Territory Manager Trainees are a vital part of our Retail-Ready team, InColor. InColor works to provide clients with live plant products (primarily flowers and associated hard goods). InColor is a third party plant vendor working with retail stores to organize our product, to deliver customer service, and to increase sales. As a Territory Manager Trainee, you are responsible for optimizing sales and improving client relations with our partner company.

Territories are determined by the Business Development Manager and can comprise of anywhere between 2 and 6 Home Depot stores based on sales volume and location. During peak spring season (April-July), a Territory Manager will oversee a team of 5-20+ Merchandisers stationed in retail stores within assigned territories. During the remainder of the year, merchandising requirements are covered by the Territory Manager and possibly 0-5 year-round Merchandisers (depending on sales volume & labor budget from the Field Manager). A Territory Manager is responsible for all management aspects of the teams including but not limited to interviewing, training, scheduling, evaluating, and counseling employees. For the remainder of the year a Territory Manager will be responsible for merchandising stores within their assigned territories, attending meetings/trainings, and assisting with projects both in stores and at the Tagawa Greenhouse facilities per Field Manager instruction.

This position requires the completion of manager reports on every store on a daily basis. A potential candidate must have open availability including weekends and holidays to be considered for the position. During the peak season (between April and July) Territory Managers typically work 50-70+ hours in a week. During other parts of the season, hours fluctuate but average at about 35-45 hours a week depending heavily on the merchandising needs of the Territory.

Territory Managers are hired through our Territory Manager Trainee Program. External and Internal candidates are brought into the program as Temporary hourly employees within a 90 Day training program. At the end of the program, employees are evaluated for the promotion to the Territory Manager role or continuation of employment within a different capacity. All current and potential Territory Managers must score at least 70% on the Placement Evaluation to continue in the Territory Manager role.

An ideal candidate would express genuine enthusiasm for the position with an ability to solve unexpected challenges. The ideal candidate would an ability to balance multiple tasks and instructions from different managers and respond or give instructions to ensure the successful completion of all tasks in an efficient manner. It is crucial for all Territory Managers to express strong communication skills as they coordinate with multiple teams and stakeholders and show accountability for their actions and to work independently with minimum supervision.

Essential Functions/Duties:

• All Territory Manager Trainees must use correct reporting procedures for:

o REPSLY (app) – Store reports sent to Field Manager (daily)

o Paylocity – Assign employees to stores and schedule employees within allocated hours.

o Perform inventory counts and complete Receiving, Dumping, and Transfer paperwork

o Complete Merchandiser Evaluations

o Complete Garden Center Evaluations

• Communicate with Home Depot/Costco management (SM, ASM, or DH) on a daily basis

o Participate in store walks

o Obtain feedback on sets, displays, merchandising, and product

o Communicate current ads or products as well as anticipated products that are coming into the stores

• Manage seasonal employees and engage in management functions including but not limited to: interviewing, hiring, training, scheduling, giving evaluations, participating in counseling or disciplinary actions, documenting employee performance/correspondence, conducting meetings, and improving retention.
• Requires computational skills to manage a labor budget and store inventories (including dump, shrink, and changes in pricing, receiving deliveries).
• Leads teams by example and improves morale through positive and professional interactions with both team members, coworkers, and clientele

- Delegate responsibilities within the store, and manage teams both in person and remotely to ensure stores meet Plan-O-Gram.

• Make decisions in regards to sales initiatives, create displays, and manage in-store inventory, shrink, and promotional items to positively impact sales at the store level. Territory Managers are accountable for store performance as it is related to prior year, store sales volume, and trends of merchandising sales in surrounding areas and related product lines.
• Ensure the completion of all merchandising tasks including but not limited to:

o POG (Plan-O-Gram): Merchandise assigned tables, boats, end caps, or other displays according to POG such that the store is “walk ready” daily within allocated hours.

o Signage: Ensure appropriate signage of all InColor merchandise. (Update all signs in a timely manner for sales and promotional items)

o Watering: Coordinate your team with Home Depot or Costco staff to correct and maintain good watering practices

o Inventory: Check the BOL (Bill of Lading) on all shipment days and enter inventory and dump numbers in accordance to InColor policy

o Safety: Coordinate safety concerns with HR, abide by all Tagawa Greenhouse Enterprises safety regulations, and report all injures or incidents to HR at the time of occurrence. Follow up as needed.

o Training: Consistently train staff, correct, and improve the quality and efficiency of the above tasks.

Experience

• A requirement of 2-3 years of supervisory/management/sales experience (or related education) OR 2-3 seasons of experience with Customer Service / Retail / Merchandising / Experience highly preferred but not required.

Travel

It is required to travel between stores within a given Territory. All Territory Managers must complete procedures to be on the Tagawa Greenhouse Designated Driver List

• All Territory Managers must hold and maintain a current and valid Driver’s License
• The MVR of all candidates is subject to company approval through our insurance company (Hortica).
• Must have proof of insurance for your vehicle

Mileage and travel expenses are reimbursed as per company policy.

Communication & Language

• Maintain a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating to clients, managers, vendors, co-workers, and employees in a respectful manner.
• Must be able to communicate in both oral and written correspondence in English, and to effectively present information in both spoken and written forms using situational based language.
• Must be able to communicate and respond efficiently in a timely manner to email correspondence using business appropriate language.
• Requires an ability to identify conflict happening within merchandising teams, with other vendors, and clients. This position must be able to provide input to make strategic decisions to management, deescalate issues within the store, and is responsible for communication and the coordination between multiple stakeholders including InColor management, Tagawa wholesale production and distribution, Client Store Management, and merchandising teams.
• Experience with building customer/client relationships, conflict resolution, or account management preferred but not required.

Technology

• Must be able to use or learn both Android & Apple IOS systems (iPad and Mobile Phone) to complete various reports on a variety of software.
• Requires basic computer literacy, including use of MSOffice (MS Word, MS Excel) and other inventory related computer software.

All candidates must be 21 years of age and eligible to work in the United States.

Candidates must be able to pass a Background Check (Federal/National) to be considered for employment.

This position requires employees to be on their feet for long periods of time. All employees must be able to perform tasks involving stooping, walking, bending, and standing in all outdoor garden center conditions including but not limited to extreme hot, extreme cold, wet, humid, and dusty conditions with or without reasonable accommodation. Must be able to lift 25-50lbs and push/pull racks on wheels up to 50-100lbs with or without reasonable accommodation. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

While performing the duties of this job within a greenhouse or garden center environment, the employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, outside weather conditions, and risk of electrical shock. To prevent injury, employees must abide by the safety procedures set by Tagawa Greenhouse Ent., LLC. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.