JRoss Retail Recruiters E-Blast – November 2019 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
And hope for clear weather to end the year
|
|
That’s how the Retail Council of Canada’s “Retail Conditions” report for fall 2019 described the retail climate for summer and early fall.
Summer sales were up YoY for 47% of respondents – and down for the same percentage. Most retailers were either just at plan or below, with 11.8% ahead of plan, 29.4% just hitting budget and the balance below. Traffic was down for 75% of respondents, but in-store transactions increased for 50% and conversions increased for 61.5%.
Yet 76.5% of respondents forecast stronger sales for the last 3 months of the year.
Building stronger sales will require having the right people in the right places. Fortunately, we can help with that!
To get an idea of what we could do for you, look below for a few examples of candidates we’ve worked with and searches we’ve worked on in today’s challenging retail world.
You can learn more about Canada’s retail industry and key labour market issues on our blog.
|
|
FEATURED CANDIDATE PROFILES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP of Retail — Luxury Brands | Toronto
This customer-centric senior operations executive has worked for the most progressive international luxury brands known for premium products and delivering service excellence. With extensive multi-channel experience in specialty and luxury retail, including concession environments, they’ve led operational change as the business model mix transformed from wholesale to national retail expansion. They’re data driven and skilled in customer acquisition, retention and life cycle management. If you need a leader with proven success overseeing teams focused on deepening client relationships and providing unparalleled customer experience that builds loyalty and propels business growth and revenue, we’d be happy to connect you with this one.
Interested in candidates with this type of profile? |
 |
Regional Visual Merchandising Manager — Fashion | Vancouver
This proven merchant easily blends the creative with commerce and is currently creating inspiring in-store product presentation across multiple provinces. With a strong history of working with top performing fashion retailers, they work hand-in-hand with the buying, marketing and merchandising teams executing key product stories each season that tell the brand and product stories. With a focus on sales analytics and the use of information to challenge merchandising strategies in-store, this experienced merchandiser knows how to impact product assortment and allocations, with the ultimate objective to increase sales and reduce markdowns. With 10 years of experience in visual merchandising in both vertical retail and multi-brand settings, they’re known for their highly developed aesthetic, sense of style and understanding of consumer trends. How could they help with your visual presentation?
Interested in candidates with this type of profile? |
|
Director of Marketing | Calgary
Any conversation with this candidate about the Canadian retail landscape will quickly reveal how intelligent, insightful, knowledgeable and grounded they are. With a history of building brands for successful Canadian retailers in apparel, liquor and cannabis, they play at the intersection where operations and merchandising meet marketing, and can demonstrate the meaningful impact they’ve had on activities across a retail enterprise. Working collaboratively with executive teams and senior merchants, they follow a thorough and rigorous process of balancing “facts and feelings” – combining customer and market data with creative insight and intuition to define and articulate brand vision and strategy. A self described “builder”, they have developed marketing departments from the ground up and would be ideal to assist any company looking to bridge their business strategy with their creative strategy to activate all customer-facing touch points and accelerate sales. Could yours be one of them?
Interested in candidates with this type of profile? |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Currently open!
Manager of Ecommerce | Winnipeg
Our client needs an experienced ecommerce expert to join their growing organization. Their new channel leader will be responsible for driving multi-branded websites to best in class standards for user experience and sales. Owning the website conversion rate, impressions and overall website health and performance, the successful candidate will drive the development team to turn their web sites into a flagship stores. They will need a passion for technology and an entrepreneurial mindset, and will oversee 2 Canadian wide websites, 40 regional websites, internal pages for a kiosk and a guest portal, while also consulting on US web assets. This successful retail organization needs an ambitious and accomplished ecommerce professional who is ready to optimize and enhancement storefronts for brands generating eight-figure annual revenue. We’re on it!
Interested in candidates for this type of role? |
|
Successfully filled!
Training Manager — Bath and Beauty | Montreal
This specialty retailer is a destination. They’re driving performance through relationship selling, exceptional products and exquisite boutique store environments. They needed a dynamic & highly motivated sales and business leadership trainer to develop and deliver various types of sales and leadership training, while creating other employee development opportunities. We helped them find an accomplished Training Manager who is developing and facilitating courses in a blended learning environment that includes in-class, on-line, and on-site venues. An exceptional communicator who is energetic and highly engaging, they’re currently working with the operations teams to evaluate strengths and weaknesses within each store environment to determine the company’s specific training and developmental needs and they will be rolling out new programs shortly. How could your organization benefit from a professional like this driving your internal training programs?
Interested in candidates for this type of role? |
|
Successfully filled!
Store Manager — Sporting Goods/Apparel | Edmonton
Recognized as one of Canada’s most trusted brands, with a leading reputation in their market sector, most customers leave our client’s stores as raving fans! They needed a results-driven and customer-focused operator with strong leadership skills to oversee their high volume big-box operation. We found them an outstanding store leader who has successfully turned their enthusiasm for the outdoors into a fulfilling job operating stores and sharing their interests and experiences every day with customers who share their enthusiasm. New in their role this year, they are pushing hard to positively impact Q4 results and are already inspiring everyone around them with their general enthusiasm and solid operational skills to do the same.
Interested in candidates for this type of role? |
|
|
|
|
|
