B

Bath & Body Works

Fragrance and personal-care retail chain

Retail Brand Experience Key Holder

Full-Time
No salary listed
Entry
Chicago, IL, USA
In Person
RetailRetail Store Management
No H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • Thrive in a consumer-first retail environment.
  • Foster a consumer-focused selling culture.
  • Demonstrate sales, consumer experience, and operational results in a fast-paced environment.
  • Communicate effectively, remain open to feedback, and adapt quickly.
  • Provide in-the-moment coaching to associates.
  • De-escalate store and consumer situations effectively.
  • Meet physical demands, including standing, walking, reaching, lifting, bending, kneeling, and climbing ladders; lift 10 pounds consistently and up to 50 pounds.
  • Be available for peak days and times, including varied evening, weekend, and holiday shifts.
  • Have a high school diploma, GED certificate, or relevant work experience.
  • Work highest-priority and highest-traffic days and times, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, and work opening and closing shifts.
  • Be authorized for employment in the United States.
Responsibilities
  • Support delivery of the sales plan through effective execution of store and operational tasks.
  • Perform leadership tasks delegated by the Brand Experience Leader, including serving as leader on duty when scheduled and addressing consumer experience, vendor relationship, or maintenance issues.
  • Provide individual and team performance feedback and recommendations to leadership.
  • Lead in-store consumer experiences by demonstrating and modeling selling behaviors rooted in company values and elevated product knowledge.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of products, company policies, and store strategies.
  • Set the direction and goals for the day or shift when associates arrive for work.
  • Perform opening and closing routines, including making bank deposits, receiving shipments, and interpreting and disseminating company directives.
  • Connect with consumers by identifying needs, sharing product information, demonstrating products, and making personalized recommendations.
  • Drive rewards program enrollment and engagement on the sales floor and at checkout.
  • Assist with floorset execution, window changes, visual presentation, and marketing placement as needed.
  • Provide a safe, clean, and engaging experience by adhering to safety standards and expectations.
  • Maintain company values, policies, and procedures.

About the company

Bath & Body Works sells affordable fragrance and personal care products through a large network of stores and online, focusing on lotions, soaps, and home fragrances like candles. The products use recognizable scents to create an accessible luxury experience, with a emphasis on aroma and mood-enhancing properties, and include flagship lines like White Barn Candles. The brand achieves scale through mass retail presence and a strong mall footprint, distinguishing itself by its fragrance dominance, proven store format, and history as a corporate-led spin-off rather than a founder-led startup. The company aims to grow its global footprint and strengthen its digital presence to reach more customers and expand its market share.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Columbus, Ohio

Founded

1990

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Q2 2026 direct sales rose 3%, the first growth since 2021.
  • Amazon sales more than tripled sequentially, and Ulta launched in about 600 stores.
  • Management guided 2026 free cash flow near $650 million, funding marketing and digital upgrades.

What critics are saying

  • Barington Capital pushed a sale on September 10, 2026, signaling strategic failure.
  • Store sales fell 5.4% in Q2 2026, exposing mall traffic dependence.
  • Tariff refunds lifted Q2 margins by $80 million; that benefit vanishes in 2027.

What makes Bath & Body Works unique

  • Bath & Body Works owns the dominant affordable-fragrance brand, with nationwide scent authority.
  • Its 2026 Amazon and Ulta expansion extends reach without diluting owned-store merchandising.
  • White Barn candles and seasonal drops create repeat purchase habits competitors struggle to match.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Unlimited Paid Time Off
  • Parental Leave
  • Mental Health Support
  • 40% Discount

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

1%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Global Cosmetics News
Oct 27th, 2026
Bath & Body Works opens first Feel Good concept store to transform fragrance discovery.

Bath & Body Works opens first Feel Good concept store to transform fragrance discovery. THE WHAT? Bath & Body Works has opened its first Feel Good concept store in Charlotte, North Carolina, introducing a redesigned retail format focused on fragrance discovery, personalised shopping and improved product information. THE DETAILS The new concept debuted at SouthPark Mall on 23 October 2026, with additional locations planned for Columbus, Ohio, and Miami, Florida. Developed as part of the company's Consumer First Formula transformation strategy, the format features an open floorplan, dedicated fragrance testing areas and clearer information on ingredients and product benefits. Interactive features include an Eau de Parfum bar, lip-and-blend station, demonstration sinks and a digital Fragrance Finder offering personalised scent recommendations. Products are organised by fragrance family, while flexible displays highlight new launches, established fragrances and seasonal collections. THE WHY? The concept reflects the growing importance of experiential retail, personalisation and product education within the cosmetics and personal care industry. By combining digital fragrance recommendations with hands-on testing and simplified store navigation, Bath & Body Works is exploring ways to improve product discovery, strengthen consumer engagement and inform future retail development.

VMSD
Oct 26th, 2026
Bath & Body Works unveils concept store.

Bath & Body Works unveils concept store. Chain's 'Feel Good' prototype in Charlotte to be followed by two others. 7 seconds ago October 26, 2026 Bath & Body Works (Columbus, Ohio) has opened its first "Feel Good" concept store in the SouthPark Mall in Charlotte, N.C. Beyond that, two similar spaces are slated to open next month in Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio, and the Town and Country mall in Miami. The concept's underlying idea, the retailer said in a news release, is "to make fragrance discovery easier and product benefits clearer." To that end, the layout includes flexible feature walls, immersive testing stations and dedicated discovery zones designed to encourage hands-on exploration of fragrances and formulas. Specific features of the new layout include an Eau de Parfum bar that encourages fragrance discovery; a lip-and-blend station; dedicated sink zones; and shoppable drawers. The space is also home to enhanced signage and product storytelling. As for its materials palette, design brings together natural stone, custom-colored tile and warm wood. "Natural materials, a welcoming layout and thoughtful product storytelling come together to create a space that encourages discovery and helps consumers connect with the products they love in a fresh, engaging way," said Samantha Day, Associate VP of Store Design for the brand, which has roughly 1900 company-operated stores across the United States and Canada, along with 500-plus international franchises. Drawing on more than 125 years of history serving the retail design market, VMSD magazine provides retail professionals with the most up-to-date, innovative retail design ideas and industry news through its industry-leading magazine, website, social media channels and bulletins. Featured video. MasterClass: 're-sparkling' retail: using Store Design to build trust, faith and brand loyalty. HOW CAN WE EMPOWER and inspire senior leaders to see design as an investment for future retail growth? This session, led by retail design expert Ian Johnston from Quinine Design, explores how physical stores remain unmatched in the ability to build trust, faith, and loyalty with your customers, ultimately driving shareholder value. Presented by: Ian Johnston Founder and Creative Director, Quinine Design You may like.

Louis Velazquez
Oct 23rd, 2026
Bath & Body Works tackles a major customer complaint.

Bath & Body Works tackles a major customer complaint. Bath & Body Works is making some big moves as it looks to attract shoppers this holiday season. Earlier this week, I covered the fragrance retailer's expanded partnership with Ulta Beauty. From now through Dec. 26, shoppers can find a selection of the brand's most popular products (and an exclusive scent!) at all Ulta locations. But the company isn't stopping there. Today, Bath & Body Works announced another way it plans to make your seasonal shopping easier - an all-new store format designed to make discovery simpler than ever. Bath & Body Works debuts new store format. On Oct. 23, Bath & Body Works debuted its new store format in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Feel Good concept store has a simplified floor plan, focused product displays, dedicated testing spaces, and a more curated selection of the retailer's extensive fragrance and product range. The stores were designed in response to feedback from customers that Bath & Body Works' traditional locations can feel overwhelming and complex to navigate. "Our Consumer First Formula starts with listening to consumers and understanding what they want from Bath & Body Works," Chief Commercial Officer Maly Bernstein said in a statement. "The Feel Good concept brings those insights to life in new and innovative ways, while giving us an opportunity to test, learn and gather real-time feedback on fragrance discovery, trial and connection in our stores," he continued. The new format may be simplified and streamlined compared to most existing locations, but that doesn't mean it has lost that familiar Bath & Body Works feel, replete with warm wood fixtures and natural stone sinks. "The intent behind our Feel Good concept stores was to create an environment that feels warm, authentic and beautiful while making it easier and more enjoyable for consumers to shop," said Associate Vice President of store design Samantha Day. The first Feel Good location can be found at Charlotte's SouthPark Mall, with additional concept stores set to open in Columbus, Ohio, and Miami, Florida, in October and November. Bath & Body Works debuted a new store format on Oct. 23, designed to simplify its "overwhelming" shopping experience. Bath & Body Works Bath & Body Works is rethinking the in-store experience. The concept stores are part of Bath & Body Works' larger turnaround efforts. In late 2025, after several disappointing quarters, the company launched its Consumer First Formula, a strategic plan to return to growth. "We are undertaking a comprehensive, end-to-end evolution of our business - building a Bath & Body Works that is more innovative, more relevant, and easier to shop," CEO Daniel Heaf said in a statement at the time. "This work lays the foundation for sustained, long-term growth as we reposition the company from a specialty retailer to a premier global brand." Among other things, the retailer has been focusing on the physical shopping experience. Heaf has said that the stores "aren't as easy to shop as they should be" and that customers have often complained that they're "overwhelming." More shopping news: In response, the company conducted a complete merchandising reset across its full fleet of stores in the second quarter of 2026. "Clearer signage and more intuitive layouts organized by fragrance, form, and franchise are designed to make our assortment easier to understand and products easier to discover," Heaf told investors during an earnings call. He added that "initial feedback from consumers and associates has been positive, and we will continue to evolve the store experience to improve new consumer acquisition, conversion, and store productivity." The Feel Good concept stores build on those efforts, giving Bath & Body Works another way to test how changes to its physical shopping experience could help attract new customers and drive sales. Bath & Body Works balances partnerships with store investments. The new store format also comes as Bath & Body Works looks for additional ways to reach consumers beyond its traditional retail footprint. Within the last year, Bath & Body Works has launched partnerships with both Amazon and Ulta Beauty and seen enormous growth within those channels. That expansion makes it even more crucial for the company to get the in-store experience right. While third-party partnerships can help introduce the brand to more consumers, the company still needs to give shoppers a reason to visit its own locations. By simplifying its store layouts and making fragrance discovery easier, Bath & Body Works is betting that its physical locations can continue to offer an experience that keeps shoppers coming back and allow it to remain the mall staple Louis Velazquez know it to be.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 10th, 2026
Activist Barington pushes Bath & Body Works to explore sale after 78% stock decline

Bath & Body Works shares rose 2.3% in extended trading Thursday after activist investor Barington Capital Group disclosed a stake of approximately one million shares and urged the board to explore a sale. Barington CEO James Mitarotonda told Bloomberg the specialty retailer should immediately retain financial advisers to initiate a sale process, citing strong brand equity and cash flow despite persistent leadership turnover. The firm is also calling for aggressive share repurchases and may pursue a proxy contest for board representation. Bath & Body Works said it regularly engages with investors and remains committed to evaluating avenues to enhance shareholder value. Since rebranding in 2021, the company's stock has declined roughly 78% alongside a 50% drop in net income.

MarketScreener
Sep 10th, 2026
Barington Capital takes Bath & Body Works stake, pushes for sale, Bloomberg reports

Activist investment firm Barington Capital Group has taken a new stake in Bath & Body Works and is pushing the personal care brand to explore a sale, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people...