General Manager / Partner

General Manager / Partner

Potomac Paddlesports is an award-winning, vertically integrated kayak / rafting / stand up paddleboard instruction, guiding, e-commerce, and traditional retail business that has built its unparalleled brand strength through a 20-year commitment to high quality customer service, fostering community, and promoting conservation. We're making a difference every day with a focus on outdoor education and safety. Our workplace reflects our values, and we offer competitive compensation, and entrepreneurial experience. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose Potomac Paddlesports and make a difference with us!

Overview:

We’re seeking an experienced, dynamic General Manager that loves to sell, teach, and constantly improve themselves and their environment. With a small core staff, the General Manager's personal sales and operational performance is central to achieving the company's sales and profit objectives, as well as setting the pace and standard for the entire team. In effect, the General Manager runs a beginner-centric paddlesports learning institution based inside a retail store and a popular national park, leveraging an integrated custom software platform in the process.

Key Attributes:

• Paddling and/or outdoor experience

• Managerial and retail experience

• Project management experience

• Teaching experience

• Technology savvy

• Entrepreneurial nature – seeking an equity partner toward partial and/or full ownership
  
  

Key Functions:

• Manage 3 Focus Areas: Instruction and Trips, E-commerce platform, and Traditional Retail

• Manage a small team of store employees and seasonal instructors and guides

• Recruit and develop new personnel

• Evaluate and communicate expectations, conduct staff performance evaluations

• Improve sales and operating performance

• Prevent and eliminate waste, redundancy, and clutter

Program / Retail Sales & Management:

• Sell paddlesports lesson and trip memberships, as well as individual lessons and trips

• Sell group and corporate outing events

• Sell retail store memberships

• Sell kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, and other paddling apparel, active wear, performance apparel, and footwear

• Prepare store schedule to ensure appropriate planning and coverage of staff

• Manage program schedule of students, guests, guides, and instructors

• Maintain store inventory and high level of visual merchandizing standards

Operations:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive company operations calendar

• Utilize seasonal down-time: November - January to review past operating performance and enhance company operations for the coming season by reviewing historical information to develop a sound buying, staffing, and program scheduling plan

• Responsible for opening and closing the store

• Maintain a clean and well-organized store presence

• Maintain store security system to include: building security and cash handling

Buying & Inventory Management:

• Broker better terms for inventory purchasing

• Maintain an efficient ordering system to ensure all necessary supplies are available

• Ensure fast turn around and high margins on store inventory

• Ensure all inventory is accurately represented online

• Ensure store visual merchandising standards

• Responsible for processing damaged and defective goods in a timely accurate manner

• Protect company assets through promoting awareness of loss prevention

Communication & Marketing:

• Provide weekly update on operational performance

• Schedule monthly and quarterly retail staff and instructor/guide meetings

• Maintain feedback loop with customers and staff

• Ensure the company’s policies and procedures are communicated and applied

• Develop compelling bi-weekly newsletters

• Leverage Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms to impart knowledge and announce opportunities to our community

• Utilize store for paddlesport community development by offering events such as movie premiers, environmental talks, and lectures with a focus on driving company sales

Minimum Qualifications:

• Paddlesports and outdoor experience

• Retail and ecommerce experience

• General management experience

• Teaching experience

• Experience with the following: Excel, Word, and Photoshop

Required Qualifications:

• Vehicle to tow a trailer

• Self-motivated and problem solving abilities

• Effective communication skills – able to give clear directions and set expectations

• Ability to train and delegate effectively and motivate a diverse team

• Excellent organizational skills

• Accuracy and attention to detail

• Ability to stand/walk for extended periods of time - necessary for sales floor coverage and loss prevention

• Ability to use a computer screen for extended periods of time - necessary to manage business operations

• Ability to reach overhead, bend, squat, kneel, and carry product, necessary for customer service, inventory re-stock, and store merchandising, loading kayaks and paddleboards onto vehicles or trailers

• Ability to walk up and down staircase and/or ladders carrying boxes, product, and other necessary items related to operations

• Ability to perform store maintenance items: sweep, vacuum, empty trash, and clean

• Ability to safely lift items up to 75 lbs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Absentee owner seeking an equity partner toward partial and/or full ownership

• ACA Certification

• Current CDL and clean driving record