Store Executive Intern (Store Leadership Intern) in Madison, WI

About Target

Working at Target means helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. We bring that vision to life through our values and culture.

About the Stores Executive Leadership Internship

Experience firsthand what it's like to lead a retail team within a Target store. This internship is a paid 40 hours/week, hands-on training program designed to develop and prepare you for store leadership. As a Stores Executive Intern, you will get a realistic preview of the Executive Team Leader role (Assistant Store Manager) over a defined period. You will work closely with other managers and team members to understand how Target's retail business operates and what it takes to excel in a management role. You will be introduced to multiple areas of the store's business, but most of your time will be spent leading the team, identifying and working towards store priorities, and delivering great guest service.

What You Will Learn

• How to drive guest experience and impact your store's financial, team, and operational performance.
• Work alongside a mentor and learn how they effectively lead their department within the store.
• Have the opportunity to step into leading your mentor's department, with guidance and support along the way.
• Learn to lead and motivate a team, drive sales results, merchandise products, and provide an exceptional guest experience.
• Engage in ongoing development conversations, as your development is a top priority.
• Lead and support daily operations by working with team members to build culture and guide the team to achieve goals.

Skills and Experience You Will Gain

• Guest service fundamentals and experience building and managing a guest-first team culture across the store.
• Guest engagement, problem-solving, and resolution.
• Retail business fundamentals.
• Setting and planning department(s) monthly/quarterly workload to support business priorities and managing a team to deliver service and sales goals.
• Managing a team of hourly team members and team leaders while creating business strategies and goals.
• Recruiting, selecting, and talent management of hourly team members and leaders.

Typical Responsibilities

• Spending time on the store salesfloor and backroom leading team members and aligning the team on daily business priorities.
• Working alongside your Executive Team Lead (ETL) mentor and other leaders in the building to gain an understanding of their roles.
• Leading through daily priorities such as stocking shelves, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment, and helping build displays.
• Partnering with leaders on team member performance by teaching, coaching, training, and delivering timely performance feedback.
• Addressing team member concerns and removing hurdles to ensure smooth operations and goal attainment.
• Leading or presenting at daily huddles with the peer or leadership team.
• Planning daily goals and organizing plans within the building.
• Providing summaries of results and priorities to the peer or leadership team.
• Working with store leaders each day to set goals and expectations.
• Reviewing business reporting and guest insights to understand, troubleshoot, and follow up on opportunity areas.
• Delivering an exceptional guest experience by ensuring team members are knowledgeable and empowered to make it right for guests.
• Providing new ideas and recommending solutions to business or team opportunities.
• Taking the initiative to learn how to be a Target leader by seeking out growth and development opportunities.
• Committing to learning Target's expectations of leaders and using them to personally develop by asking questions and seeking feedback.
• Actively participating in internship program training activities, developmental opportunities, and events.
• Demonstrating a willingness to take strategic risks and take on new assignments.
• Demonstrating a culture of ethical conduct, safety, and compliance; leading the team to work in the same way and holding others accountable.
• Working in a safe manner at all times, identifying and correcting hazards, and complying with all safety policies and best practices.
• Fostering an inclusive, equitable, safe, and secure culture.
• Carrying out principal duties and responsibilities by the department.
• Gaining an understanding of all business areas to develop business acumen.
• Creating a welcoming experience by greeting guests as you complete your daily tasks.
• Engaging with guests in a welcoming way to help solve their specific needs.
• Thanking guests and letting them know we're happy they chose to shop at Target.
• All other duties based on business needs.

About You

This may be the right job for you if:

• You enjoy interacting and helping others, including guests and fellow team members.
• You thrive in a fast-moving, highly active, and physically demanding role where teamwork, flexibility, and creative problem solving are key to success.
• You are open to working a flexible schedule with varying hours, days, or shifts, including nights, weekends, holidays, and other peak shopping times.

The good news is that we have amazing training that will teach you how to be an effective leader within our stores. But there are a few things you need from the get-go:

• Previous retail experience preferred, but not required.
• Strong interest in working in retail, specifically within our stores in management.
• Leadership skills and team-oriented thinking.
• Learn and adapt to current technology needs.
• Work independently and as part of a team.
• Manage workload and prioritize tasks independently.
• Welcoming and helpful attitude.
• Effective communication skills.

We are an awesome place to work and care about our teams, so we want to be clear on a few more basics we expect:

• Access all areas of the building to respond to guest or team member issues.
• Interpret instructions, reports, and information.
• Accurately handle cash register operations as needed.
• Climb up and down ladders as needed.
• Scan, handle, and move merchandise efficiently and safely, including frequently lifting or moving merchandise up to 44 pounds.
• Ability to communicate on multiple frequency devices and operate handheld scanners and other technology equipment as directed.
• Flexible work schedule (e.g., nights, weekends, and holidays) and reliable and prompt attendance necessary.