Director of Retail and Experience Design

Overview

We are Porter, a progressive venture from the One Workplace family headquartered in Seattle, Washington. We're here to create thoughtful human-centered spaces that foster meaningful relationships through collaborative design so that employees can work their best. We've worked with leading global and local companies to transform and design spaces to promote productivity and creativity. We are driven by radical hospitality, the act of going beyond what is required to add sincerity and integrity to all our work.

Porter is committed to the development of empathetic leaders, diversification of talent and increased representation at every level of our business. We believe in cultivating a culture of inclusion and are dedicated to building and retaining teams through removing unnecessary barriers to employment and providing opportunities for career growth. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status.

Compensation range: $133,000-$150,000/year

Position Summary

We're seeking a visionary Director of Retail and Experience Design to lead and grow Porter's evolving retail program. This leader will set the tone for a radically hospitable in-person retail experience-driving strategy, curation, and operations across our properties. They will play a key role in bringing the Porter ethos to life through product, space, and storytelling. They will conceive of and execute strategic initiatives for the company's retail outlets, including oversight of store design, layout and themes, product development; and staff training and monitoring.

Essential Functions

To perform this job successfully, the Director of Retail and Experience Design must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Strategy & Leadership

• Own the vision, development, and execution of Porter's retail program across all locations
• Craft compelling wow experiences through space and hospitality standards.
• Translate brand values into a cohesive, elevated retail experience
• Lead long-term planning for product mix, merchandising, partnerships, and new retail concepts

Sales & Business Acumen

• Analyze Sales Reports and KPIs to create strategies to drive results through Brick & Mortar Retail and E-commerce
• Monitor monthly sales performance to track and identify margin targets, inventory, losses, growth opportunities, changes in the market, and stock wastage.
• Set sales targets and budgets utilizing data from previous years and market knowledge.
• Develop seasonal business and marketing plans using analysis of historical data and forecast trends
• Perform independent analysis of current products and recommend courses of action to increase and optimize sales
• Get to know our customer base and understand their motivations and sales drivers
• Creating and implementing policies and procedures to drive sales
• React to the ever-changing needs of the business to drive growth year over year
• Assessing pricing and inventory strategies around sales - and ensure stores are stocked with appropriate levels of merchandise, as well as new products flow in

Buying & Curation

• Source with intention-prioritize vendors and products aligned with Porter's focus on quality, sustainability, and social impact
• Curate a strong wholesale assortment to complement Porter inline products, as well as attract customers to new brands and products
• Develop seasonal assortments that inspire curiosity and resonate with our community
• Build relationships with local makers and mission-driven brands.
• Build and maintain relationships with vendors to ensure Porter is receiving the best quality product at the best pricing
• Develop new products to increase margins and fill in any gaps as needed - build a strong brand presence for Porter through new and exciting products
• Strategic line planning for seasonal and Evergreen product to align with Retail trends

Visual Merchandising

• Set strong visual standards and merchandising direction via Brick & Mortar Retail and E-commerce
• Develop and present visual merchandising direction for current and future shops
• Maintain E-commerce site merchandising and ensure it is up to date
• Provide feedback to Shop teams regarding visual standards, product placement, and merchandising - utilize sales data and knowledge to inform decisions

Innovation and Design:

• Continuously improve the design and functionality of amenity spaces.
• Balance aesthetics, functionality, and technology integration.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends in experience design.
• Craft training programs for staff.

Programs and Services:

• Concierge Services: Create a seamless and personalized experience for tenants, offering assistance with tasks, reservations, and information.
• Retail Partnerships: Create retail experiences to occupy vacant spaces, providing diverse shopping options.
• Food & Beverage: Curate dining experiences, from gourmet cafes to food trucks.
• Hosted Meetings and Events: Design event spaces for conferences, workshops, and networking sessions.
• Wellness and Fitness: Develop fitness centers, meditation rooms, and wellness programs.
• And More: Continuously innovate and introduce new programs to enhance tenant satisfaction

Operations & Execution

• Oversee all retail operations, including inventory, visual merchandising, sales performance, improving customer service standards, and team training
• Managing Retail corporate team, as well as any Retail related functions onsite
• Collaborate closely with hospitality leads to ensure retail complements and enhances the guest experience
• Partner with marketing to support product launches, storytelling, promotional campaigns, customer behavior, and community activations

Team & Culture

• Hire, manage, and develop a high-performing retail team
• Cultivate a culture of creativity, service, and accountability
• Ensure consistency in brand standards across all touchpoints
• Ensuring all Shop teams are familiar with sales goals, targets and understand how to meet them
• Ensure all Shop teams have strong business acumen and training for efficiency, staff development and initiatives
• Ensuring all Retail educational material for training and development is up to date, and everyone is proficient - fill in any gaps as needed
• Create initiatives around driving business as need