District Sales Manager

About Our Company:

Lids Sports Group is the largest licensed sports retailer in North America, selling fan and fashion-oriented headwear and apparel across the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia. Operating out of Indianapolis, IN, our retail stores offer officially licensed headwear and apparel from collegiate and professional sports teams, plus top brands like Nike, New Era, Adidas, and Mitchell & Ness.

We currently operate 1,200+ locations domestically and 50+ internationally, including specialty concept stores for the NBA, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, and numerous MLB teams. In recent years, Lids has built partnerships with iconic global brands including Marvel, Playboy, and the Harlem Globetrotters, and gained ambassadors like Justin Jefferson, Quavo, and Josephine Skriver – creating a community for both sports fans and fashion lovers.

The company is currently expanding with the goal of becoming the largest licensed brick-and-mortar sports retailer across the globe.

General Position Summary:

The District Sales Manager (DSM) is an inspiring field leader who supports and directs stores within a given geographic area to drive strategic product sell-through, deliver key business results, hire, and develop store associates. DSMs ensure that store operational principles are followed and that each store provides exceptional customer service by offering their expertise on Lids’ products and services. DSMs are accountable for all aspects of their district performance.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

People & Training Development

• Manage the district’s hiring strategy, including planning / pipeline needs, recruitment strategy, projected turnover, and leaves of absence. Develop Store Managers (SM) in the skills of recruiting and training to continually strengthen the talents and results in the market.
• Share role and behavior expectations and coordinate onboarding training programs to acclimate new team members to Lids.
• Engage team members by creating a fun and productive environment, including helping them understand how their work supports the success of the district and Lids overall.
• Contribute to a respectful and inclusive team environment by establishing supportive working relationships and adhering to Lids Brand Standards (e.g. company dress code, etc.)
• Perform people-related actions to update team member personnel information, including completing wages, executing job changes or transfers, and other documentation.
• Hold SMs accountable for managing and developing their store team.
• Address all employee concerns or issues and administer the progressive steps of discipline, including knowing when to partner with internal support (e.g. HR, RD, etc.) to take appropriate action.
• Drive team engagement through impactful store visits and follow-up by ensuring district-wide store management team is provided recognition, gap assessment, ongoing training, and continuous check-ins, including performance management and documentation when relevant, to support and reinforce career and personal growth.
• Provide consistent, documented appraisal of store’s performance and work to give feedback on areas of strength and opportunity while keeping in line with Company objectives.
• Collaborate across districts and/or regions and ensure compliance of all established company policies, procedures, and guidelines including, but not limited to, safekeeping of company inventory, funds, and property.

Customer Experience

• Ensure that stores are delivering exceptional customer service, achieving key performance indicators (KPIs), and sales target by conducting at minimum bimonthly store visits.
• Create a “selling culture” within stores by training and coaching on selling techniques with all associates and provide feedback and documentation following each store visit.
• Resolve customer feedback and address issues, including customer escalations, urgent requests, and resolve to “make it right” for customers.
• Manage and direct in-store team members to ensure optimal customer service that values customers’ time and supports overall store operations.
• Drive customer participation in special offers such as Access Pass, Fanatics Sportsbook, etc. by ensuring all associates are educated on program details.

Operations

• Manage district’s compliance within the scheduling and payroll process to align with budget, policies, procedures, and applicable law.
• Hold SMs accountable to planning, preparing, and managing the schedule according to labor requirements, availability, safety requirements, inventory management and budget
• considerations to maintain efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
• Utilize retail management tools and analyze financial reports to identify and address trends and issues in district performance.
• Manage business disruptions and provide operational continuity (e.g. store closures, employee absenteeism, schedule / wages, operating hours impact, etc.). Perform work / essential functions of subordinates as needed.
• Manage operations-focused company-level directives, promotions, and initiatives (e.g. from Lids HQ).
• Understand and adhere to people safety policies and procedures to maintain a safe work environment.
• Ensure store technology and equipment is maintained as instructed– MPOS, Lids Custom, etc. – by verifying continued functionality, facilitating periodic updates, or ordering repair or maintenance as needed.
• Maintain store facilities, supplies, and services by executing service requests, assessing maintenance or repair needs, placing repair work orders, or replenishing store supplies.
• Support in performing inventory audits as needed to confirm inventory accuracy. Research store discrepancies and analyze reports. Respond to all store level issues in a timely manner.
• Manage and direct the required store audit frequency through communication and scheduling with the Regional Director, Regional Loss Prevention Investigator, and Store Manager.
• Support and manage new store openings within the market as needed, including leading recruitment strategy, visual merchandising, and partnership with vendors.
• Ensure proper cash management practices, including accurate open and close of the till and consistent counterfeit protection practices and bank drops.

Product & Inventory Management

• Oversee district’s product strategy, including supervision and oversite of receiving, processing, merchandising, and exiting.
• Monitor and manage sell-through by monitoring store product levels and ensuring inventory accuracy.
• Ensure adherence to visual brand standards, inclusive of optimal layout and visual merchandising (VM) or product presentation strategy, window activations, hardware flips, mannequin flips, and seasonal or weekly merchandise changes.
• Monitor execution of special pricing signage and promotional presentation adjustments during operating hours to align with overall product sell-through strategy.

Job Required Knowledge and Skills

• Four year degree in business or a related field and one year relevant experience or; two year degree in a related field and at least two years of relevant experience or; three years of relevant experience.
• Established ability to produce sales results, while minimizing loss.
• Proven aptitude to perform independently with minimal supervision.
• Proven supervisory skills, with capacity to deliver training material and assess retention.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate verbally in a clear, audible, and professional manner.
• Ability to operate a computer, as well as maneuver relative software programs.

Physical/ Travel Requirements:

• In order to perform the essential functions of this job, an employee must be able to meet the following physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; talk; or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger; handle; or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop; kneel; or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and depth perception
• Ability to work varying days and hours, based on business needs, and maintain an excellent attendance record.
• Possess a valid driver’s license, certificate of auto insurance coverage, and the ability to drive an automobile.
• Extensive travel (up to 90%) in a given geographic area. Driving required for up to 100% of the daily work schedule.
• Standing required for up to 90% of the work time.
• Ability and willingness to travel overnight for training and/or business meetings.

Reports to:

• Regional Director

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