GARAGE - Co-Manager - Westchester

As a Co-Manager at Garage in Westchester, you will play a vital role in promoting a positive shopping experience by managing team performance, building client relationships, and optimizing sales. Your responsibilities include recruiting and training staff, achieving productivity targets, and ensuring optimal store profitability. You’ll guide your team in fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment, all while being adaptable to the ever-changing retail landscape.

To apply for the Co-Manager position at Garage, you should have a minimum of 2 years of management experience, particularly in a fashion retail setting. While a high school diploma is required, post-secondary education in business or a related field is highly advantageous. An understanding or passion for fashion, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to lead a team towards success are essential qualities we seek.

At Garage, the work environment is dynamic and fast-paced, where no two days are the same. As a Co-Manager, you will encourage participation and creativity among team members, fostering an atmosphere where best practices are shared. The company values innovation and flexibility, allowing you to contribute impactful ideas that can shape the way we do business, thus continuously improving our customer experience.

Garage offers a competitive base pay and bonus plan, along with a comprehensive benefits program tailored to meet employees' needs. Co-Managers can also enjoy a personal clothing discount across Garage & Dynamite stores, access to learning and development programs, and an employee referral program. We also support educational advancement, which reflects our commitment to investing in our team members.

As a Co-Manager at Garage, you will need to have a flexible schedule. This includes the possibility of working evenings, weekends, and holidays based on the store’s requirements. Being adaptable and willingness to work varying hours is key to ensuring that the store runs smoothly and meets customer demands, especially during busy retail periods.

In responding to this question, focus on a specific instance where you used your leadership skills to drive sales. Outline your strategy, the actions you took, and how you motivated your team to achieve the goal. It's essential to quantify the results to show the impact of your efforts.

When addressing team conflicts, showcase your conflict resolution skills. Describe a situation where you effectively mediated a disagreement between team members, mentioning the techniques you used—such as active listening and finding common ground—to resolve the issue and restore teamwork.

Share your approach to enhancing the customer shopping experience. This could include staff training on customer service best practices, implementing feedback systems, or hands-on engagement with customers to address their needs. Highlight how your strategies have led to higher customer satisfaction.

Reflect on qualities such as leadership, adaptability, and communication. Explain why you believe these qualities are critical, sharing an example of how you’ve demonstrated these traits in past roles to lead a team effectively.

Discuss your training philosophy. Mention how you would tailor your approach depending on the individual's learning style and the importance of providing clear guidance, continuous support, and regular feedback to help them acclimate to the company's culture and expectations.

Reference a situation where you analyzed sales data or customer feedback to implement changes or improvements. Explain how you used this data to inform your strategies, leading to better performance and enhanced customer service.

Share your tactics for fostering a collaborative environment, such as regular team meetings for idea sharing, encouraging team projects, and recognizing collective achievements. Discuss how promoting collaboration can boost morale and drive better outcomes in a retail setting.

Identify skills such as organization, time management, and communication. Discuss how these abilities help you navigate the fast-paced retail environment, manage multiple tasks, and effectively lead your team, ensuring you meet both customer and business objectives.

Elaborate on the importance of being tech-savvy in the retail sector. Discuss how you leverage tools like inventory management systems, social media for marketing, or data analysis to streamline operations and enhance customer engagement, reflecting on the emerging trends in retail technology.

Prepare for this question by researching Garage’s current practices. Propose thoughtful, specific improvements based on your insights, such as social media marketing campaigns or store layout changes to enhance customer experience, showcasing your strategic thinking.