Senior Operations Manager - Retail - Fashion

Job description / Role

Job Requisition ID: 167900

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions: automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group's entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enable the organization to continue to grow and expand, responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration, and integrity, Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Overview of the role

This Senior Operations Manager will oversee and manage all aspects of store operations, establishing high levels of in-store standards; customer care and service, and effectively managing all budgeted resources to secure agreed growth and profitability targets.

What you will do

• Strategic and Operational Management
  - Oversee all aspects of store operations and ensure delivery of high in-store standards. This will include store coverage, customer feedback, merchandising standards, and implementation of in-store activities and promotions.
  - The job holder will receive regular reports from store managers about sales performance and trading-related issues to give specific feedback.
  - Supervise and ensure that stores adhere to agreed store stock holding targets, inventory levels, and the correct procedures relating to product handling.
• Budget Management and Optimization
  - Agree and implement the sales growth and profitability strategy set by the head office.
  - Participate in the budgeting process and agree on targets for the business. Based on the agreed targets, receive feedback from the different functions, decide on the operational plan for the stores, and monitor adherence to the plan to achieve the agreed budgets.
  - The job holder is responsible for controlling operating costs and expenses, responding to market dynamics, achieving customer service standards and targets, and implementing corrective action when and where required.
• Marketing and Customer Service Improvement
  - Ensure local marketing activity is implemented for all KSA locations and that all competitor activity is monitored and reported on.
  - Instill a culture of customer obsession, aiming for excellent customer service and implementing best practices across all levels.
• Process Improvement
  - Ensure that all processes and methods for scanning, storing, and the delivery of merchandise are followed.
  - Review and suggest process improvements to minimize shrinkage through poor handling and stock loss.
  - Agree with the buying team on store stock holding targets.
  - Provide timely feedback on both over-stocks and shortages to the buying team.
  - Supervise and ensure that stores adhere to agreed store stock holding targets, inventory levels, and the correct procedures relating to product handling.
• Project/Store Management
  - Supervise and coordinate all aspects of new store openings and refurbishments ensuring that agreed standards are achieved, municipality regulations are adhered to, budgets are met, and the project plan is prepared with timescales completed.
  - The job holder will ensure that the project runs on schedule, in line with agreed specifications, and that progress is monitored.
  - Identify and negotiate opportunities for institutional sales. Identify and discuss the opportunities and locations for new and existing stores.
• People Management
  - Work closely with the HR Business Partner to implement the recruitment and staffing plan for all stores as per the agreed manpower budget.
  - Ensure that staffing requirements for peak trading are adequately planned.
  - Review the development needs of staff and store management and ensure training plans are implemented. Perform interim and annual appraisals as required.

Required Skills to be successful

• Strategic planning
• Strong leadership skills
• Profound passion for fashion
• Budget management
• Strong presentation, listening, verbal, and written communication skills
• Drive business target achievement
• Ability to have a vision, to identify potential areas and ideas for future development and implementation
• Point of sale experience

What equips you for the role

Minimum Qualification and Knowledge
- Education: University degree or postgraduate degree

Minimum Experience
- Minimum 5 years of store management experience, preferably with 2 years in managing store operations in KSA.

Behavioral Competencies
- Strong people relationship and management skills
- Must have the ability to create an environment where the people values are a strong and living reality that embraces the diversity of co-workers and customers
- Customer focus
- Continuous improvement
- Teamwork

We're here to provide excellent service, but a little help from you can ensure a five-star candidate experience from start to finish.

Before you click "apply": Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalized CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviors, but also how candidates align with our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, and excellence.

As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.

About the Company

Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.

The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.