Retail Leadership Development Program Jobs in Columbia, SC

PetSmart does Anything for Pets – JOIN OUR TEAM! 

Retail Operations Manager

About Life at PetSmart 

At PetSmart, Anything for Pets begins with our people. Every associate plays a vital role in creating meaningful experiences for pets and their families, and we empower our teams with the tools, resources, and opportunities to grow and succeed. This posting reflects an existing vacancy, and we are actively seeking candidates for this role.

Benefits that benefit you 

• Paid Weekly
• Health & Wellness Benefits*
• 401k Plan with company match
• Paid Time off for full-time associates
• Associate discounts 
• Tuition Assistance 
• Career pathing 
• Development opportunities 

Job Summary

PetSmart’s Process Leader (Retail Operations Manager) has shared responsibility to drive operational excellence in our stores while upholding the company’s vision, mission, values, and strategy. This role is accountable for merchandising and inventory management, pet care operations, opening and/or closing the store, leading associates, financial outcomes and maintaining a safe and organized environment.  

Essential Responsibilities

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following and may vary depending on store characteristics and needs: 

People Leadership:  

• Participates in employment decisions such as recruiting, interviewing, and coaching. 
• Facilitates the associate experience and supports associate development; including but not limited to ensuring associates are appropriately trained across the store, onboarding, associate reviews, labor management, mentoring, succession planning, and coaching for accountability.  
• 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 operational processes to ensure pets in our care are safe and healthy.  
• Coordinates staffing coverage for process activities in pivotal areas of the store (pet care maintenance, hotel cleaning, salon cleaning, etc.)  
• Validates completion of assigned operational messages and engagement video compliance.    
• Effectively communicates company information and priorities to associates to ensure alignment and deliver on expectations.  
• Recognizes and celebrates associates driving overall associate engagement. 

Overall Store Experience:  

• Accountable for and provides oversight for the healthcare of store owned pets, including pet care maintenance, receiving new store owned pets, commitment standards (feeding, watering, and cleaning) for all pet habitats (bird, reptile, small animal, cricket, and fish aquariums), and care for sick store-owned pets. 
• Accountable for, provides oversight, and validates proper execution of inventory management and pricing processes, including, but not limited to, inventory accuracy, receiving, stocking/re-stocking, inventory counts (live and non-live), product rotations and planner/planogram sets in a timely and organized manner. 
• Evaluates operations and seeks opportunities to continuously improve experiences and services.   
• Maintains vendor relationships, backroom standards, and communication boards. 
• Oversight of the processes related to the Buy Online and Pick Up In Store and Ship From Store programs. 
• Identifies and reacts to sales trends through analysis and merchandising activities. 
• Responsible for making sound merchandising decisions with respect to discretionary space and discontinued merchandise. 
• Maintains store standards (compliance and cleanliness) and leads a culture of empowerment by ensuring compliance to our Policies & Procedures (P&Ps) and Code of Ethics. 
• Ensures a safe environment for our associates, pets, and pet parents. 
• Responsible for taking immediate action and reporting when a sick/injured pet is identified in store. 
• Shared responsibility with store opening and closing procedures to ensure we uphold our brand promise as well as responding to general and escalated pet parent concerns. 

Expense Management:  

• Drives and identifies opportunities to grow the business and holds associates accountable in achieving store P&L expectations such as sales and shrink targets. 
• Analyzes inventory management reporting to identify trends, opportunities, and root causes. 
• Manages expenses such as labor and supplies, as well as any other relevant store metrics. 
• Leverages Home Office partners and resources to submit and follow up on store related work orders and purchase card allocation. 

Qualifications

• 3+ 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, particularly in maintaining a visually appealing store layout. 

Supervisory responsibility

• Typically oversees up to three (3) lead associates and up to forty (40) non-leader associates. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with PetSmart’s policies and procedures.  
• Responsible for employment decisions and associate development. 

Essential physical demands and work environment

• Associate is required to stand, walk, climb a ladder, and use hands to handle, feel, hold, write, etc. The associate frequently is required to reach with hands and arms: stoop, kneel, crouch, talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include depth perception. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 
• Associate must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally team lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include depth perception. 
• While performing the duties of this job, the associate is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, as well as a wet environment with an abundance of pet hair. The noise level is moderate in the work environment; however, associates may be exposed to high levels of noise at times. Exposure to live animals and their handling is common. 

Do what you love 

Join us for a chance to make a meaningful impact every day. Whether it's helping a customer choose their first fish, celebrating a pet's birthday, or seeing the smile on a pet parent’s face after a fresh groom—you'll create moments that matter. At PetSmart, we cherish diversity and the unique perspectives of our 50,000 associates, all united by a passion for pets.  

We’re delighted you’re interested in joining our pack and helping us in our commitment to doing Anything for Pets, and the people who love them. We're excited to hear your story and learn more about you! Apply Now!  

PetSmart is an Equal Opportunity Employer  

PetSmart provides an equal opportunity for all associates and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We offer reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout our application process, upon request and as required by law.        

This job summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work associates/leaders assigned to this job perform. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities. You will be provided with a copy of a job description for the actual position you are hired into. Exact rate of pay will be based on relevant experience level, training, skills or knowledge and store location. In no instance will PetSmart pay less than the local minimum wage. This position is also eligible for a quarterly incentive based on eligible earnings and store performance, as well as benefits, as described at https://benefits.petsmart.com/us/

Applicants must be over the age of 18 (except in Montana or where otherwise required by local or state law)   

For applicants in our Waterloo, San Francisco, or Los Angeles locations: Pursuant to the Waterloo and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, as well as the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, we will consider for employment, qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with the law   

*In accordance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), associates who average at least 30 hours per week (or 130 hours per month) during a designated measurement period may be eligible for medical benefits.