Target will eliminate 107 positions in New Jersey by mid-May as part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at streamlining operations and addressing persistent concerns about in-store execution, supply chain performance, and customer experience.
The workforce reductions were disclosed in a formal notice filed with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The company indicated the cuts will affect employees in Burlington, Gloucester, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties, though it did not identify specific facilities or job titles tied to the layoffs.
The move comes as the Minnesota-based retail giant continues a nationwide overhaul of its internal structure, particularly within field leadership and distribution operations. Company officials have said the changes are designed to improve store conditions, reduce inefficiencies, and create a more consistent operating model across the chain’s vast network.
Nationally, Target is preparing to eliminate approximately 500 roles at distribution centers and regional offices. The reductions are expected to include roughly 100 positions at the store district level and about 400 jobs across supply chain locations. The company is also consolidating a portion of its nearly 2,000 store districts and standardizing how field and logistics teams operate in order to reduce layers of management and speed up decision-making.
For New Jersey, the impact underscores the growing pressure on major retailers to recalibrate staffing models while still competing for customers in a high-cost, highly competitive marketplace.
Industry analysts say the restructuring reflects a broader shift among large national chains seeking to correct operational problems that became more visible over the past two years, including inconsistent inventory levels, understaffed sales floors, and longer checkout times. In recent quarters, shoppers have repeatedly cited cluttered shelves and out-of-stock merchandise as reasons for taking more of their spending to competitors and online platforms.
Target employs approximately 440,000 people nationwide, with the vast majority working inside its more than 2,000 retail stores. While corporate and regional positions account for a small portion of that total workforce, leadership roles and logistics staff play a critical role in setting store standards and ensuring merchandise reaches sales floors on time.
The latest round of layoffs follows a major corporate reduction announced in October 2025, when Target said it would eliminate 1,000 headquarters and corporate positions and close 800 open roles that were still unfilled. At that time, executives emphasized a shift toward reinvesting labor dollars into store operations and frontline staffing.
That strategy is now being carried forward under newly appointed Chief Executive Officer Michael Fiddelke, who formally took the top role last week after more than two decades with the company. Fiddelke previously served as Target’s chief operating officer and has held senior leadership positions spanning finance, operations, merchandising, and human resources.
Shortly after stepping into the CEO role, Fiddelke announced a series of leadership changes across the company’s executive team, including new appointments for chief merchandising officer and chief operating officer. In internal and public remarks, he described the changes as part of a push to simplify the company’s structure, strengthen accountability, and move more quickly on operational priorities tied directly to sales growth and customer experience.
Retail experts say the leadership realignment signals a sharper focus on execution inside stores—an area that has become increasingly decisive as consumers grow more selective with discretionary spending amid inflation, higher interest rates, and persistent household budget pressures.
Despite the layoffs, Target is continuing an aggressive long-term expansion strategy. The company remains committed to opening 300 new stores nationwide by 2035, with 30 new locations expected to launch this year alone.
New Jersey remains a key growth market within that expansion plan.
The retailer currently operates 53 stores across the state and is preparing to add two more locations in the coming weeks. New stores are scheduled to open March 15 at Journal Square in Jersey City and at West Orange Plaza in West Orange, expanding Target’s presence in both Hudson and Essex counties.
In addition to its retail footprint, Target maintains several large logistics and distribution operations in New Jersey, including facilities in Logan Township and Perth Amboy. Those sites play a critical role in serving the Northeast corridor and supporting store replenishment throughout the region.
While Target has not confirmed whether any of the 107 New Jersey job cuts are tied directly to those facilities, supply chain operations are a central focus of the company’s nationwide restructuring. Executives have said standardizing how regional logistics teams operate should reduce bottlenecks, improve delivery reliability, and help stores stay better stocked during peak shopping periods.
For workers and local communities, however, the layoffs arrive at a time when the state’s retail and warehouse sectors are already experiencing heightened job volatility. Major employers across New Jersey have announced staffing reductions over the past year as companies respond to shifting consumer behavior, rising operating costs, and continued pressure to automate and consolidate administrative functions.
Local economic development officials say the combination of new store openings and back-end workforce reductions highlights a changing retail labor landscape—one in which brick-and-mortar expansion does not necessarily translate into proportional long-term job growth.
Additional coverage of workforce trends, corporate restructuring, and regional retail developments can be found in Sunset Daily News’ ongoing business reporting.
As Target moves ahead with its operational reset and leadership overhaul, New Jersey will remain both a testing ground and a growth market for the company—balancing new store investment against a leaner corporate and supply chain structure designed to make the retailer more competitive in an increasingly demanding retail environment.
