Senior Operations Manager

Job description / Role

As the Senior Retail Operations Manager you will be acting as a General Brand Manager for a number of brands under the sectors of F&B, Fashion and Toys. This role is located in Azerbaijan in the capital of Baku. You will be responsible for overseeing the entire operation with the given territory. You are responsible for creating and fostering the organisational culture and ensuring each employee is working as a team. You will be responsible for setting up a head office, hiring an effective team to manage all key functions required for a retail business. You will support the board or owner of the business in shaping the business strategy and then ensuring that you put in the processes and operational practices to deliver that strategy. Leadership and motivation are a given as this position requires a high level of responsibility and autonomy. Success in this role will be measured by financial performance, growing the business, successful UK brand visits as well as delivering the brand values and ethos of running retail stores. You should have proven retail experience at a senior level (Area manager or above) and experience in toys is an advantage.

For the role of Senior Retail Operations Manager based in Azerbaijan we would require a candidate that has experience in the following:
• Provide leadership, guidance, expertise and direction to managers, staff and internal/external partners. Develop organisational policies and procedures and responsibilities for overall organisational direction.
• Manage the budget, succession planning, quality control, performance and reporting for all functions, by driving strategy, policies and procedures for the assigned area.
• Work with business areas to review and set service level requirements. Establish service level reporting requirements and ensure the organisation delivers against them.
• Create and deliver the organisational strategy, implement processes and operational excellence, ensuring all company goals are met.
• Hire the following positions; Project manager (store build), I.T Manager, Buyer, Marketing Manager, Logistics Manager, Retail Trainer, Human Resource Manager and a Store Manager.
• Oversee the implementation of an I.T infrastructure for both head office and stores
• Oversee the building of the store to the UK specification as outlined in the manual
• Oversee and manage the pre, post, opening and ongoing marketing
• Proven track record of delivering profitable sales and projects on time and within budget.
• The role requires strategic planning as well as the close day to day running of the operation. You will be responsible for delivering high levels of standards across the organisation and ensuring compliance measures are delivered.
• You must have strong administration, planning, negotiation, managing financial budgets as they are essential skills in this role.
• You must be able to communicate to a high standard in English both verbally and in writing, this is essential as all communications with the UK team will be in English.
• You must create and analyse financial reports improve sales performance, stock holding and profitability.
• You will be required to seek out new opportunities to open new stores and create a business case for opening those stores to both your line manager and principle brand.
• Good relationships within the local market is an advantage.

Requirements

The following are minimum requirements for the Senior Retail Operations Manager (General Brand Manager) role:
• Minimum of 3 years of senior retail management experience with significant exposure to operations. Demonstrated ability to manage large budgets, achieve objectives within fiscal restraints, and implement effective operating controls to ensure compliance with audit and franchisors requirements.
• Ability to influence at a high level with fact-based strategies and proposals.
• Proven record of building strong partnerships with external vendors and internal partners.
• Ability to work on multiple projects, meet deadlines and work well under pressure.
• Ability to consistently prioritise workload with heavy emphasis based on business impact.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Highly organised and efficient with a high sense of urgency.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills in English.

About the Company

Michael Page is one of the world's leading professional recruitment consultancies, specializing in the placement of candidates in permanent, contract, temporary and interim positions with clients around the world.

The Group has operations in the UK, Continental Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. In the Middle East we focus on the areas of:

Finance & Accounting Banking & Financial Services Procurement Property & Construction Engineering & Supply Chain Oil & Gas Technical and Engineering Human Resources Sales Marketing Technology Secretarial Executive Search Legal

The Group operates through 161 offices in 33 countries and employs over 5,000 employees worldwide.