Assistant Sales Manager

**Opportunity Bridal is a pop up bridal shop based out of Kitchener, Ontario, doing one day sales events at hotels and other venues throughout Canada. We are looking for positive, energetic individuals to join our team. If you receive satisfaction from working hard and like to travel to new cities each weekend this job may be right for you.**

**As a sales assistant manager for Opportunity Bridal, you are responsible for managing a number of different things. You will have FOUR major areas to focus on; all of which focus on the successful operations of our Pop Up Sales events.**

**Sales - You are responsible for all customer service issues, both positive and negative. Your goal is to ensure the smooth operations of our pop up events as well as questions and concerns arising from past and future events, striving to maximize our potential revenue while focusing on effective cost management. Duties such as sales, discounting, listening for opportunities and hesitations will help ensure the maximum success.**

**Leading - Most of the sale labour / helper staff are temp staff hired locally for each sale. The ability to build rapport and effectively train and lead a small team within a short time period is critical. Being able to communicate concise, clear instructions and expectations to the temporary staff to bring them up to speed quickly and leading by example are key to success.**

**Organization - As the company is run as a discounter with low margins and high sales volume, it is imperative all aspects of costs are managed closely and effectively to ensure maximum profitability. This includes effective cash management, inventory control, stock display and repackaging, expense control and staff leadership. Cost control does not necessarily mean purchasing the cheapest equipment and stock, it means maintaining and protecting the products and recommending the purchase of product and equipment which will provide the best cost benefit for the company over the medium to long term.**

**Product - Having the correct product at the right price for the customer is key to maximizing sales. It is important to provide continuous feedback regarding products and designs we are missing as well as giving information regarding the price customers are willing to pay for said product to allow us to source the best inventory possible. As about 50% of our product purchases will be bulk purchases which individual costs of the product are averaged, the ability to set pricing based on customers willingness to pay rather than off cost will be important in many cases as is the ability to use good sense when discounting.**

**With all of these duties in place we hope to ensure a great customer experience which will convert to the best opportunity for sales.**

**Other main duties will include**:

- Visual presentation or product - providing feedback and suggestions to our drivers / setup team so they can improve the setup and display for the future.
- Ensuring sales by other marketing initiatives like bridal show participation, working on customer follow up, seeking leads to generate new business as well as exploring additional leads which yield a positive cost benefit.
- Assisting with the purchasing of new garments.
- Action planning with new ideas, promotions and the ability to recognize when something may not work.
- Assist in setting an efficient schedule for both sales and production to ensure we are properly staffed.
- Working in the warehouse and pricing new inventory for sale
- To work in a manner that you are proactive not reactive.

While not required, the following additional skills will be an asset:

- Bilingual - French and English
- experience in the wedding or bridal industry
- basic knowledge of sewing
- marketing

This position, while based out of Kitchener Ontario, is a mobile position requiring travel to different cities each weekend. Travel will normally consist of leaving on Friday and returning late Sunday, but where distances are further from Kitchener, the normal travel dates are extended. Shared hotel accommodation is paid by the company as well as a tax free daily meal allowance per diem of $70 for full days and $35 for half days.

This is a full time position but our current sales season operates from late July to early December and again from early - mid January to late June. We are off the week of Canadian Thanksgiving, Easter, 4 weeks over Christmas and New Years as well as about 3 weeks for the summer. As we have several weeks where we do not have sales events each season, we ask that vacation be taken during these weeks where sales events are not occurring.

As we do events across Canada, there are four times per year where an extended absence from home is required when we do events out West ( 4-5 weeks ) and in the Maritimes (2 weeks). Given the distance from home, staff remain on the road and in hotels doing 3-4 sales events each week and being entitled to $70 per day tax free per diem even on days