0029 - Assistant Store Manager FT

Lids Sports Group, the largest licensed sports retailer in North America, is looking for an Assistant Store Manager to join its Rockford, Illinois team. This full-time, onsite role centers on leading a store team, driving sales, and delivering a memorable customer experience in a busy retail setting. The right candidate enjoys sports, fashion, and fan culture and is comfortable taking on leadership responsibilities on the shop floor.

With more than 1,300 stores nationwide, Lids offers in-store embroidery and officially licensed headwear and apparel from collegiate and professional teams, along with collaborations from brands like Marvel and Disney. The company aims to blur the line between fandom and style, creating spaces where fans can express their loyalty through great products and service. This position helps bring that mission to life in Rockford.

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Lids supports its stores with brand standards and training programs. This role reports to the Store Manager and aligns with the team under the internal code #INDNWSWS1.

A day on the shop floor in Rockford

When the Store Manager isn’t on site, you’ll act as Manager on duty, handling scheduling questions, customer escalations, and necessary disciplinary steps. You’ll guide store associates through LIDS Training Programs, set sales and task goals, and follow up regularly to keep performance on track.

You’ll contribute to recruiting and training store personnel, ensuring adherence to company policies and creating a respectful, inclusive environment that mirrors the brand standards. You’ll also oversee staffing, calling in teammates for peak periods, and you’ll manage cash handling and till procedures, including daily opening and closing routines and bank drops.

Operational duties include maintaining store technology and equipment, conducting daily audits, replenishing supplies, and supporting inventory audits to confirm accuracy. Visual merchandising and signage will be part of your regular duties, along with keeping the store looking consistent with current guidelines and standards.

Essentials you bring to the floor

• A proven track record of driving sales while keeping losses to a minimum
• Strong interpersonal abilities with clear, professional verbal communication
• Ability to work without direct supervision

Nice-to-haves aren’t listed in the job details, but any additional leadership experience or exposure to retail operations or Lids training materials could help your application stand out.

Pay, benefits and practical details

The position is full-time and onsite in Rockford, IL, with a yearly salary range of 32,000.00 USD to 36,000.00 USD.

What you’ll get includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, a retirement plan, and 100% employer-paid benefits such as short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program. You’ll also receive Paid Time Off, a generous employee discount, and opportunities for ongoing career development, including discounted secondary education courses. There is uncapped monthly bonus potential and options for early wage access.

Physical demands include lifting up to 50 pounds occasionally, climbing a ladder, standing and walking frequently, and frequent verbal communication. The role requires consistent operation of a computer and mobile Point-of-Sale system, with accommodations available for disabilities when needed. Legal authorization to work in the United States is required, and current or future visa sponsorship is not offered for this role. Lids is an equal opportunity employer. For accessibility accommodations during the application process, you can email [email protected].

This position reports to the Store Manager and carries the internal code #INDNWSWS1.

Advice for applicants

Lead your resume with leadership and floor operations experience, especially any roles where you acted as Manager on duty, handled scheduling, and managed staff performance.

Back up the must-have skills with concrete examples: note a time you achieved sales targets while reducing shrink, and show how you managed cash handling and till accuracy on busy days.

Come prepared to discuss scenarios where you resolved a customer issue on the spot and how you trained or guided teammates using formal programs like LIDS Training Programs.

Finish with a thoughtful question to the interviewer about how success is measured in the store, what the growth path looks like within the organization, and how the team uses training resources to develop leaders.