Store Manager

Overview of the role:

The store manager will lead the team to achieve the retail objectives, creating an environment that delivers an exceptional customer experience by serving and selling in store and through all digital channels.

What you will do:

• Deliver the respective sales plan for the store by identifying opportunities to drive sales performance across key departments.
• Lead a selling culture within the team and maximise sales in store and through all digital channels.
• Identify and anticipate opportunities to drive sales performance and availability through regular review and analysis of management information and embed this behaviour in the team.
• Lead the business selling strategy and inspire your team to deliver store and regional events.
• Build strong relationships, networking both internally and externally, to drive sales performance, maximise footfall, share best practice and provide influencing business feedback.
• Lead the store team to ensure right first-time implementation of all retail activity and deliver excellent visual standards of presentation.
• Maximise stock accuracy and on-shelf availability through the effective management of stock.
• Drive accuracy and availability processes to deliver business availability targets.
• Manage an effective food fill and top-up process through the delivery of cost improvement programs and productivity targets.
• Probe daily diagnostics and take action to deliver stock to the required standard every day.
• Manage on-shelf availability and check store stock reports for accuracy and sign off on a daily basis.
• Ensure accurate and timely implementation of corporate layout, phase changes and events.
• Review and implement plans at department level accurately reflecting the floor plan and recommendations from the planning team.
• Coach advisors to deliver and maintain sales floor plans.
• Provide feedback to visual merchandising manager of any issues with the plans and ensure store feedback is provided as part of the floor plan sign-off process.
• Manage space and equipment accuracy within the store.
• Deliver décor to policy and liaise with relevant teams to ensure correct implementation.

• Provide feedback to individuals that recognises great service and drives improvement.
• Use relevant service measures to identify and implement actions for improvement. Feed back to the team and individuals on key risk areas.
• Sample and measure service in store using customer feedback results and use feedback to improve the service offer delivered by the team.
• Recognise individuals who deliver excellent service by giving feedback and utilising awards and nominations to reward those who provide excellent customer service.
• Coach team to ensure they actively demonstrate and role model service – ‘doing the right thing’ and the four key service behaviours.
• Manage the delivery of the customer service experience.
• Ensure a memorable shopping experience by engaging with and making a personal connection with the customer.
• Deliver great service for customers and role model service behaviours at all times: being positive, being determined, taking ownership and responsibility, and being respectful.
• Ensure service standards are driven throughout the day by conducting ready to trade checks, customer walkthroughs and observations.
• Ensure right people in the right place and react on a daily basis to meet the needs of customers.
• Effectively manage and resource all service points, e.g. till points.
• Engage with team to ensure their understanding and delivery of the customer service experience.
• Resolve customer complaints in a timely manner.
• Demonstrate awareness of the competition’s service proposition and make comparisons to the service offered across the store.
• Ensure individual and team's personal appearance meet the M&S standard including the wearing of the correct uniform and name badge.

• Lead the team to the delivery of ‘Ready to Trade Standards’, delivering an aspirational and clean environment for customers and colleagues.
• Lead the delivery of a safe and legal working environment for colleagues and customers to ensure the store is compliant at all times.
• Drive operational excellence throughout the store and look for opportunities to work efficiently and continuously improve.
• Analyse risks and opportunities to maximise profitability and control store operating costs.
• Use the store resource allocation and drive a culture of flexibility to meet customer and operational needs.
• Lead the delivery of business change.
• Ensure the store is ‘Ready to Trade’ and corporate standards are maintained throughout the day.
• Ensure clean as you go is a rhythm and routine through the section manager team driving this on their departments.
• Drive a collaborative approach with the visual team on delivering excellent standards across all aspects of visual merchandising and ensuring the delivery of the marketing principle for all ‘eye and buy’ level décor.
• Work with the commercial department manager and café managers to deliver the food best practices across the relevant department.
• Drive the team to deliver all legal ticketing and décor in line with the country and company policy.
• Ensure all legal and compliance training is completed on time and by the appropriate person.
• Have a detailed understanding of company due diligence requirements and internal audit processes and keep up to date with any changes to the policy.
• Ensure the equipment on the sales floor and décor is compliant with health and safety regulations and adheres to company guidelines to manage risk.
• Ensure all kit swap out or new equipment is planned for implementation and instilled in line with safe working practices.

• Manage a committed team who feel fully engaged, supported and recognised for their contribution.
• Develop and lead a motivated team, celebrate success and recognise contribution.
• Raise the performance and capability of the team through clear accountability, coaching and regular feedback.
• Drive improvements in performance, conduct and attendance in line with company policy.
• Identify and develop a clear and active talent pipeline to meet the store and regional succession plans.
• Develop a capable BIG team and create a strong and effective working partnership with BIG in line with the constitution.
• Own your personal development.
• Drive individual performance and develop potential.
• Deliver the performance review process within agreed time frames and drive delivery of consistent standards of performance and behaviour.
• Agree stretching targets for the team and take appropriate action to deal with poor performance in a timely manner.
• Take an active role in ensuring all new and existing employees develop the skills and experience to perform well in their roles.
• Identify and develop talent through effective development planning.
• Identify recruitment needs and take an active role in the selection of the team.
• Implement company HR policies fairly and consistently across the store to drive improvements in attendance and behaviour.
• Take ownership for own development.

• Drive the store’s profitability through minimising losses, accurate staff cost management and drive an efficient and productive working culture.
• Drive a profit protection mentality in store, raising awareness of potential risks and play a part in the shrinkage plan including stocktake preparation and execution.
• Lead through the management team by managing controllable costs such as waste.
• Effectively support managing the store’s staffing budget including holiday planning and absence management targets.
• Understand store profitability and the impact on store costs such as cleaning and maintenance.
• Probe the monthly store cost report and the impact on store accountable contributors.
• Ensure there is an effective absence management process in place with the section manager team through the use of return to work interviews.
• Lead improvement in store efficiencies by taking ownership in the process delivery.
• Drive the team to deliver individual productivity and take appropriate action to improve or address where necessary.
• Ensure the staffing model is regularly reviewed and reflects store activity and utilises maximising resource process to deliver right people in the right place and at the right time for customer assistants and SSAs-CDMs.

Minimum qualifications and knowledge:

High school educated (preferably a university degree), with on the job technical knowledge and related experience for food and hygiene.

Minimum experience:

4+ years of retail or food and beverage sales experience.

Job-specific skills:

Good verbal communication skills, food and beverage hygiene knowledge and certification.

Behavioral competencies:

Connect with our customer and each other by being positive, determined, respectful and taking ownership and responsibility to actively sell.