In a another step toward the debut of U.S. stores, Lidl has begun advertising for store managers.
Lidl has said it intends to open its first stores in the U.S. no later than 2018, and has been seeking store sites from New Jersey to Georgia. Late last month the German retailer, with U.S. offices in Arlington, Va., posted online job notices seeking managers in 12 metro areas: Culpepper, Norfolk and Richmond, Va.; Charlotte, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, N.C.; Greenville/Spartanburg and Columbia, S.C.; Reading, Pa.; Price George's County, Md.; Burlington County, N.J.; and Augusta, Ga.
Store manager hires will undergo a six-month training program in the U.S. and in Europe, Will Harwood, a spokesman for Lidl, told SN. "It's a great opportunity for motivated leaders who want to grow and develop in their careers with a rapidly growing company that invests heavily in its people," he said. 
According to the ads, Lidl is seeking candidates with two years of management experience, the ability to understand and interpret key performance indicators (KPIs) and who have strong management skills. 
Lidl has also posted an ad seeking a store associate in the Arlington, Va., region. That worker would maintain a cash register and unpack and stock merchandise.