Store Manager, Seattle (University Village)

Who We Are:

At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line. 

Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.

Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:  

• Runner First 
  • We act in the best interest of the runner
• Word is Bond 
  • We do what we say we’ll do 
• Champion Heart  
  • We give our all in everything we do  
• There is no “I” in Run 
  • We stay generous with our humanity 
• Keep Moving 
  • We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!

We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement - because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.   

Your Job:

As a Retail Store Manager at Brooks, you will serve as the strategic and cultural leader of our flagship retail location. You will oversee a multi-functional team, including a Front of House Assistant Manager, Back of House Assistant Manager, Retail Community Event & Marketing Specialist, Floor Lead and a team of 15+ Sales Associates. You hire, train, and inspire a high performing team of sales professionals who serve as frontline brand ambassadors, delivering high touch service and representing the Brooks mission to “awaken the runner in everyone”. This highly visible leadership role is responsible for driving retail excellence, optimizing store operations, fostering community connection, and delivering an authentic customer experience to every guest. You will set the pace for what a premium, performance-driven, community-first retail experience should be—building the blueprint for the future of Brooks retail.

Your Responsibilities:

Leadership & People Development
• Lead, coach, and inspire a diverse team across sales, operations, and marketing functions to deliver a best-in-class customer experience and exceed business goals.
• Recruit, interview, and hire store employees to ensure efficient operations and a high-performing team.
• Directly manage three key leaders: Front of House Assistant Manager, Back of House Assistant Manager, and the Retail Community Event & Marketing Specialist.
• Foster a trust-based, inclusive, team-oriented culture grounded in Brooks values; maintain high morale and address concerns proactively.
• Build future talent pipeline through ongoing coaching, developmental opportunities, and consistent performance feedback.
• Provide support and guidance on employee relations matters, addressing concerns promptly within established guidelines, ensuring concerns are documented, and escalated to Retail leadership and Human Resources when necessary.
• Oversee scheduling, succession planning, and staffing to support peak periods, events, and long-term talent sustainability.
Store Operations & Business Strategy
• Oversee all daily store operations, ensuring high standards in service, cleanliness, safety, compliance, and overall brand-right execution.
• Manage store financials including revenue, margin, staffing, COGS, and operating expenses, to achieve profitability and strong business performance.
• Drive daily execution through effective leadership of front-of-house sales and back-of-house logistics functions.
• Partner cross-functionally with Retail Operations, Finance, HR, and Marketing to implement new initiatives and meet strategic KPIs.
• Maintain healthy inventory levels and product mix through replenishment, strategic pricing, markdowns, SKU monitoring, and proactive sell-through solutions.
• Oversee inventory integrity through cycle counts, physical inventories, and loss-prevention practices.
• Partner with Retail Operations on long-term planning, seasonal buying, strategic initiatives, and operational readiness for new stores.
• Provide actionable field insights on customer behavior, product performance, inventory needs, and operational opportunities.
• Participate in companywide retail initiatives, system improvements, and ongoing operational enhancements.
• Collaborate with Retail Operations, Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Product, and other teams to meet shared business goals.
Customer Experience Excellence
• Set and model the bar for service: inclusive, authentic, premium, and personalized.
• Ensure every customer receives a premium, inclusive experience backed by strong product and fit process knowledge.
• Oversee the work of the Front of House Assistant Manager, ensuring sales initiatives, performance and service are being developed and coached at the highest level.
• Train and empower the team to deliver biomechanical fit service, high-impact storytelling, and enthusiastic support for all runners - regardless of experience level.
• Use data and feedback to continually improve the in-store journey and customer satisfaction metrics.
Community Engagement & Brand Activation
• Oversee the work of the Retail Community Event & Marketing Specialist, ensuring alignment of grassroots outreach, events, and local marketing efforts with store goals and brand values.
• Provide strategic guidance on Hometown community programming including fun runs, local partnerships, brand activations, and product experiences that drive meaningful engagement and store traffic.
• Collaborate with local run groups, race organizers, nonprofits, and influencers to build long-lasting relationships and raise awareness of the Trailhead as a community hub.
• Support analysis of event ROI, customer acquisition, and community impact.
• Build scalability with a Community Specialist around the addition of owned stores in the Seattle market.
Retail Marketing & Visual Merchandising
• Partner with Retail Marketing and in-store teams to deliver seamless execution of product launches, seasonal stories, and campaign promotions.
• Maintain high standards of visual merchandising, product presentation, and store cleanliness that reflect the premium Brooks brand.
• Support content creation and oversee local storytelling through store social media, email outreach, and community-facing communications in partnership with the Marketing Specialist.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Sales, Marketing, Business Administration or related field; equivalent years of experience can be considered in lieu of degree(s)
• 5+ years of experience in retail, including oversight of multi-layered teams and business units; additional experience managing marketing, events, or brand community teams strongly preferred
• 2+ years of retail management experience
• Demonstrated success driving revenue and operational performance in a high-touch, experience-driven retail environment
• Strong understanding of retail KPIs (conversion, UPT, AOV, traffic, labor, inventory turn, etc.) and the levers to improve them
• Experience overseeing marketing or event activations that connect brand values with real communities
• High emotional intelligence and ability to lead diverse teams with authenticity and empathy
• Passion for performance, service, and creating inclusive customer experiences
• Strong verbal and written communication, time management, and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Proficient in retail systems, staffing platforms, POS, scheduling, and reporting tools
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. and work evenings or weekends as needed for events or store coverage
• Embraces and lives the Brooks values!

Compensation: The pay range for this position is $74,985 - $112,478 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.       Other:
Brooks is proud to offer a robust benefits package to our employees and their families! 
Benefits- including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401K Savings Plan and match, employee assistance program, and transportation assistance. 
Bonus- In addition to base pay, Brooks employees may also be offered an annual bonus based on company performance.  
Paid Time Off- Brooks offers a generous paid time off package, paid holidays, paid sick and parental leave.  
Perks- including product discounts and giveaways, employee recognition, and fitness discounts

At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two-spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non-merit based factors.