Retail Operations Specialist

TITLE: Retail Operations Specialist

 

REPORTS TO: Retail Operations Manager

 

JOB CLASSIFICATION: Salary/Non-Exempt

 

ABOUT US: Blu Dot (www.bludot.com), an award-winning designer and maker of modern home furnishings, is currently searching for a Retail Operations Specialist to join our dynamic and values-driven company.

 

Company Purpose

Inspire a more creative way of living through good design that's good to everyone.

 

Core Values

• Good design is good. Good design should be reflected in everything we do.
• Keep it simple. Strive for economy in all that you do.
• Everyone is invited to our party. Treat every individual with respect & dignity.
• Our glass is half full. Focus on the positive.
• Be humble. We take nothing for granted.
• Turn it up to 11. Determine what is expected and do a little more.
• Stay curious. Try, learn, improve, repeat.

 

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Retail Operations Specialist helps build and maintain the processes, tools, systems, communication, and resources that enable Blu Dot stores to operate effectively and consistently.

Working closely with store teams and cross-functional partners, this role develops a strong understanding of how work gets done across Retail, provides day-to-day operational support, and helps identify opportunities to make store processes simpler, clearer, and more effective.

This role is both hands-on and improvement-focused: supporting the needs of the retail business while looking beyond individual issues to identify patterns and opportunities for better ways of working.

 

WHO YOU ARE:

• A curious and creative problem-solver who wants to understand not only how something works, but why.
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and follow through.
• An effective collaborator who enjoys working with and learning from others.
• A clear communicator who can translate information into simple, actionable guidance.
• Comfortable learning new systems, technologies, and processes.
• Able to recognize patterns and identify when an individual issue may point to a larger operational opportunity.
• Service-minded and committed to helping store teams work effectively.
• Comfortable asking questions, seeking clarity, and taking ownership of assigned work.
• Someone who looks for opportunities to simplify and improve how work gets done.

 

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Store Operations & Enablement

• Monitor Retail Operations support channels and respond to daily helpdesk inquiries to ensure store questions and issues are addressed, routed, or escalated appropriately.
• Monitor and maintain workflow exceptions that require manual intervention to keep orders moving accurately through the order lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of store processes, policies, systems, and operational standards.
• Serve as the primary operational resource for store teams, clarifying processes, policies, and systems while assisting with issue resolution.
• Support the documentation, updating, and maintenance of SOPs, job aids, FAQs, and operational resources to ensure information is accurate, accessible, and clearly communicated.
• Partner with Retail Learning & Development to identify training needs and support the rollout of new or updated processes and tools.
• Support new store openings, closures, floor changes, and other Retail initiatives as needed.

Systems & Process Support

• Support the day-to-day execution and maintenance of Retail systems and operational processes.
• Document existing workflows and assist in developing simpler, more consistent ways of working.
• Track, categorize, and look beyond individual requests to identify recurring issues, process gaps, and system friction and bring forth opportunities for improvement.
• Monitor and track product, inventory, pricing, system, or process inaccuracies to alert appropriate partners and escalate recurring or high-impact issues.

Operational Insights & Cross-Functional Project Support

• Track open questions, issues, decisions, and action items related to assigned Retail Operations projects.
• Support and follow through with appropriate partners (Ecommerce, Systems/IT, Supply Chain, Merchandising, Engineering, Logistics, Accounting, etc.) to help keep projects, testing, and issue resolution moving forward.
• Escalate recurring issues, unclear ownership, or process gaps to the Senior Retail Operations Specialist or Retail Operations Manager.
• Troubleshoot store issues requiring Retail Operations involvement while staying mindful of customer experience, cost, company policies, and broader business impact.
• Maintain trackers, reporting, and tools used to understand operational activity, trends, and recurring issues.
• Collect and organize store feedback following system or workflow changes to help prioritize operational improvements and share relevant themes with the Retail Operations team and appropriate partners.
• Stay informed about retail operations' best practices to propose ideas that could improve how Blu Dot stores work.
• Participate in Retail Operations projects, meetings, and training as needed.
• Other projects and responsibilities as assigned.

 

IDEAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS*:

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to recognize patterns and investigate operational issues.
• Comfortable documenting processes and translating information into clear instructions.
• Proficient at learning and working within new technologies and systems.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and functions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work both independently and collaboratively.
• Retail, operations, project coordination, systems support, or process-improvement experience preferred.
• College degree or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Position is based out of Minneapolis, MN headquarters with a flexible working environment/schedule; no full-time remote work available.

*These are "nice to have" credentials, but we always welcome candidates with unique and diverse backgrounds. We see the value in a wide range of experiences and always love connecting with people excited about opportunities to join Blu Dot.