Project Manager 2 - FAO Schwarz Activation Trainer - NYC

The FAO In‑Store Trainer plays a critical role in bringing the FAO Schwarz brand to life within Nordstrom stores, ensuring teams deliver an elevated, magical, and customer‑centered experience.

Grounded in Nordstrom’s service values and FAO Schwarz’s rich heritage of play, this role focuses on:

• Building confident, knowledgeable, experienced-driven sales teams
• Creating meaningful customer connections anchored in storytelling and product demonstrations
• Driving business results through training excellence, coaching, and in‑store activation
• Ensuring consistent delivery of the FAO brand ethos in conjunction with Nordstrom core values and best practices across our locations.

As a visible leader on the sales floor, the Trainer partners closely with store teams and FAO business partners to maintain brand standards, elevate selling behaviors, and contribute to a cohesive, joyful, and high‑performing environment.

Core Responsibilities

Training & Learning Excellence

• Deliver high‑impact training for new hires and tenured associates focused on FAO brand history, product knowledge, visual standards, selling behaviors, and Nordstrom service expectations.
• Facilitate engaging learning experiences including storytelling, role‑play, demonstrations, and real‑time coaching.
• Translate product features into customer‑centered benefits to support confident, needs‑based selling.
• Lead “Train the Trainer” sessions to empower regional teams to coach and assess performance.
• Develop supplemental reference tools to support learning retention.
• Support onboarding programs to ensure new associates are customer‑ready from Day One.
   

In‑Store Partnerships & Activation

• Partner with store leadership to support in‑store activations, events, product launches, and brand moments that drive excitement and business results.
• Spend time immersed in Nordstrom FAO departments to understand store‑specific needs and adjust training strategies accordingly.
• Support visual storytelling, merchandising execution, and POS setup to ensure an elevated and cohesive customer experience.
• Model Nordstrom selling behaviors and FAO experiential engagement on the sales floor during peak times.
• Conduct semi‑annual visits to the FAO Schwarz Flagship to stay aligned with brand evolution.
   

Performance Focus & Insights

• Observe teams in action and provide timely coaching to elevate performance and customer connection.
• Measure training impact through conversion, UPT, and sales trends.
• Gather and share insights, best practices, and opportunities with FAO and Nordstrom cross‑functional partners.
• Evaluate training effectiveness using participant feedback and store outcomes.

A Day in the Life:

No two days look the same for a FAO In‑Store Trainer. A typical day might include:

• Starting the morning with an energizing product and storytelling session for associates
• Joining the sales floor during peak hours to model experiential selling and magical customer engagement
• Coaching individual associates and leaders through real‑time observation and feedback
• Supporting merchandising adjustments or preparing for an upcoming brand activation
• Partnering with store leaders to align priorities and review performance insights
• Wrapping the day by documenting observations, sharing insights with cross‑functional partners, and preparing for the next store visit

Everyday centers around one goal: helping teams deliver unforgettable, joy‑filled experiences that embody the FAO Schwarz legacy and drive Nordstrom business results.

We’ve got you covered…

Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits. Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:

• Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away

• Life Insurance and Disability

• Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources

A few more important points...

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.

For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site.

Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location, which can be identified at www.nordstrom.com. 

Please be mindful that there may be legal notices and requirements related to this job posting that are specific to your state. Review the Career Site FAQ’s for relevant information and guidelines.

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Current Nordstrom employees: To apply, log into Workday, click the Careers button and then click Find Jobs.

Nordstrom keeps job postings open for at least one day after the posting date.

Pay Range Details

The pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations. 
Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

$87,000.00 - $144,000.00 Annual

This position may be eligible for performance-based incentives/bonuses. Benefits include 401k, medical/vision/dental/life/disability insurance options, PTO accruals, Holidays, and more. Eligibility requirements may apply based on location, job level, classification, and length of employment. Learn more in the Nordstrom Benefits Overview by copying and pasting the following URL into your browser: https://careers.nordstrom.com/pdfs/Ben_Overview_16.pdf