VARSITY SPIRIT, A VARSITY BRANDS COMPANY - THE DRIVING FORCE IN SPIRIT ACROSS CHEER, DANCE, BAND AND YEARBOOK
For over 50 years, Varsity Spirit has been the leading global source for all things spirit, including cheerleading, dance team, performing arts and yearbook. Focused on safety, entertainment and traditional school leadership, Varsity Spirit’s 5,000+ employees are dedicated to celebrating school spirit. A leader in apparel innovation, educational camps, clinics, competitions, and yearbook, Varsity Spirit impacts more than a million athletes each year.
OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY
At Varsity Spirit, the safety and wellbeing of the young people we serve is of the utmost importance. Since our inception 50 years ago, we have been – and remain – steadfastly committed to doing our part to create a safe and positive environment for our participants’ physical, emotional, and social development, and promoting an environment free from abuse and misconduct. Varsity has a zero tolerance for abuse in its programs, events, and associated business activities. Varsity is committed to reporting all suspicions, allegations, and incidents of abuse in full accordance with local laws and reporting requirements. Learn more at Our Commitment to Safety - Varsity.com.
LOCATION: Can either be based in Dallas, TX or Memphis, TN.
WORK TYPE: This role is expected to be a hybrid office role, meaning an expectation of some on-site and some remote work as mutually agreed.
TRAVEL & LOCATION EXPECTATIONS: (<20%); some out-of-the-area and overnight travel may be required for specific event-based retail opportunities at seasonal times across Varsity Spirit’s event-based operations.
HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT
Varsity Spirit is looking to recruit a Vice President, Head of Retail & D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) to lead all existing retail and direct-to-consumer operations and spearhead Varsity Spirit’s strategic growth in this area. The Vice President, Head of Retail & D2C will report directly to Varsity Spirit’s Chief Transformation Officer and will collaborate closely with other senior executives across the Varsity Brands enterprise. In addition, the role will sit on the Varsity Brands Leadership Council (VBLC).
The Vice President, Head of Retail & D2C will lead extensive event-based retail operations across the portfolio of Varsity Spirit’s ~400 competitions and ~6,000 summer camps, as well as all direct-to-consumer ecommerce initiatives (an overall strategic growth priority for the company). The role will partner with Varsity Spirit executive team members to assess existing operations, identify CX improvement and sales growth opportunities, and execute targeted implementation plans.
We are looking for an individual with extensive retail and ecommerce experience who is enthusiastic about impact and value creation, and someone who brings insatiable curiosity to learn quickly and collaboratively influence teams and organizations to drive improvement across retail & D2C channels.
WHAT YOU WILL DO:
The role will provide leadership across three primary channels:
Owned & Operated Event-Based Retail: Lead Varsity Spirit’s in-house retail distribution and operations team (“Varsity Spirit Shop”) that activates across our extensive event footprint. Team members currently operate on-site retail stores at Varsity Spirit’s large “national” and “regional” camps and competitions, managing all on-site operations. Responsibilities including overseeing individuals responsible for Spirit Shop product creation and design, sourcing and procurement, inventory management, pricing, distribution from central warehouse operations to event sites, on-site operations and ‘day-of-event’ staffing and CX, marketing support, and overall program management.
B2B2C and B2C Ecommerce: Expand Varsity Spirit’s ecommerce business by harnessing the passion of the Varsity Spirit ecosystem, offering products that resonate with our core customers in new and unique areas. The role will utilize best-in-class ecommerce commercially available technology to directly engage customers using our extensive ecosystem and rich data sets (B2C), as well as utilize Varsity Brands extensive in-house capabilities for customized school / gym products offered through team sales channels (B2B2C). Overall, the leader must partner with Varsity Spirit leadership to create an appropriate omnichannel strategy to drive ecommerce sales before, during, and after event-based retail opportunities, whether in partnership with event-based retail or utilizing events to drive ecommerce sales.
External Partner Event-Based Retail: The role will also oversee and manage outsourced event retail operations with Varsity Spirit’s current and potential future partners. The individual will be responsible for leading the relationship with existing/future third parties to ensure mutual success and work collaboratively to grow Varsity Spirit product sales through partner sales channels. This will also include an ongoing strategic assessment of which event operations should be owned/operated vs. outsourced to an external partner, as well as deep collaboration with Varsity Spirit’s Corporate Partnerships team (also within the CTO’s organization).
In addition to leadership of Varsity’s Retail and D2C Channels, the Head of Retail & D2C will also be responsible for oversight of all relevant products across both traditional cheer, dance, and band categories, as well as emerging categories (e.g., lifestyle, activewear). Candidates should have experience across leading a holistic D2C business, including merchandising and product selection, pricing, promotion strategies, and more.
This role requires proven expertise in core retail and direct-to-consumer areas:
D2C Brand Expertise and Merchandizing / Product Strategy: Lead efforts to source (design or buy) new products and create a revamped merchandising strategy, offering products that directly appeal to Varsity Spirit’s consumers. Lead design, sourcing, sampling, procurement, and pricing efforts in collaboration with existing apparel functions / expertise.
Event-Based / “Pop-up” Retail Operations: Leadership of existing teams and future growth for all operations of Varsity Spirit’s on-site retail functions. Focus on growing ‘same store sales’ at existing event footprint and maximizing per capita sales through innovative products, an enhanced customer experience, and loyalty.
Ecommerce Strategy & Operations: Drive overall ecommerce strategy and operations. Significantly expand Varsity Spirit’s ecommerce sales by upgrading the online shop’s UI/UX, improving its product selection, and enhancing the overall consumer experience.
Omnichannel Management: Cultivate a self-reinforcing omnichannel Retail & D2C ecosystem that works in harmony across Varsity Spirit’s extensive competition and camp portfolio and existing team apparel sales function. Utilize natural touchpoints with customers (athletes and spectators) at Varsity Spirit events to drive both event-based and ecommerce-driven sales.
Executive Influencing: Serve as a senior partner to the Chief Transformation Officer and other business leaders to champion retail & direct-to-consumer initiatives across the entire Varsity Spirit portfolio, leveraging our significant set of customer touchpoints via camps and competitions. This role will need the ability to build deep relationships, earn trust, and work collaboratively to implement initiatives with event-based operational partners.
QUALIFICATIONS
KNOWLEDGE/ SKILLS/ ABILITIES
Ability to make decisions utilizing a data-driven approach, with a strong understanding of retail / D2C KPIs to drive engagement and customer loyalty
Strong retail operations expertise, including experience leading inventory management and pricing functions, as well as teams focused on store operations
Experience working with retail inventory management systems and a variety of ecommerce tools (e.g., Shopify, Commerce Tools)
A direct orientation to problem solving and a bias to taking concrete actions
Deep curiosity and humility that can lead to quickly learning the nuances of the Varsity Spirit business
Exceptional interpersonal and collaboration skills for relationship building at all levels of the organization, including cross-departmental colleagues and leadership at Varsity Spirit and Varsity Brands
Experience in live events / sports / media & entertainment preferred, but not required
No prior experience in cheerleading, dance, or performing arts required
EDUCATION/ EXPERIENCE
At least 15 years’ experience within retail / retail sales & store operations, ecommerce, merchandising, event-based / “pop-up” retail, and/or a direct-to-consumer retail sales function
Ecommerce management experience required; deep understanding of D2C / ecommerce, with skills across merchandising, creative, UI/UX, marketing/advertising, and sales
Bachelor’s degree; an MBA degree is preferred, but not required
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
This job operates in a professional office environment. Largely a sedentary role with some filing requiring the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bending or standing on a stool as necessary. The ability to sit or stand for long periods through meetings and while operating office equipment, PC’s, laptop, telephone will be required.
During events, the ability to stand and walk for long periods of time (5 hours plus) is required. The ability to communicate with customers and colleagues using the following but not limited to radio, walkie talkie, text message and email is required. The ability to lift, bend, push, pull and manipulate equipment that is a minimum of 30 lbs. is required.
#LI-BD1
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job.
JOIN THE BEST TEAM IN SPORT & SPIRIT
At Varsity Brands, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to succeed and every educator wants to make a difference. It takes a team to make a real impact, and through our two divisions – BSN SPORTS and Varsity Spirit – and our network of 6,000+ employees and independent representatives, we are proud to partner with a wide range of educational institutions and club and professional sports to transform the student journey in SPORT and SPIRIT.
OUR VALUES
Service - We lead with heart. We champion community.
Passion - We love what we do. It fuels our purpose.
Integrity - We do what we promise. We own our actions and decisions.
Respect - We earn it by giving it. Because everyone deserves it.
Innovation - We never stop striving to be better. For ourselves and our community.
Transparency - We are committed to openness and honesty in everything we do.
OUR BENEFITS
We are committed to putting you and your families first. For benefits eligible roles, we offer a variety of choices and costs as well as program enhancements that align with our responsibility to elevate the employee experience. Some of our offerings include:
- Comprehensive Health Care Benefits
- HSA Employer Contribution/ FSA Opportunities
- Wellbeing Program
- 401(k) plan with company matching
- Company paid Life, AD&D, and Short-Term Disability
- Generous My Time Off & Paid Holidays
- Varsity Brands Ownership Program
- Employee Resource Groups
- St. Jude Partnership & Volunteer Opportunities
- Employee Perks including discounts on personal apparel and equipment!
Varsity Brands companies are equal opportunity employers. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status, age or disability.