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Associate Director, Retail Operations - Illini Union
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 21 Jul 2026
💰 $110,000/yr($100,000/yr – $110,000/yr)
About the role
Associate Director, Retail Operations - Illini Union
Illini Union
Applications are now being accepted for the Associate Director for Student Programs & Activities position at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.As the community center of the University, the Illini Union draws together all members of the University with approximately 16,000 visits of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests on a daily basis. We are seeking individuals who can help create and foster communities that strive toward this vision. This includes supporting the academic mission of the University by developing environments conducive to student learning and academic success, respecting, appreciating, and advocating for our student population, and supporting the holistic development of all our students.
Job Summary
Provide visionary leadership and strategic direction for Illini Union Retail, ensuring financial sustainability, service excellence, and continuous innovation within the evolving academic mission of the University, leveraging emerging retail trends and technologies, and driving innovative solutions that enhance the campus retail experience. Direct, plan, and manage the operations of the Illini Union Bookstore as the primary responsibility of this position, serving as Bookstore Director with full accountability for leadership, financial performance, and strategic direction. Provide oversight and coordination for additional retail operations across Illini Union facilities, including the Virtual Store, Tech Zone, Document Services, and Campus Mail.Duties & Responsibilities
- Planning & Strategic Leadership
- Provide vision and strategic leadership in the development and execution of a comprehensive retail strategy that supports the academic environment, enhances customer experience, and advances the Illini Union’s mission.
- Direct, establish and evaluate the strategic direction, goal setting, and long-range planning for all retail departments.
- Lead innovation initiatives by assessing trends in collegiate and omni-channel retail, piloting new products, serves, delivery models, technologies, and space utilization strategies.
- Establish adaptable customer service standards that respond to changing campus demographics, learning modalities, and expectations.
- Direct all retail advertising and promotional strategy in collaboration with the Shared AHW Marketing Department, including integrated marketing campaigns, digital engagement strategies, and signature promotional events.
- Operations & People Leadership
- Responsible for fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and inclusion that supports professional growth, employee engagement, and high-performing teams.
- Lead, mentor, train, supervise, and evaluate direct reports.
- Responsible for succession planning and leadership development within retail departments.
- Delegate responsibilities and establish operational structures that ensure efficient, customer-focused service delivery across multiple retail locations.
- Responsible for developing staffing models and service levels that align with fiscal responsibility, customer demand, and peak operational cycles.
- Direct day-to-day retail operations, including service delivery, revenue generation, budget control, and staff management across all units.
- Respond proactively to operational challenges by utilizing internal and external resources and implementing continuous improvement practices.
- Direct installation, enhancement, and optimization of retail technologies, including POS systems, ecommerce platforms, inventory controls, and customer engagement tools.
- Inventory & Merchandising Strategy
- Provide strategic oversight of merchandise planning, procurement, pricing, sustainable initiatives and vendor negotiations to ensure quality, value, and timely delivery.
- Establish inventory controls and turnover targets that balance customer needs with financial efficiency.
- Develop, plan and manage the annual physical inventory process across all retail locations.
- Financial Management
- Responsible for developing and managing annual budgets, revenue forecasts, and financial goals for all retail departments.
- Direct comprehensive analysis of sales, expense, and inventory trends; oversee preparation of variance analyses and strategic financial reports to inform executive decision-making for all departments.
- Responsible for accurate record-keeping using computerized purchasing, inventory management, POS, and commerce systems.
- Identify opportunities to enhance revenue streams and operational efficiencies through innovation and data-informed decision making.
- Responsible for meeting, or exceeding, established revenue goals
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