District Leader - Texas​/South Texas​/Gulf Coast

Primary Purpose
:
The District Leader leads and drives all aspects of the Retail business for the district, including customer service, clienteling, sales, team development and operations. The role covers 11 Kate Spade stores in a combination of Outlet and Specialty locations. The District Leader ensures a consistent modern luxury store experience, partners with the buying team for customer and competitive insights, and upholds the highest level of brand quality and excellence.

The District Leader resides in TX.

• Create and reinforce a proactive selling culture that focuses on building long‑term relationships through clienteling and customer shopping experience
• Foster an environment where service and selling are top priorities through training, coaching, role‑modeling and personal customer involvement

• Develop the team to deliver outstanding customer experiences across the district
• Manage with integrity, honesty, fairness, and knowledge, promoting the culture, values, and vision of Kate Spade
• Plan, identify, communicate, and delegate key responsibilities and practices to Coach Store Leaders to ensure smooth flow of operations
• Review store environments and key business indicators with Regional Manager to identify successes, problems, concerns, and opportunities for improvement, and provide coaching to District and Store Managers to take action and achieve goals
• Create retention and succession plan strategy for the district
• Act as a brand ambassador; actively promote the Kate Spade Brand in the marketplace

• Communicate vision, strategy and clear directions to team
• Create innovative strategies to achieve both short and long‑term goals
• Work with Regional Director and cross‑functional partners to establish objectives that support the vision
• Make decisions that are aligned with Company priorities and values, welcome partnerships and act in the best interest of the Company, its employees and its customers

• Stay current with market competition, industry, fashion trends and customer shopping behaviors
• Understand and communicate how Kate Spade products fit into current fashion trends
• Keep up to date on Kate Spade’s advertising, editorial, PR and other external resources (social media, blogs, magazines, etc.)
• Ensure Kate Spade Employees are perceived as fashion advisors to both associates and customers by communicating fashion awareness and trends in the marketplace

• Develop and execute strategies to grow the business (e.g. sales, clienteling, customer engagement, talent acquisition, retention, etc.)
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of business acumen and analytical skills; strategically forecast, plan and budget to the needs of the business
• Work closely with District and Store Leaders in managing to the budget while identifying and maximizing sales opportunities
• Collaborate with business partners (Visual, Merchandising, Planning, HR, LP, Finance, Store Operations, etc.) to ensure strategies are aligned with overall business objectives
• In partnership with the Buying team, provide input on the customer and competitor trends. Provide input on the assortment & planning strategy to adapt to the specific customers profiles.
• In partnership with the Marketing teams, provide insight on customer’s mindset, competitor activities and define district level needs. Provide input on how to make North America strategy locally relevant and on Kate Spade’s brand position in market.
• In partnership with Store Environment, provide input on Visual Merchandise and design needs based on door level specific customer flows and shopping behaviors. Share local competition best practices.

• 10+ years management experience in a similar multi‑unit retail environment; a combination of education and experience will be considered
• 30% travel with this role
• Proven ability to create strategies and deliver results
• The ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with Kate Spade Senior Leadership
• Pro‑active problem solver – ability to assess an issue and develop action steps for resolution
• The ability to think broadly, consider all perspectives on…