National Manager, Retail Operations (Woodbridge)

Sporting Life is a proudly Canadian sports lifestyle brand, inspiring people to live, enjoy, and enable the sporting life since 1979. From skiing and running to biking and tennis, we offer the best gear for those who live an active lifestyle. As part of Sporting Life Group, alongside Golf Town and Team Town, we blend sport and style to help Canadians get outside and keep moving. Why Work Here? - Access to our benefits package, with the choice of different levels of health, dental, and vision coverage to suit you. - Employee discounts at Golf Town, Sporting Life, and Team Town Sports that are shareable with friends and family. - Team-first culture that celebrates an active, sports lifestyle. - Fun, fast-paced hybrid environment where your passion for sport and style belongs. - Vendor Pro Deals and expert product training to fuel your knowledge and performance. - A salary range of $90,000- $100,000 dependent on experience), bonus, and opportunities to grow your career in the sports lifestyle. What You’ll Do; As the National Manager for Retail Operations, you will play a critical leadership role in enabling consistent, high quality execution across all of our Sporting Life stores. Within this role you will be responsible for driving field communications, optimizing operational processes, and serving as the primary connector between store teams, District Managers (DMs), and Shared Services Centre (SSC) partners. As a trusted operational leader, you’ll advocate for the field and ensure that corporate initiatives, spanning marketing, promotions, inventory, systems, and compliance, are translated into clear, actionable, and executable in store programs. You will be a strong store-first mindset, deep operational acumen, and the ability to influence cross-functional partners to deliver store-level solutions siting at the heart of Retail Operations, shaping how strategy becomes action in our stores. As a seasoned retail leader, you will thrive at the intersection of execution, communication, and cross-functional collaboration, and be motivated by making life easier and clearer for store teams. Field Communications & Engagement - Lead and continuously improve the national store communications program, including Game Plans, Playbooks, Execution Guides, operational calendars, huddles, monthly objectives, and daily store communications. - Oversee and streamline all SSC to store communications, ensuring clear ownership, prioritization, and timely delivery. - Serve as the primary point of contact between stores and SSC teams for operational inquiries (pricing, promotions, product, and process). - Own and maintain SharePoint as the central hub for store facing operational resources, ensuring content is current, accessible, and easy to execute. - Represent Retail Operations in cross functional planning discussions, ensuring store readiness for initiatives, pilots, and launches. Pricing, Promotions & In Store Execution - Act as the operational lead for national promotions and peak trading periods (e.g., Black Friday, Boxing Day), developing detailed execution guides and timelines. - Lead planning and execution for in store events, VIP experiences, activations, and product launches. - Oversee the development, distribution, and execution of POP kits and visual materials. - Serve as the primary Operations contact for all store pricing and promotion related questions. Process Optimization & Operational Excellence - Develop, maintain, and evolve standard operating procedures (SOPs) in partnership with SSC stakeholders. - Communicate policy and process updates to the field and deliver training, presentations, or execution support as required. - Validate adherence to current processes through pre checks, launch day support, and follow up, partnering with District Managers on corrective action where needed. - Own store level daily, weekly, and monthly checklists and procedures. - Build and maintain Monthly Operational Objectives in collaboration with DMs and SSC partners. Cross Functional Partnership & Store Advocacy - Act as the “voice of the stores,” ensuring operational realities are reflected in solutions developed by Central Operations, Marketing, IT, Logistics, Inventory, and Loss Prevention. - Evaluate marketing and operational initiatives for in store viability, recommending adjustments to improve clarity, efficiency, and execution quality. - Facilitate a strong two way feedback loop between the field and SSC teams, escalating process gaps and translating compliance expectations into practical store actions. Collaboration & Stakeholder Leadership - Foster strong relationships across Operations Managers, District Managers, Field Trainers, Marketing, Finance, HR, IT, Purchasing, and Loss Prevention. - Partner with executives and senior leaders on initiatives that impact store operations and the broader retail strategy. - Support weekly operations communications and ensure follow through, accountability, and execution at store level. Additional Responsibilities - Manage Google Business Profiles, including store hours, holiday updates, and maintenance. - Coordinate ordering of in store operational supplies (POP, signage, badges, review cards), aligning with internal partners as required. What You’ll Bring; - College or university degree, preferably in business or related discipline - 3 – 5 years’ experience in retail leadership position within field operations - Ability to work independently and exercise effective time management - Strong understanding of store operations, policies, and execution standards - Proven ability to manage multiple initiatives, prioritize effectively, and work independently - Demonstrated success partnering cross functionally and influencing without direct authority - Experience supporting pricing, promotions, inventory, and store execution programs - Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); familiarity with ERP/POS systems - Exceptional communication skills (written and verbal) - Hands on, solutions oriented mindset with a passion for retail excellence AI is used as part of our application review process to assist in screening and assessment. All applications are also reviewed by our recruitment team. This posting is for an open existing role in our organisation. Sporting Life Group Limited is an equal opportunity employer and committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, please advise the Sporting Life Group Human Resources team of any accommodations required to ensure fair and equitable access through the recruitment and selection process. Apply on Kit Job: kitjob.ca/job/2pbdeh