Assistant Store Manager - Customer Experience

Job Summary

Pet Smart’s Experience Leader (ELR) is responsible for providing exceptional leadership and service to our pet parent while upholding the company’s vision, mission, values, and strategy. This role is expected to provide exemplary leadership for the store by driving the pet parent experience through culture and strategies, achieving targeted results. The position shares responsibility for the safety of people and pets, the efficient execution of daily tasks, and financial outcomes.

• Participate in employment decisions such as recruiting, interviewing, hiring, coaching, and terminating.
• Facilitate the associate experience and support associate development, including associate reviews, recognition, team events, labor management, training, onboarding, mentoring, succession planning, and coaching for growth.
• Address and administer associate complaints and grievances.
• Prioritize, delegate, and validate daily tasks for associates to meet business and pet parent needs.
• Lead and coach associates on proper processes to ensure pets in our care are safe and healthy.
• Coordinate staffing coverage for experience activities in pivotal areas of the store.
• Effectively communicate company information and priorities to associates to ensure alignment and deliver on expectations.
• Delegate and validate completion of daily tasks, including engagement videos.
• Recognize and celebrate associates driving overall associate engagement.

• Lead the associate and pet parent experience at all levels and ensure pets in our care are safe and healthy.
• Oversee the pet parent experience and outcomes conducted over the telephone, in person, or online, and respond to general and escalated pet parent concerns.
• Assist with reservations in hotels, salons, and training.
• Oversee all Pet Smart services (salon, training, hotel, and day camp), live pet sales, and adoptions.
• Evaluate operations and seek opportunities to continuously improve experiences and services.
• Oversee store events and marketing (adoptions, hotel, salon, etc.).
• Maintain store standards and lead a culture of empowerment by ensuring compliance with policies, procedures (P&Ps), and the code of ethics.
• Conduct monthly Services Walks to validate proper execution of policies and procedures.
• Take immediate action when a sick or injured pet is identified in the store; transport to the vet as needed.
• Share responsibility for store opening and closing procedures to uphold our brand promise.

• Drive and identify opportunities to grow the business and hold associates accountable in achieving store P&L expectations such as sales and shrink targets.
• Manage expenses such as labor and supplies and any other relevant store metrics.
• Leverage home office partners and resources to submit and follow up on store‑related work orders and purchase card allocation.
• Work directly with services associates on productivity and scheduling to grow the business and achieve company goals.

• 3–5 years of retail leadership or experience in a customer‑focused environment.
• Full‑time availability required; flexibility in schedule, able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
• Proficiency in computer applications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to react under pressure and maintain composure.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Typically oversees one to six lead associates and ten to seventy non‑lead associates, carrying out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Pet Smart’s policies and procedures.

• Stand, walk, climb a ladder, and use hands to handle, feel, hold, write, etc.; frequently reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, talk, and hear; specific vision abilities include depth perception.
• Frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally team lift and/or move more than 100 pounds.
• Exposure to moving mechanical parts, a wet environment with an abundance of pet hair, moderate noise levels, and, at times, high noise levels; exposure to live animals and…