The Store Manager in Training (MIT) program is designed for experienced store managers who are ready to step into a leadership role with Cost.U.Less. This bench position prepares candidates to lead a Cost.U.Less store team effectively and oversee day-to-day operations when a Store Manager position becomes available. The role combines hands-on learning with advanced management experience, offering a pathway to develop deeper insights into Cost.U.Less operations, goals, and strategies. MITs collaborate closely with experienced Store Managers and company leadership to refine their skills and transition smoothly into a Store Manager role.

Joining NWCI gives you the opportunity for growth and development throughout the company, an attractive and competitive salary and benefits package, and to be part of a dynamic and diverse culture.

NWCI is a leading retailer to under-served rural communities and urban neighborhood markets in the following regions: Northern Canada, Western Canada, rural Alaska, the South Pacific islands, and the Caribbean. Our stores offer a broad range of products and services with an emphasis on food. Our value offer is to be the best local shopping choice for everyday household and local lifestyle needs. Check out northwest.ca for more information.

Key Accountabilities:

Provide supervision and overall leadership to the store.
• Ensure Best Practice standards are communicated to, and adhered to by store staff
• Communicate, implement, and support on all direction from corporate office, regional manager, and field support personnel.
• Be involved in the planning and execution of store resets
• Monitor compliance with Federal, State, Territory, and local regulations that impact our daily business operations.
• Monitor all expense lines, providing guidance to local staff on “best business practices” and put controls into place to reduce cost, improve productivity, and improve bottom line profits.
• Control local purchases to insure tight inventory turns and control inventory dollars.
• Communicate to procurement staff and regional manager competitive issues, merchandising opportunities, product lines to ensure our customers get the right items, at the right price, items are in stock, and customers can easily find the items in our stores.

Develop, communicate, and implement effective monthly operational plans that are aligned with the regional programs and objectives (NWCI), including financial and fiscal responsibilities.

• Report on all tax, duty, rate changes to corporate office as soon as available
• Contribute to the development of the store’s operating plan and capital budget.
• Communicate plans to management and junior staff.
• Achieve the performance targets set out in these plans
• Report on any variances to plan as shown on monthly financial statements

Provide effective and timely communication to the operational staff and to the Regional/Corporate office.

• Coordinate those activities which require inter-departmental input with the appropriate person or department, such as procurement, maintenance, advertising, human resources,
• Assist Category Managers in continually communicating, improving, and refining the product mix being offered. Communicate merchandise problem areas, recommending promotions, markdowns, pricing that will ensure consistent inventory turns and clarity of offering.
• Assist Accounting department in proper coding of expenses so that expenses hit the correct line items on financial statement. (manual check log)
• Communicate with logistics using proper reporting structure to identify discrepancies and assist in keeping inventory reports accurate. Report on going issues to regional.
• Submit all monthly reports as required within time deadlines

Provide operational and merchandising training to operational staff following programs and techniques.

• Merchandising to train store personnel in the area of product familiarity, proper adjacencies, merchandising standards, housekeeping, and signing to achieve sales and profit targets.
• All managers trained to provide a safe and sanitary environment for our customers and employees
• Operational and financial standards to reduce shrink
• Understanding of efficiency of operation as a low cost model driving bottom line profits

Staff Development to Manager and Junior staff.

• Identify individuals capable of becoming managers (all levels) within current staff
• Develop individualized training program to achieve capabilities to move to next level
• Report on progress and capability of managers/supervisors in training program
• Recommend individuals for promotion based on successfully completing training program
• Communicate managers available for transfer to other locations

Desired Skills & Experience:

• Prefer college degree - Minimum 12th grade education
• 5 year Experience in managing large retail store or big box preferred
• Familiarity with US product mix
• Strong oral and written communication
• Good Business acumen
• Illustrate the abilities to multi-task
• Problem solving capabilities
• Computer skills Excel, Word, Windows,


Working Conditions:

• Ability to travel 3-4 weeks a year.
• Ability to work flexible hours including weekends and Holidays.
• Willing to be hands-on in a physical, fast paced environment
• Work in areas of natural disasters.
• Must be flexible to work in any geographic area that Cost.U.Less operates within the Caribbean including, but not limited to, St. Thomas USVI, St. Croix USVI, Cayman, St. Maarten, and Barbados.

Positions will be advertised externally; however internal candidates will receive first consideration based on qualifications. NWC employees are encouraged to bring forward applications of external candidates that meet the qualifications of this position.

NOTE: If an existing employee is selected for a posted position they will be required to remain in that position a minimum of one year prior to applying for other posted positions unless authorized by their current supervisor. New employees to the company must also remain in their position a minimum of one year prior to applying for posted positions unless authorized by their supervisor. This position adheres to the Corporate Job Posting Guidelines.

A competitive salary is being offered along with opportunities to learn, develop and advance throughout the organization. We thank all applicants for their interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.