General Manager

Sporting Life is a Canadian brand proud of its heritage in the sports and active lifestyle industry, inspiring people to live, enjoy, and promote an active lifestyle since 1979.

From skiing and running to cycling and tennis, we offer the best equipment to those who adopt an active lifestyle.

As a member of the Sporting Life Group, alongside Golf Town and Team Town, we combine sports and style to help Canadians enjoy the outdoors and stay active.

Why work with us?

• Access to our employee benefits program, with different levels of health, dental, and vision care coverage to meet your needs.
• Employee discounts at Golf Town, Sporting Life, and Team Town Sports, which you can share with your friends and family.
• A team-oriented culture that celebrates an active and sports lifestyle.
• A dynamic and stimulating hybrid environment where your passion for sports and style has a place.
• Exclusive offers from our suppliers and specialized product training to develop your knowledge and performance.

What you will do

Reporting to the District Manager, the General Manager oversees all aspects of store operations to ensure customer service and operational standards are met. He or she is fully responsible for achieving the sales and profitability goals of his or her establishment. He or she motivates and leads managers and employees in sales techniques, store cleanliness, departmental task lists, health and safety, employee relations, and compliance with Sporting Life's policies and procedures.

Customer Service

• Sets the example by providing exceptional customer service to Sporting Life's internal and external clients.
• Serves as a model for customer service standards compliance.
• Is responsible for ensuring a 100% customer satisfaction rate in his or her establishment.
• Provides leadership on the sales floor when designated as a greeter.
• Ensures exceptional customer service by adjusting sales floor coverage as needed.
• Provides real-time coaching and feedback to associates.
• Connects customers with associates during his or her movements between departments and on the sales floor.
• Acts as a customer service ambassador.
• Operations
• Takes full responsibility for achieving the store's profitability goals, including sales and payroll targets, loss prevention, audits, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Approves warranty and defective product requests in accordance with Sporting Life's standards and guidelines.
• Holds management teams and employees accountable for complying with Sporting Life's loss prevention policies.
• Continuously monitors all phases of operations and staff performance in sales and support areas, providing guidance and corrective action as needed.
• Guides management teams in weekly scheduling to meet the store's payroll budget.
• Is responsible for the timely production of reports related to operating costs, sales, profits, stock levels, and turnover, losses, productivity, staff performance, asset control, etc.
• Ensures that general store maintenance is carried out in accordance with established standards.
• Ensures customer service standards and operational compliance in the service department.
• Supervises and participates in store opening and closing procedures as needed.
• In collaboration with the Operations Manager (OM), ensures that departments are well-maintained, restocked, and that price reductions are carried out.
• Provides feedback to in-store merchandising teams regarding merchandise needs and gaps, while ensuring compliance with standards and guidelines.
• Is directly responsible for achieving a 90% success rate during store audits.
• Ensures that the store and employees comply with health and safety policies and programs.
• Ensures timely reporting of incidents to the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) and compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), and conducts accident investigations as needed.
• Actively participates in health and safety training and ensures compliance with training requirements (e.g., safety talks, first aid training, etc.).
• Leadership
• Motivates and leads managers and employees in sales techniques, store cleanliness, departmental task lists, health and safety, employee relations, and compliance with Sporting Life's policies and procedures.
• In partnership with senior management, ensures staff development through continuous coaching, training, succession planning, and performance evaluations.
• Maintains a constant presence and leadership with the team, both on and off the sales floor, while fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all.
• Participates in daily management meetings with management teams.
• Conducts effective and motivating weekly management meetings.
• Holds monthly individual meetings with direct subordinates to create a high-performance environment through sales budget achievement, expense control, and KPI and departmental goal achievement.
• Continuously evaluates staffing, development, and training needs.
• Conducts final interviews for all potential candidates.
• Supports store contests, initiatives, and events to boost sales and engagement.
• Training
• Ensures tracking to achieve a 95% completion rate for all mandatory courses and applicable departmental training.
• Participates in the onboarding process for new employees.

What you will bring

• 4 to 5 years of experience in senior-level retail management in a comparable volume store.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Excellent knowledge of store operations and demonstrated success in improving customer and employee experience.
• Ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Experience in managing controllable expenses and developing efficient schedules.
• Strong sense of urgency and adaptability to understand business challenges and drive sales in a constantly evolving business environment.
• Excellent analytical skills. Ability to analyze business reports, make commercial decisions, and achieve results from data.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, and point-of-sale (POS) systems.

Sporting Life Group Limited is committed to the principle of equal access to employment and is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC), please inform the Sporting Life Group's Human Resources team of any required accommodations to ensure fair and equitable access throughout the recruitment and selection process.