Dear Born Baby & Kids | Thornhill, Ontario

Full-Time, Permanent | On-Site

Competitive salary, commensurate with experience

About Dear Born Baby & Kids For over 47 years, Dear Born Baby & Kids has been one of Canada’s trusted independent specialty baby retailers. Since 1979, we have helped generations of families choose the products they need for their growing families.

Our large specialty store offers baby gear, car seats, strollers, nursery furniture, feeding and nursery essentials, toys and accessories from many of the industry’s leading brands.

As an independently owned and operated business, working at Dear Born is different from working within a large corporate retail organization. Decisions can be made quickly, good ideas are welcomed, and our management team has direct access to ownership without multiple layers of hierarchy.

We are seeking an experienced Store Manager to lead the day-to-day operation of our retail business.

The Position & Who We’re Looking For

This is a hands-on leadership position for an experienced retailer who enjoys managing people, delivering exceptional customer service and taking ownership of the operation of a busy specialty store.

Our Store Manager has broad responsibility for the retail operation, including sales leadership, staffing and recruitment, employee development and performance, customer experience, merchandising standards and the overall day-to-day operation of the store.

We are looking for someone who understands and appreciates the difference between managing in an independently owned business and working within a highly departmentalized corporate setting. The successful candidate will be comfortable with a broad scope of responsibility and will value the autonomy and ability to make decisions that come with working in an independent business.

The ideal candidate will bring significant retail management experience, preferably as a Store Manager, General Manager or an accomplished Assistant Store Manager ready for the next level.



You will have demonstrated experience managing and developing employees, recruiting and hiring staff, addressing performance issues and maintaining high standards of customer service and store operations.

Strong judgement, organization, communication and follow-through are essential. You should be comfortable making decisions, solving problems and working collaboratively with other areas of the business.

Experience in the baby industry is an asset but not required. We can teach product knowledge. We are looking first and foremost for an accomplished retail leader who knows how to manage people, operate a store and create an exceptional customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

- Provide overall leadership for the day-to-day operation of the store and maintain high standards throughout the retail environment.
- Lead, motivate and develop the sales team with a strong focus on customer service, product knowledge and sales performance.
- Lead recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, training, scheduling, coaching and performance management for retail and operational staff.
- Set clear expectations for employees and provide regular feedback, recognition and corrective coaching when required.
- Ensure appropriate staffing and scheduling based on business needs, including weekends, promotions and peak retail periods.
- Maintain a visible presence on the sales floor and support employees with customer consultations, questions and escalations.
- Ensure customers consistently receive the knowledgeable, consultative service expected from a specialty retailer.




- Oversee opening and closing procedures, cash-handling standards and day-to-day store controls.
- Maintain merchandising, presentation, cleanliness, organization and operational standards throughout the store.
- Work collaboratively with buying, accounting, marketing, web and warehouse teams to ensure effective execution across the business.
- Coordinate the successful in-store execution of promotions, special events, new product launches and seasonal initiatives.
- Identify operational issues, recommend solutions and ensure appropriate follow-through.
- Oversee the general day-to-day functioning of the premises and ensure building, maintenance, safety and security issues are identified and appropriately addressed.
- Maintain appropriate workplace Health & Safety practices and procedures.
- Communicate regularly with ownership regarding staffing, sales, customer issues, operational priorities and opportunities for improvement.

Why Join Dear Born? This is an opportunity for an experienced retailer who wants meaningful responsibility and the ability to make an impact.

At Dear Born, you won’t need to navigate multiple layers of corporate approval to solve a problem or introduce a positive idea. You will work directly with ownership and an experienced team and have the autonomy to lead the retail operation.

The position is full-time and permanent and offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience.

How to Apply

Please email your résumé, along with a brief introduction outlining your retail management experience and why an independently owned specialty retail environment appeals to you, to:

[email protected]

Candidates selected to proceed through the interview process will be asked to provide professional references. We thank all applicants for their interest. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Benefits

- On-site parking
- Store discount

Work Location: In person

📌 Store Manager (Thornhill)
🏢 Dear Born Baby u0026 Kids - Toronto - Thornhill
📍 Thornhill