Associate Project Leader Retail (Stores) Division
Job Location:
Freeport, IL - USA
Monthly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
At we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us. We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and creating safe inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcomeboth here and Outside. We value individual differences and are dedicated to maintaining an inclusive work environment where everyone can bring the best of their experience and talents and truly thrive.
Retail Store Operationsgroup is looking for anAssociate Project Leaderbased in our Corporate HeadquarterslocatedinFreeport ME.
Position Purpose:TheAssociate Project Leader plays a key role in store development initiatives through planning coordination and execution ensuring projects are delivered on time within scope and aligned to business priorities.As a member of the Retail Project Team this rolewill manage workstreams drive execution readiness and support successful delivery of new store openings remodels refreshes and capital projects. Responsible for smaller-scale projects defined workstreams within larger initiatives or short-term efforts with moderate complexity and impact. Appliesfoundational project management practices analytical thinking and independent judgment to enable consistent high-quality execution.
This is an in-office role based at our Corporate Headquarters in Freeport ME (not remote).
Responsibilities:
Project Planning & Execution
Plan coordinate and execute assigned project workstreams in support of retail store development initiatives.
Build andmaintainproject timelines milestones and deliverables; track progress and ensureexecutionreadiness.
Apply project management methodologies to organize work assign tasks andmonitorcompletion against timelines.
Identify risks dependencies and execution gaps; assess impact and proactively recommend mitigation strategies.
Own and deliver smaller-scale projects or components of larger projects from initiation through completion.
Keep stakeholders informed of progress escalations and changes to timelines or scope.
Program & Operational Enablement
Support operational execution of store development programs through structured coordination planning and tracking.
Manage financial budget and resource tracking for assigned initiatives to support informed decision-making.
Translate project goals into actionable plans ensuring alignment with business priorities and operational needs.
Partner with internal teams and external vendors to ensuretimelyandaccuratedelivery of milestones.
Contribute toexecutionreadiness byvalidatingthat all inputs materials and stakeholders are aligned prior to project launch.
Process & Continuous Improvement
Createmaintain and enhance project tools templates dashboards and reporting used across store development initiatives.
Analyze project performance data and outcomes toidentifytrends gaps and improvement opportunities.
Lead or support continuous improvement efforts to increase efficiency scalability and execution consistency.
Facilitate post-project reviews to evaluate results capture learnings and recommend actionable improvements.
Support documentation of processes playbooks and standards for repeatable execution.
Cross-Functional Coordination
Serve as a liaison across internal teams (store operations design construction merchandising finance) to align projectobjectivesand deliverables.
Coordinate communication timelines and dependencies across stakeholders to drive execution consistency.
Support design review and value engineering processes through organization documentation and follow-ups.
Build relationships across functions to foster collaboration and shared accountability.
Retail Field Support
Provide on-site support for new store openings remodelsrefreshes and major project milestones as needed.
Represent project standards timelines and expectations in the field ensuring alignment with plan execution.
Identifyreal-time issues and partner with teams to resolve andmaintainproject momentum.
Travelupto 50% based on project scope and business needs.
Health and Safety Requirement
Every employeeis responsible forcontributing to a safe and healthy workplace. Employees are expected to be active participants in health and safety by following all safety policies and procedures reporting unsafe conditions or at-risk behaviors to leadership and conducting work in a safe manner. Those in a leadership role are also expected to model safe behaviors evaluate risk and ensure that risks are reduced to acceptable levels.
Education Level
4-YearBachelorsDegreein business management or a related field
Skills and Qualifications
Location:This is an on-site position based inFreeport Maine. Candidates must live within a reasonable commuting distance and have reliable transportation to and fromthe CorporateHQ.
Drive execution: Deliver against timelines by organizing work managing details and following through on commitments; ability to use and apply independent judgment and thinking
3 years of experiencein retail operations project coordination or project support environments
Communicate effectively: Clearly convey information expectations and updates across diverse stakeholder groups
Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% based on business needs
Collaborate cross-functionally: Build alignment and shared understanding across teams and disciplines
Analyze and problem-solve: Evaluate dataidentifyrisks and recommend practicaltimelysolutions
Influence outcomes: Partner with stakeholders to drive decisions andmaintainproject momentum
Manage priorities: Balance multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced retail environment
Apply project management fundamentals: Plan schedule track and report on project activities with discipline
Improve continuously:Identifyinefficiencies and implement solutions that enhance execution quality
Operate with a bias for action: Take initiative to resolve issues and move work forward
Leverage tools and systems: Use project tracking and reporting tools (Excel project systems dashboards) effectively
If you care about the outdoors joining is a great way to feel good about what you do. Our benefits package makes a good thing even better with programs and perks designed to support your health and financial goals. Plus maintaining a healthy work-life balance and re-charging outside are all part of the plan.
If your experience looks a little different from what weve identified and you think youd be great at this role wed love to learn more about you! At we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us. We strive to reflect this every day in our commitments to employees and partners and in our efforts to promote belonging.
Required Experience:
Senior IC
