District Sales Manager

About Our Company

About Our Company:

Lids Sports Group is the largest licensed sports retailer in North America, selling fan and fashion-oriented headwear and apparel across the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia. Operating out of Indianapolis, IN, our retail stores offer officially licensed headwear and apparel from collegiate and professional sports teams, plus top brands like Nike, New Era, Adidas, and Mitchell & Ness.

We currently operate 1,200+ locations domestically and 50+ internationally, including specialty concept stores for the NBA, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, and numerous MLB teams. In recent years, Lids has built partnerships with iconic global brands including Marvel, Playboy, and the Harlem Globetrotters, and gained ambassadors like Justin Jefferson, Quavo, and Josephine Skriver – creating a community for both sports fans and fashion lovers.

The company is currently expanding with the goal of becoming the largest licensed brick-and-mortar sports retailer across the globe.

General Position Summary

As a District Sales Manager, it is your responsibility to build and manage a team of customer-facing experts in a dynamic retail environment, as well as support and direct all flagship store operations in the New York City area. You will be responsible for owning the success of the Lids American Dream and NYC flagship stores, as well as all NHL, NBA, and Paris Saint-Germain flagship stores in your district.

The District Sales Manager (DSM) is an inspiring field leader who supports and directs stores within a given geographic area to drive strategic product sell-through, deliver key business results, hire, and develop store associates. DSMs ensure that store operational principles are followed and that each store provides exceptional customer service by offering their expertise on Lids’ products and services. DSMs are accountable for all aspects of their district performance.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities

People & Training Development

• Manage the district’s hiring strategy, including planning / pipeline needs, recruitment strategy, projected turnover, and leaves of absence. Develop Store Managers (SM) in the skills of recruiting and training to continually strengthen the talents and results in the market.
• Share role and behavior expectations and coordinate onboarding training programs to acclimate new team members to Lids.
• Engage team members by creating a fun and productive environment, including helping them understand how their work supports the success of the district and Lids overall.
• Contribute to a respectful and inclusive team environment by establishing supportive working relationships and adhering to Lids Brand Standards (e.g. company dress code, etc.)
• Perform people-related actions to update team member personnel information, including completing wages, executing job changes or transfers, and other documentation.
• Hold SMs accountable for managing and developing their store team.
• Address all employee concerns or issues and administer the progressive steps of discipline, including knowing when to partner with internal support (e.g. HR, RD, etc.) to take appropriate action.
• Drive team engagement through impactful store visits and follow-up by ensuring district-wide store management team is provided recognition, gap assessment, ongoing training, and continuous check-ins, including performance management and documentation when relevant, to support and reinforce career and personal growth.
• Provide consistent, documented appraisal of store’s performance and work to give feedback on areas of strength and opportunity while keeping in line with Company objectives.
• Collaborate across districts and/or regions and ensure compliance of all established company policies, procedures, and guidelines including, but not limited to, safekeeping of company inventory, funds, and property.

Customer Experience

• Ensure that stores are delivering exceptional customer service, achieving key performance indicators (KPIs), and sales target by conducting at minimum bimonthly store visits.
• Create a “selling culture” within stores by training and coaching on selling techniques with all associates and provide feedback and documentation following each store visit.
• Resolve customer feedback and address issues, including customer escalations, urgent requests, and resolve to “make it right” for customers.
• Manage and direct in-store team members to ensure optimal customer service that values customers’ time and supports overall store operations.
• Drive customer participation in special offers such as Access Pass, Fanatics Sportsbook, etc. by ensuring all associates are educated on program details.

Additional Principal Duties and Responsibiliti