Vice President of Retail Operations

Pacific Northwest farm-supply retailer with 28 locations seeks a senior executive to lead all store operations, culture, and customer experience. This people-first leader combines operational rigor with genuine care for teams and customers, ensuring every store delivers a warm, well-run environment that reflects the values of the communities served.

About the role

The Vice President of Retail Operations reports directly to the CEO and is a key member of the senior leadership team. This leader owns the performance, safety, and service standards of all 28 stores, partners cross-functionally with Marketing, Merchandising, HR, and Finance, and develops a high-performing field organization of three District Managers and their store teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the operational performance of all 28 store locations, including safety, sales, margin, labor efficiency, shrink, and customer satisfaction metrics.
• Develop and execute field operating standards for store appearance, merchandising, customer service, and safety compliance.
• Partner with Merchandising and Marketing on product placement, seasonal sets, and in-store promotions.
• Conduct regular store visits and structured field evaluations; hold District Managers accountable for store-level KPIs.
• Analyze store-level and district-level performance data to identify trends and drive operational improvements.
• Oversee labor planning and scheduling to balance customer service quality with labor cost efficiency.
• Provide strategic direction for three specialty areas led by District Managers: Grooming Operations, Shrink & Loss Prevention, and the LPS Outside Sales Program in partnership with Purina.
• Lead, develop, and inspire a field organization of District Managers and store leadership teams, fostering a culture of accountability, recognition, and continuous learning.
• Partner with HR on talent acquisition, succession planning, and leadership development for the store management pipeline.
• Champion a customer-first culture, using satisfaction data, NPS scores, and voice-of-customer feedback to drive improvements.
• Ensure store teams are trained to serve hobby farmers, ranchers, pet owners, and rural lifestyle consumers.
• Own the retail operations budget, including labor, facilities, supplies, and overhead; report variances to Finance.
• Develop and maintain an operational scorecard tracking sales per square foot, conversion, units per transaction, customer satisfaction, shrink rate, grooming revenue, and LPS program performance.
• Lead quarterly business reviews with District Managers, providing data-driven insights and operational priorities.
• Serve as the primary operational voice on the senior leadership team, advocating for store-level needs in strategic planning and systems investments.
• Collaborate with Merchandising on planogram execution, product flow, and inventory management; with HR on workforce planning and compensation; and with Marketing on brand standards and loyalty programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Retail Management, Operations, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive retail operations experience, with at least 4 years in a multi-unit or regional leadership role.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large field organizations with a people-first approach while driving measurable operational results.
• Proven experience managing shrink reduction, loss prevention, specialty service departments, and outside sales programs through a field management structure.
• Strong analytical skills—comfortable with P&L management, operational scorecards, labor modeling, and data-driven decision-making.
• Track record of developing leaders and building high-performing store management teams.
• Excellent communication skills; able to connect with frontline associates and executive stakeholders alike.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to store locations across the Pacific Northwest.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in farm supply, feed and seed, pet retail, agriculture, or outdoor/lifestyle retail.
• Familiarity with outside sales or field sales programs, particularly in livestock, feed, or pet nutrition.
• Experience managing vendor partnerships and co-branded sales programs (experience with Purina or similar agricultural brands a strong plus).
• Knowledge of Pacific Northwest rural and agricultural markets and customer demographics.
• Experience supporting new store development, construction oversight, or store remodel programs.

Benefits

• Short-Term Incentive Plan (STIP) and deferred compensation eligibility.
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with up to 6% employer match.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Referral bonus for referring friends or family members.
• Long-term disability and life/AD&D insurance.
• Generous employee discount.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• On-demand pay.
• Paid holidays and paid time off.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a drug screen and criminal background check, consistent with applicable law.