of the team, customers, partners, and the community.
• Build a cohesive customer service-driven team, overseeing customer service efforts and escalations.
• Increase new client acquisition and strengthen existing relationships by leveraging various marketing tools and channels of technology, such as social media platforms, referrals, and networking.
• Take initiative to stay informed on new merchandise deliveries in the store to maximize selling potential.
• Exercise expertise in using clienteling tools to deliver exceptional service, stay connected with the client, and make targeted recommendations based on shopping history and preferences.

Business Ownership

• Drive towards the achievement of maximum sales and growth through the development of client advisors and client relationships.
• Establish well-thought-out plans and manage team execution, anticipating and adjusting for risks and roadblocks to maintain operational excellence within department(s).
• Execute plans and strategies in store to build strong client relationships and meet overall client development goals.
• Develop understanding of and analyze internal and external customer behaviors, trends, and preferences, adjusting processes and standards accordingly (e.g., focus programs).
• Support audit compliance to enforce department and stockroom controls, as applicable.
• Stay informed of business drivers, industry trends, and competitors, applying knowledge to identify and pursue new opportunities.
• Track progress against departmental strategies to execute properly and successfully.
• Proactively share information, best practices, and new ideas with team to improve business and performance.
• Demonstrate strong decision-making skills (e.g., problem definition, data analysis, hypothesis testing, asking for input).
• Use critical thinking skills to analyze problems and to recommend viable solutions.
• Personally champion change initiatives, explaining benefits and challenges of change to team and others impacted.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience and leading a team, with supervisory experience managing a team of direct reports.
• A proven track record of success managing a selling and operations workforce and achieving business results.
• Proficiency in utilizing available technology, including clienteling tools and social media (social selling), as well as Google Workspace programs, advanced proficiency preferred.
• History of building, leading, motivating, and coaching teams to achieve objectives.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, structuring messages in a clear logical manner using the most appropriate communication medium.
• Strong attention to detail.
• May require standing, bending, climbing stairs, and lifting and carrying up to 10 pounds.
• Willing to work a flexible schedule based on business need, which will include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Preferred Qualifications

• Luxury retail fashion experience preferred.
• 4-year degree preferred.
• Continuously builds skills and knowledge through training, coaching, and career experiences.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge and appreciation of the Saks Fifth Avenue business and the fashion industry.
• Adapts personal approach in response to diverse situations and people.
• Responds to unexpected changes in work environment with creativity and resilience.
• Establishes and upholds high personal standards for individual work and environment.
• Maintains a customer-centric mentality versus a solely store-centric one.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Basic life insurance
• Supplemental life insurance
• Disability insurance
• A variety of additional voluntary benefits (such as critical illness, hospital and accident insurance)