Regional Manager (Central)
Pop Mart · United States · $160,000–$190,000 (stated in the posting)
POP MART (09992.HK), founded in 2010, is a leading global company in the trend culture and entertainment industry. Centered around IP, POP MART has built a comprehensive platform for creative incubation and IP operation, empowering global creators while delivering exciting products, services, and immersive entertainment experiences to consumers.
POP MART identifies and nurtures emerging artists and designers worldwide, creating popular character IPs through a well-established IP development and operation system. Its portfolio includes iconic IPs such as MOLLY, SKULLPANDA, DIMOO, THE MONSTERS, and Hirono. By launching art toys and derivative products based on these IPs, POP MART continues to lead trends in consumer culture. As of the end of first half of 2025, POP MART operates over 550 physical stores and more than 2,500 Robo Shops across the world. Through multiple cross-border e-commerce platforms, the company has reached audiences in over 90 countries and regions, bringing joy to young consumers around the world.
Position: Regional Manager – Central Region
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Department: Retail
Salary: $160,000–$190,000
Opportunity Overview:
POP MART is seeking a strategic and highly experienced Regional Manager - Central Region to lead the long-term growth, performance, and leadership strategy for our rapidly expanding retail footprint across the Central U.S.
This role will translate company priorities into a clear regional strategy while overseeing financial performance, leadership development, market expansion, and cross-functional execution. The Regional Retail Director will lead through District and Area Managers, ensuring they have the strategy, resources, and accountability needed to deliver results across their markets.
This is a highly visible leadership position requiring approximately 80% travel throughout the region. The ideal candidate combines strong retail and financial acumen with executive-level communication, talent development, and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
What You Will Achieve:
Regional Strategy & Business Planning
- Define the strategic roadmap for the Central region, translating corporate priorities into multi-year regional growth and operating plans.
- Analyze market, competitive, financial, and operational data to identify opportunities for expansion, operating model improvements, and retail format innovation.
- Establish regional priorities and resource allocation, ensuring District and Area Managers remain focused on initiatives with the greatest business impact.
- Present regional strategy, business performance, risks, opportunities, and forward-looking plans to executive leadership.
- Maintain accountability for consistent execution of company standards while adapting regional strategies to local market needs.
Executive & Cross-Functional Partnership
- Serve as the region's senior point of contact for HR, Learning & Development, Retail Operations, Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Real Estate, Construction, Finance, and IT.
- Partner with cross-functional leaders to shape and prioritize pilots, program rollouts, new store initiatives, and special projects before they reach the field.
- Bring field and market insights into corporate planning discussions to influence program design and business priorities.
- Represent the region in leadership discussions, providing recommendations regarding program effectiveness, scalability, and return on investment.
- Identify and escalate business risks, resource needs, and strategic trade-offs to appropriate stakeholders.
Talent Strategy & Leadership Development
- Own the region's leadership pipeline strategy, identifying and developing high-potential multi-unit leaders for future senior leadership opportunities.
- Establish a high standard for people leadership across the region while empowering District and Area Managers to own day-to-day team performance.
- Lead succession planning and long-term workforce strategy for multi-unit leadership positions.
- Coach District and Area Managers on leadership judgment, strategic decision-making, talent development, and business ownership.
- Build a strong culture of accountability, collaboration, development, and high performance across the region.
Financial Strategy & Performance Oversight
- Own regional P&L strategy and partner with Finance to establish budget priorities, financial targets, and profitability goals.
- Analyze financial and operational trends to identify business opportunities and translate insights into strategic action plans.
- Guide District and Area Managers on financial strategy, unit economics, labor productivity, and overall business performance.
- Hold multi-unit leaders accountable for achieving financial and operational goals while identifying opportunities to improve profitability and efficiency.
Field Presence & Strategic Visibility
- Maintain a strong field presence, with approximately 80% travel, to assess business performance, build relationships, and remain connected to market realities.
- Conduct market and store visits to identify trends, opportunities, and operational challenges that can inform regional and corporate strategy.
- Partner closely with field leadership while maintaining focus on strategic oversight rather than direct management of daily store operations.
- Provide executive leadership with clear visibility into market conditions, business risks, and emerging opportunities.
What You Will Need:
- 10+ years of progressive multi-unit retail leadership experience, including at least 5 years operating at a strategic regional, multi-market, or comparable leadership level.
- Demonstrated experience owning or influencing regional P&L, budgets, profitability, and financial performance across a multi-unit retail organization.
- Proven ability to translate corporate strategy into actionable regional plans and hold multi-unit leaders accountable for execution.
- Experience leading, coaching, and developing District Managers, Area Managers, or comparable multi-unit leaders.
- Strong track record of building succession plans and leadership pipelines across multiple markets.
- Demonstrated ability to influence senior and executive stakeholders across multiple business functions.
- Strong strategic thinking, business planning, and analytical capabilities.
- Executive-level written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Strong financial acumen with the ability to translate data into business decisions and strategic priorities.
- Ability to operate independently and make sound decisions in a fast-paced, rapidly scaling organization.
- Ability and willingness to travel approximately 80% throughout the region.
- Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience leading a large and geographically dispersed retail region within a high-growth, specialty retail, lifestyle, fashion, entertainment, or consumer brand.
- Experience supporting significant retail expansion, including new market entry and new store openings.
- Experience partnering closely with Real Estate, Construction, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, HR, Finance, and Retail Operations.
- Experience operating within a global or international organization and partnering across multiple regions or cultures.
- Demonstrated success building scalable processes and leadership structures during periods of rapid organizational growth.
What We Offer
- Market-competitive packages: 401k, health insurance, PTO, paid sick leave, and family leave.
- Growth opportunities: on-the-job training, leadership development, and stretch assignments to advance your career.
- Career development: opportunities to take on larger responsibilities as POP MART's North America business scales rapidly.
- The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to travel extensively (approximately 50-80%), including frequent air travel and multi-day market visits outside of the home market.
- Must be able to stand, walk, and move through retail environments for extended periods during store and market visits.
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position (e.g., seated or at a desk) for extended periods while operating a computer or other office equipment.
- Must be able to occasionally lift or move items weighing up to 25 pounds.
Pay Range Details
The base salary range for this position is $160,000–$190,000 annually. This range is provided in accordance with applicable state and local pay transparency laws and may vary based on geographic location. Individual compensation will be determined based on factors including job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications. This position may also be eligible to participate in the Company's incentive compensation program.
Background Checks
For applicants located in Los Angeles or San Francisco: In accordance with applicable local Fair Chance laws, POP MART conducts criminal background checks only after a conditional offer of employment has been made. Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (Los Angeles Municipal Code § 189.04) and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, as applicable.
Equal Employment Opportunity
POP MART is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Employment decisions at POP MART are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications.
Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation during the application or hiring process may request assistance by emailing na.hrsupport@popmart.com.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily. The qualifications, skills, abilities, and physical demands described in this job posting are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the job.
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*POP MART is committed to equal pay initiatives and will not ask candidates for their current or past salary.
*As an Equal Opportunity Employer, POP MART does not discriminate against applicants or employees
because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, age, citizenship,
imarital or domestic/civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or because of
any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state or local law.