Retail Director

Our Story:

Story Cannabis was built by misfits on a mission — people bold enough to shift the cannabis narrative and create something better. Founded in 2021 by industry veterans, Story is a vertically integrated company headquartered in Phoenix, operating across Arizona, Maryland, Ohio, and Louisiana, and we’re just getting started.

Our vision is to bring hope, happiness, and healing to the world through cannabis, and we’re doing it one state, one store, and one customer at a time.

Leadership defines how we show up. Data drives how we grow. Gratitude keeps us grounded. Unity fuels our momentum. And growth, in every sense, inspires everything we do.

If you’re ready to challenge what’s expected and shape the future of cannabis, your next chapter starts with Story.

Overview:

The Retail Director is responsible for driving operational excellence, consistency, and performance across all retail locations nationwide. This role sits at the intersection of strategy and execution, translating company-wide retail objectives into scalable systems, processes, and performance standards. The Retail Director partners closely with the Vice President of Retail and cross-functional leaders to ensure best-in-class store operations, compliance, customer experience, and team development across a multi-state cannabis footprint.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Regional and Retail Operations leaders and District Managers, building strong bench strength and succession plans.

• Ensure consistent leadership expectations, performance management, and professional development across all retail management levels.

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement aligned with Story’s values and support VP of Retail.

• Serves as the primary owner of national retail operational governance, including SOP, compliance execution standards, audit readiness, and system adoption.

• Ensures operational issues are resolved through regional /district leadership rather than direct store-level intervention

• Partner closely with Marketing, Merchandising, HR, Compliance, IT, Finance, and Supply Chain to ensure retail needs are supported and brand standards are upheld.

• Act as a key liaison between corporate strategy and field execution, ensuring alignment, clarity, and follow-through.

• Partner with retail leadership to support sales growth, labor optimization, and margin improvement initiatives.

• Support budgeting, forecasting, and labor management efforts by ensuring operational alignment to financial targets.

• Analyze sales data, market performance, and customer insights to inform operational improvements and strategic decisions.

• Own and evolve the national retail operating model, ensuring consistent execution of standards, SOPs, and best practices across all markets.

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve standard operating procedures (SOPs), internal processes, and compliance training for all retail locations.

• Review daily, weekly, and monthly performance metrics across all stores, identifying trends, risks, and opportunities; drive corrective action plans where performance gaps exist.

• Oversee inventory, point-of-sale, and compliance systems to ensure accuracy, adoption, and audit readiness across all markets.

• Develop and execute standardized audit programs to enforce compliance, operational discipline, and reporting accuracy.

• Act as a liaison between corporate strategy and field execution.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Management, Marketing, or a related field preferred.

• 10+ years of progressive retail leadership experience within a multi-unit, multi-state environment; cannabis industry experience strongly preferred.

• Proven experience scaling retail operations in a high-growth organization.

• Strong working knowledge of cannabis-specific POS and compliance systems (e.g., Dutchie, Metrc, Treez).

• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, drive change, and execute at both strategic and tactical levels.

• Highly analytical and detail-oriented with strong operational and financial acumen.

• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly regulated, and evolving environment.

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across national markets.

Our Benefits:

• Paid time off (PTO) including 8 paid holidays per year*

• Medical Insurance, which includes a 100% company paid option for employees*

• Dental Insurance, which includes a 100% paid option for employees*

• Vision Insurance, which includes a 100% paid option for employees *

• 401k retirement savings plan*

• Company paid Short-Term & Long-Term disability*

• Company paid Life Insurance*

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Employee referral program

• Commuter benefits*

• Product discounts

• Additional compensation incentives (tips, bonuses, etc.)

*For full-time positions only

We want our story to be one that fosters an inclusive culture and provides an enriching employee experience. As an equal-opportunity employer, we embrace individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives. We believe in providing equal opportunities to all individuals, including those who may have encountered legal issues related to previous marijuana laws. We understand that these laws have disproportionately impacted certain communities and individuals. We are committed to considering all candidates based on their qualifications, skills, and potential to contribute to our team, rather than focusing solely on past legal encounters. We encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those with past involvement with the legal system, to apply for positions within our organization.