Job Posting CLOSED
Retail Store Manager
Scan With Your Phone To Apply!
Retail Store Manager
Company Information
Substance is a community agency that provides safe access to cannabis in a judgment-free environment. We strive to interact compassionately with everyone. We want our staff and guests to be recognized as important and to leave our facilities inspired to be positive ambassadors for cannabis. At Substance, we exist to connect people to cannabis through education, empathy, and community.
Substance Values
Create a safe, welcoming, and judgment-free environment
Be a courageous agent of change and make a meaningful impact
Connect with dignity and respect for all
Show up and be our best selves, accountable for results
Drive performance through action and a shared sense of community
Job Summary
The Retail Store Manager (RSM) is accountable for the overall performance, culture, sales execution, and compliance readiness of a single retail location. This role leads people, drives results, and ensures that retail and inventory operations are executed consistently with company standards, values, and regulatory requirements.
The RSM regularly and customarily exercises independent judgment and discretion in managing store operations, staffing, performance, scheduling, customer experience, and compliance. A majority of time is spent leading and developing people, working on the sales floor, coaching in real time, and ensuring operational excellence, with dedicated administrative time to support planning, reporting, and follow-through.
Retail Store Managers are expected to maintain a regular, active presence on the sales floor, balancing administrative responsibilities with opening, mid, and closing shifts, direct customer engagement, and real-time coaching. This role models sales behaviors, product knowledge, and guest interaction standards so that decisions are informed by firsthand knowledge of daily store operations.
The RSM builds upon prior supervisory experience — including hybrid retail and inventory leadership — and demonstrates functional fluency in inventory systems, OLCC compliance, and deployment workflows, even when task-level execution is delegated.
The RSM partners closely with the Retail Operations Manager (ROM), Inventory, Accounting, and Human Resources to ensure the store operates effectively, compliantly, and in alignment with company-wide expectations.
Key Responsibilities
1. Sales Leadership & Floor Presence
Regularly work on the sales floor during peak and non-peak hours to model strong sales behaviors and customer engagement
Open and close the store as part of the regular management rotation
Demonstrate strong product knowledge and guide customers through discovery-based, educational sales conversations
Support transaction flow, line management, and customer handoffs during high-volume periods
Observe real-time sales behaviors to identify coaching opportunities and skill gaps
Use firsthand floor experience to inform staffing, scheduling, training priorities, and process improvements
2. Store Leadership & Culture
Lead, coach, and develop supervisors and staff to deliver consistent, values-aligned performance
Set clear expectations for conduct, accountability, and teamwork
Model professionalism, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and composure during high-volume or high-stress situations
Foster a safe, respectful, and judgment-free work environment for staff and guests
Serve as the primary culture carrier within the store, reinforcing Substance Values daily
3. Customer Experience & Community Connection
Ensure a consistently high-quality guest experience through visible floor leadership and service standards
Train, coach, and hold employees accountable for exemplary customer service
Engage directly with customers to understand needs, preferences, and friction points
Solicit and respond to customer feedback to improve service, education, and store experience
Support local community engagement efforts aligned with Substance’s mission and brand
4. People Management & Performance Accountability
Recruit, onboard, train, evaluate, and develop store employees
Conduct regular coaching conversations, performance assessments, and goal-setting
Execute progressive discipline in alignment with company policy and in partnership with HR
Maintain accurate, timely, and objective documentation related to performance, conduct, and attendance
Recognize and reinforce individual and team accomplishments using company tools and local recognition practices
5. Inventory Oversight & Compliance Readiness
Maintain functional fluency in inventory processes, METRC, OLCC requirements, and deployment workflows
Ensure the store is consistently inventory-ready, audit-ready, and compliant
Oversee inventory accuracy, pricing integrity, back stock organization, and product readiness on the sales floor
Review inventory reports, discrepancies, and audit findings; escalate issues appropriately
Partner with Inventory leadership and supervisors to address trends, gaps, or execution issues
Ensure supervisors and staff are trained and adhering to inventory and compliance SOPs
Note: The RSM is accountable for inventory outcomes and compliance readiness but may delegate task-level execution.
6. Operational Planning & Execution
Develop and execute store-level operational plans aligned with company priorities
Monitor staffing levels, scheduling accuracy, and labor efficiency
Balance administrative, planning, and reporting responsibilities with consistent floor leadership
Ensure adherence to wage and hour laws, safety standards, and internal policies
Maintain store cleanliness, organization, and operational readiness at all times
7. Financial Stewardship & Business Acumen
Monitor and interpret store-level KPIs including sales, labor efficiency, turnover, and average basket
Use reporting tools to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement
Coach supervisors and staff on how daily behaviors impact store performance and financial results
Balance service excellence with labor efficiency and cost awareness
Partner with the ROM and Accounting on performance reviews, forecasts, and corrective actions
8. Partnership & Escalation
Collaborate with Human Resources, Inventory, Accounting, and Marketing to execute company initiatives
Escalate issues appropriately with clear facts, documentation, and context
Participate in ROM-led check-ins, store visits, and performance reviews
Implement feedback and action plans resulting from audits, reviews, or coaching
Core Competencies
Lead Courageously: Acts with integrity, accountability, and sound judgment
Achieve Results: Drives execution and follows through on commitments
Put the Customer First: Delivers consistent, high-quality guest experiences
Develop Continuously: Learns, applies feedback, and builds leadership capability
Work Well With Others: Builds trust and collaboration across teams and departments
Qualifications
Minimum 3 years of management or supervisory experience in retail or regulated environments
Demonstrated experience leading teams, managing performance, and executing operations
Working knowledge of cannabis regulations, OLCC requirements, and inventory systems (or ability to learn quickly)
Willingness and ability to regularly perform frontline retail and sales duties alongside staff
Strong organizational, communication, and prioritization skills
Ability to maintain consistent attendance and punctuality, with or without reasonable accommodation
Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
Special Demands & Work Environment
The physical and cognitive demands described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this role, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to stand, walk, sit, kneel, and move throughout the workday in retail and back-of-house environments, including concrete or other hard-surface floors and, in some locations, staircases
Ability to push, pull, lift, and carry up to 50 pounds periodically in connection with inventory handling, store operations, and merchandising activities
Ability to maintain focus, situational awareness, and memory in environments with frequent distractions, including customer traffic, background noise, and active conversations
Ability to work at a computer for extended periods to complete administrative, scheduling, reporting, and communication tasks
Ability to drive a motor vehicle for several hours as needed to support business operations, meetings, or training
Role Clarity Statement
Retail Store Managers are accountable for single-store performance, people leadership, sales execution, compliance readiness, and daily operations. This role does not include responsibility for multi-store strategy, cross-store calibration, or statewide operational oversight, which are owned by the Retail Operations Manager (ROM).
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. This job description may be changed to include new responsibilities and tasks or change existing ones as management deems necessary.
Substance aims to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to promoting equal opportunities regardless of religious belief, age, color, race, creed, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, ethnic origin, family status or any disability you may have (subject to the exceptions contained in the Human Rights Act 1993). This commitment applies to all areas of the work environment, all employment activities, resource allocation and all employment terms and conditions. Selection criteria and procedures aim to ensure that employees are selected, promoted, and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities.