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The **Sr. Program Specialist** supports the Director of Merchandising & Program Management in the execution, performance tracking, and continuous improvement of strategic in-store partnership programs. This role is responsible for program coordination, operational execution, reporting, and analytical insights across a portfolio of initiatives, including Party City, BinWins, Verizon, Stanton Optical, and Amazon Returns.

The Sr. Program Specialist acts as a key executional and analytical partner, ensuring programs are launched on time, operate as designed, and deliver expected financial and customer outcomes. This role requires strong project management discipline, analytical rigor, and the ability to collaborate effectively across Merchandising, Store Operations, Finance, Supply Chain, and external partners.

Program Execution & Operations:

+ Support the end-to-end execution of assigned in-store partnership programs, from pilot through chain rollout.

+ Coordinate program timelines, deliverables, and dependencies across internal teams and external partners.

+ Maintain program documentation, operational playbooks, and standard operating procedures.

+ Track store-level execution issues and partner compliance; escalate risks and gaps with recommended solutions.

+ Support onboarding and rollout activities for new programs or program expansions.

Reporting, Analysis & Insights:

+ Own recurring program reporting, scorecards, and dashboards to track sales, margin, traffic, productivity, and operational KPIs.

+ Analyze program performance versus targets and identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.

+ Develop ad-hoc analyses to support business reviews, investment decisions, and leadership updates.

+ Partner with Finance to validate financial results and ensure consistent measurement methodologies.

+ Translate data into clear, actionable insights for the Director and cross-functional stakeholders.

Cross-Functional & Partner Collaboration:

+ Serve as a day-to-day point of contact for internal teams (Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance) on program execution topics.

+ Support partner communication by coordinating materials, data requests, and operational updates.

+ Prepare materials for partner reviews, leadership readouts, and internal governance forums.

+ Ensure alignment between program requirements and store-level execution capabilities.

Continuous Improvement & Program Optimization:

+ Identify process improvements to enhance program scalability, efficiency, and store experience.

+ Support testing and evaluation of program enhancements, operational changes, or new concepts.

+ Capture learnings from pilots and rollouts to inform future program design and execution.

Required Skills & Competencies:

+ Program & Project Management – Strong ability to manage timelines, dependencies, and cross-functional deliverables in a complex retail environment.

+ Analytical & Reporting Expertise – Advanced skills in performance reporting, KPI tracking, and data analysis to support business decisions.

+ Operational Execution Focus – Detail-oriented with a strong bias toward executional rigor and follow-through.

+ Financial & Business Acumen – Ability to understand P&L drivers and assess program performance against financial objectives.

+ Cross-Functional Collaboration – Effective communicator who can work across functions and with external partners.

+ Problem Solving – Able to identify execution gaps and propose practical, data-supported solutions.

+ Adaptability – Comfortable supporting multiple programs at different stages of maturity.

Essential Skills and Qualifications:

+ Bachelor’s degree in Business, Analytics, Operations, Merchandising, or a related field.

+ 4+ years of experience in program management, business operations, merchandising support, or analytical roles within retail or multi-unit environments.

+ Experience supporting partnership programs, pilots, or store-based initiatives preferred.

+ Strong proficiency in Excel, reporting tools, and dashboarding (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, or similar).

+ Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Role Relationship & Scope:

+ Reports to: Director of Merchandising & Program Management

+ Focus: Execution, reporting, and analysis (not strategy ownership or people leadership)

+ Scope: Supports multiple concurrent in-store partnership programs

Get great perks.

+ Generous amount of paid time off and bonus plan

+ 401(k) plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance with many more optional benefits.

+ Associate store discount and more perks (discounts on mobile plans, movie tickets, etc.)

The salary range represents the expected compensation for this role at the time of posting. The specific base pay may be influenced by a variety of factors to include the candidate's experience, skill set, education, geography, business considerations, and internal equity. In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for bonuses, or other forms of variable compensation.

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Staples is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender idenity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.

For individuals with disabilities that need additional assistance at any point in the process, please call 1-888-490-4747 for more information.