Joseph Barrera

About Joseph Barrera

I’m driven by helping teams connect what they do every day to the bigger goals of the business. Whether it’s rolling out a new loyalty program across 70+ stores or guiding managers on how to coach and motivate their teams, I’m at my best when I’m building clarity, consistency, and confidence across the front lines.Over the past four years at Kohl’s, I’ve led loyalty and credit initiatives that turned complex corporate strategies into simple, actionable habits, the kind that boost credit penetration, improve customer engagement, and drive lasting team and customer success. I’ve trained hundreds of team members across New England, mentored district leaders, and introduced scalable systems that helped lift both employee satisfaction and sales outcomes.What drives me most is seeing people succeed, not just in hitting a number, but in understanding why it matters. I take pride in simplifying processes, designing training that actually sticks, and creating environments where teams can perform at their best.Before stepping into my current role, I managed store operations and associate performance, where I learned firsthand how culture, coaching, and communication shape customer and employee experience. That foundation continues to shape how I approach every program today: practical, people-centered, and built to last.Today, my focus is on helping teams operate with purpose, combining data, coaching, and clear communication to strengthen engagement, compliance, and performance across every level of the organization.

Experience

1. Territory Training & Loyalty Lead

   Kohl's

   May 2022 — Present

   Oversees loyalty, credit, and training programs across 74 stores and 700+ associates, translating corporate initiatives into practical field execution. Partners with HR, operations, territory, regional, and district leadership to strengthen engagement, compliance, and performance through coaching, data-driven reporting, and scalable learning systems. Delivered double-digit improvements in credit and rewards adoption by simplifying training delivery, building reporting cadences that drive accountability, and refining rollout processes for new programs. Mentored in-store trainers and managers to model effective coaching and recognition practices, reducing new-hire ramp time by 25% and improving frontline engagement. Developed clear, repeatable learning tools, including job aids, SOE-style guides, and slide decks, that improved adoption and consistency across all 74 stores. Recognized by executive leadership for creating practical, people-centered training that strengthened participation, retention, and compliance outcomes across the territory.

Education

• University of North Carolina at Greensboro

  Bachelor of Applied Science - BASc, sociology and criminology

  2017 — 2020