WHO WE ARE
Indigo is a physical and digital place inspired by and filled with books, ideas, beautifully designed lifestyle products, and the creative people who help make it all happen. We believe in real books, living life fully and generously, being kind to each other and to the environment, and that stories - big and little - connect us. Indigo is our customer's happy place - for joyful moments of discovery and to connect with people who share their passion for reading, their belief in ideas, and their commitment to making the world a better and more beautiful place.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Our Mission is to inspire reading and enrich the lives of booklovers. As such, we believe in the power of people and their stories. We aim to attract top talent, nurture the potential of our employees, and create space for everyone to thrive. Our Guiding Principles are the few key ideas that are meant to influence everything we do, every day.
- We Will Hire, Inspire, Promote and Retain the Best
- We Will Be Customer Centric
- We Will Be Entrepreneurial
- We Will Be Committed to Caring About Each Other, Our Communities, and Our Environment
- We Will Be Committed to True and Shared Value Creation
- We Will Be Systems Thinking, Data Driven and AI enabled
Job Description
The Product Operations Manager translates Indigo’s visual merchandising priorities into locally relevant execution, strengthening community connection and brand affinity while delivering a customer-centric experience that drives sales, engagement, loyalty, and profitability.
Through a continuous improvement lens, this role ensures that every stage of the product life cycle is executed efficiently and in alignment with brand standards, creating moments of discovery and joyful interaction. This includes ensuring that all product operations processes - including changeovers, door-to-floor, returns, cycle counting, markdowns, promotional setup, reportal maintenance, and inventory - are executed to standard, and that all merchandising reflects the Indigo brand.
The Product Operations Manager is a key driver of product operations processes and results, fostering a high-performance, customer-focused environment where employees build their capabilities, contribute to team success, and bring the Indigo brand to life through meaningful business outcomes.
KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS
- Net Promoter Score (NPS)
- Net sales and profitability
- Key Process Scorecard results
- Visual Merchandising Assessment (VMA) execution and action plan completion
- Door-to-floor units per hour (UPH)
- Store engagement score
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES – what the work is
- Leads execution of product operations priorities at the store level, translating Indigo's strategic direction into operational plans that drive inventory accuracy, product availability, operational efficiency, and profitability.
- Supports the General Manager in delivering store objectives, identifying operational risks and barriers to execution and implementing solutions that improve consistency, productivity, and results.
- Provides leadership, direction, and ongoing support to Product Operations Leader(s)/Visual Operations Leader(s), ensuring inventory management, product flow, merchandising, promotional execution, and operational standards are executed consistently and effectively.
- Ensures the Indigo Experience and R.E.A.D. customer service model are consistently brought to life through strong Sales Generation Leader (SGL) practices, including active, in-the-moment coaching to reinforce behaviours, elevate execution, and drive customer engagement and results.
- Owns clear and consistent communication of business priorities to the operations and visual team, leveraging Employee Hub, communication boards, and the DSR process to ensure alignment, understanding, and execution.
- Owns the operational cycle and product flow within the store, leveraging sales, inventory, shrink, and process performance data to establish priorities, identify opportunities, and drive consistent execution of inventory management routines, including MyCount, Reportal, returns, audits, markdowns, and related inventory control processes.
- Drives operational excellence across inventory and back-of-house processes, maintaining strong organization, compliance, inventory integrity, and loss prevention practices.
- Leads merchandising and operational execution, ensuring product presentation, promotions, signage, inventory routines, and story changeovers are executed consistently and in alignment with company standards.
- Supports labour planning and workload management by helping align operational priorities, team deployment, and available resources.
- Reinforces clarity of roles, responsibilities, and accountability across the operations and visual team, ensuring alignment to the store structure and RASI model.
- Recruits, develops, and retains high-performing teams through structured onboarding, coaching, and ongoing development.
- Participates in store talent review, calibration, and succession planning, identifying high-potential employees and supporting their development and growth.
- Identifies and addresses performance, conduct, and engagement risks within the team, taking appropriate action to maintain a strong, values-aligned culture.
- Drives employee engagement through strong employee relations, meaningful action planning, and fostering a collaborative, inclusive team environment.
- Leads store health and safety practices, ensuring compliance with all provincial policies, procedures, and standards while fostering a safe environment for employees and customers.
- Models and embeds Indigo’s guiding principles and values, fostering a positive, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.
Reports to: General Manager
Manager once Removed (MOR): Regional Director/District Manager
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Internal:
- Store employees
- Store leadership team
- Regional Human Resources Manager
- Regional Loss Prevention Manager
- Regional Visual Merchandising Manager
- Retail Operations team
External:
- Customers
- Landlord/facilities contacts and service providers, as required
Qualifications
- 2-3 years of progressive leadership experience in a specialty retail and/or multi-unit environment, with experience leading teams in a customer-facing environment
- College degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
- Experience leading and executing operational, inventory, and/or merchandising processes, translating direction into clear actions that drive results
- Strong business acumen, with the ability to interpret sales, inventory, shrink, and operational performance metrics to identify opportunities and implement focused action plans
- Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain engaged, high-performing teams, with a focus on coaching and developing front-line employees
- Effective communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and resolve escalated customer and team member situations
- Demonstrated operational discipline and strong understanding of merchandising, inventory control, product flow, compliance, and loss prevention, with the ability to drive consistent execution across multiple priorities in a fast-paced retail environment.
- Adaptable and agile, with the ability to respond to change and leverage technology (including AI-enabled tools) to improve operational efficiency and team effectiveness
- Maintains/obtains required role-specific certifications (e.g., First Aid, Joint Health & Safety Committee) in alignment with provincial and store requirements
- Demonstrates sound judgment, resilience, and a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset
- Full alignment with Indigo's values as reflected in the Guiding Principles
- A passion for Indigo's mission and delivering exceptional operational execution, product presentation, and team experiences
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays
- Ability to be mobile on the sales floor for extended periods and safely lift medium to large items (up to 40 lbs) using appropriate equipment and techniques
- Bilingualism (French/English) required for roles based in Quebec
Additional Information
Physical & Scheduling Requirements
The Product Operations Manager plays a hands-on leadership role in supporting all aspects of store operations, inventory flow, and product execution. This position requires flexibility to support business needs, including early morning shifts with start times as early as 5:00 a.m. multiple days per week for receiving, inventory management, merchandising, and operational priorities.
The role is highly active and requires the ability to:
Frequently lift, move, and carry boxes and merchandise weighing up to 40 lbs or more
Safely use ladders and material-handling equipment as required
Stand and walk for extended periods throughout the workday
Bend, reach, squat, push, and pull merchandise and fixtures regularly
Work in stockrooms, receiving areas, and on the sales floor in a fast-paced retail environment
The successful candidate will be comfortable balancing leadership responsibilities with hands-on operational work and maintaining a strong physical presence throughout the store on most shifts.
Indigo uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with certain aspects of the hiring process, such as screening and assessments. These tools support our team but do not replace human judgment. We are committed to using AI responsibly, fairly, and in compliance with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws. We regularly review these tools to help prevent bias or discrimination.
At Indigo, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility are core to our values. We integrate these principles into our training, policies, and hiring practices and continuously evolve to reflect the needs of the communities we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and lived experiences, including but not limited to individuals who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and persons with disabilities. If you require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at talent@indigo.ca.
We respect your privacy throughout the recruitment process. Our Candidate Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you apply for a role with Indigo, and the choices available to you.
This posting is for a current opportunity within Indigo.
