Division President
Overview:
The Division President stands at the helm of the division within the company, orchestrating the strategic direction and operational execution that aligns with the company’s overarching goals. This role involves a blend of leadership, foresight, and managerial acumen to ensure the division not only meets its targets and goals but also contributes significantly to the success of the entire organization. By overseeing various departments, the Division President ensures that the division’s strategies are implemented effectively, fostering innovation, efficiency, and growth. This position requires a deep understanding of the industry, the ability to navigate complex challenges, and the skill to motivate and lead a diverse team towards achieving exceptional results
Job Summary:
The Division President oversees the strategic direction, financial performance and overall operations of 200 + stores across a multi-state region. This senior executive manages the P&L, develops and implements business strategies, oversees merchandising and inventory management and ensures customer satisfaction. Strong leadership, analytical skills and experience in multi-unit retail management are essential for success in this role. The Division President will ensure that store operations are streamlined, customer-centric, and fully aligned with the company’s strategic goals while fostering a culture that promotes ethical practices, customer focus and encourages individual integrity.
Essential Functions (Responsibilities & Duties of Position)
The Role:
Strategic Execution:
- Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute the division’s strategic plan aligned with the overall company objectives.
- Oversee the development and implementation of strategic business plans to ensure the division’s growth and sustainability for all periodic and quarterly reviews.
- Encourage innovation and continuous improvement within the division to stay ahead in the competitive retail landscape.
Sales and Profit Growth:
- Set comprehensive goals for performance and growth. Accountable for driving sales and profit growth across all retail locations by driving sales initiatives, promotional campaigns and marketing strategies to maximize revenue and market share.
- Partners with their Chief Operating Officer and corporate functional leaders across the enterprise to ensure they understand the key business initiatives and to ensure the work they are doing is appropriately prioritized and aligned to achieving the stated goals.
- Ensure the effective implementation of company policies, plans, methods, and programs to achieve projected sales and profitability targets.
- Stay informed about market trends, competitor activities and consumer behavior to make informed business decisions.
- Focus on enhancing the overall customer experience within the division, ensuring high satisfaction levels.
Financial Management:
- Oversee the division’s financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting and profit and loss management ensuring profitability.
- Provides regular reports and analysis to the executive team on the division’s performance, challenges and opportunities.
People Leadership & Development:
- Provides leadership, motivation, mentoring and development to the division’s management team and staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture with high employee satisfaction.
- Provides leadership to the Human Resources Lead, S/VPs of Operations and S/VP Merchandising and Marketing to ensure that they are continuously improving the customer and associate experience and driving key business outcomes while ensuring associate growth, compliance, and productivity across the division.
- Assesses and closely monitors strengths and weaknesses of all team members and is responsible for ensuring diverse top talent is prepared for and placed in all key roles
- Ensure there is an effective succession plan in place for the Division President position and other key leaders reporting to the Division President.
- Cultivates a positive and inclusive work culture that empowers associates to excel in their roles, fosters collaboration, and promotes continuous learning and growth.
- Implement employee engagement programs that promote retention, career growth, and a positive work environment across all retail locations.
- Maintain a positive and ethical work climate that is conducive to attracting, retaining and motivating top-quality employees at all levels.
Operational Oversight:
- Ensure efficient and effective day-to-day operations, including inventory management, supply chain and logistics.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors and suppliers to secure favorable terms and ensure a reliable supply chain.
- Ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, and corporate governance requirements applicable to the division.
- Drive innovation and operational excellence within the division to improve products, services, and processes.
Position Qualifications
The Person:
The Division President plays a pivotal role in driving the success of the retail division by combining strategic vision, financial acumen and effective leadership.
Specific requirements include:
- A creator: You can see creative solutions to serve our customers.
- A networker: You can develop and build extensive relationships.
- A collaborator: You can work across levels and functions to get results.
- A problem-solver: You find ways to get things done.
- A diplomat: you work well with people with different backgrounds.
- A constant customer champion: You know the customers and are committed to improving their lives.
- A restless curiosity: You are always looking for a better way, seeking to understand where the consumer is headed.
- A deep conviction: You have a passion for developing and increasing the value of this growing category.
- 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in the retail industry, with demonstrated success leading a multi-unit, multi-state P&L
- Proven success in scaling programs, processes, systems, products, and people to meet objectives.
- Experience presenting and influencing a diverse audience to achieve desired results.
- Experience with project management (for example: planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives)
- Experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver quality products and solutions.
- Established track record of effectively making high judgement decisions.
- Ability to travel 25% to 35%.
- Ideally located, or willing to be based in the Chicago area is required.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Finance or a related field (MBA preferred) or equivalent and related professional experience
ABOUT US:
C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC is an industry leader in supply chain solutions and wholesale grocery supply in the United States. Founded in 1918 as a supplier to independent grocery stores, C&S now services customers of all sizes, supplying more than 7,500 independent supermarkets, chain stores, military bases and institutions with over 100,000 different products. C&S also proudly operates and supports corporate grocery stores and services independent franchisees under a chain-style model throughout the Midwest, South and Northeast. We are an engaged corporate citizen, supporting causes that positively impact our communities. C&S has established a subsidiary, 1918 Winter Street Partners, which will operate the recently announced purchase of several hundred stores that have become available due to The Kroger Co. and Albertsons Companies Inc. merger. The transaction is not final and C&S’s agreement is subject to Kroger and Albertsons resolving the pending cases in court.
