Operations Manager

Job description / Role

On behalf of our client, a well reputed and recognized salon chain based in the UAE, we are seeking an Operations Manager.

Key Role: Manage day to day operations of all stores, ensuring that all staff deliver the highest levels of quality and service to customers, and that general salon operations are executed smoothly and efficiently in order to maximize P&L performance of the business.

Job Responsibilities:

Operations/P&L Management
• Work with Salon Directors and teams to:
• Deliver on company revenue and profitability targets
• Drive performance against KPIs including new customers visits, customer retention, customer satisfaction, service complaints, missed opportunities, staff attrition, stock variance, average basket size, retail sales etc.
• Effectively manage and promote cross-selling/upselling/bundling of services and retail products to enhance customer experience and maximize average transaction value (while avoiding hard selling)
• Manage location costs (product consumption, direct staff salaries/manning, utilities etc.) to maximize store profitability
• Optimize retail assortment across locations to maximize retail margin contribution
• Recommend Operations department quarterly budget and ensure adherence to approved budget
• Develop deep understanding of salon and beauty industry products, services, innovations and best practices, and ensure the company is at the forefront of the salon industry

HR/Performance Management:
• Manage shift scheduling and leave planning of locations to maximize revenue generation and minimize missed opportunities across locations
• Inspire and motivate Salon Directors, Stylists, Assistants and Salon Admin staff to maintain high levels of morale amongst staff
• Manage deployment/allocation of staff across locations to ensure sufficient skill coverage and staff experience levels in each store
• Support HR on recruitment of new staff as per business requirements (interviews, trade tests etc.); Develop manpower requirement projections by skill/designation and share with HR department to guide recruiting efforts
• Actively work on recruiting stylists/salon staff through networks, trade events etc.
• Monitor performance of all salon staff and advise on appropriate performance management actions (promotions, performance improvement plans, goal/target setting, disciplinary actions etc.)
• Coach Salon Directors on performance (financial and qualitative) and areas for development
• Work with Salon Directors to coach and oversee career and skill development of all staff
• Develop spot incentive schemes/competitions to motivate locations and drive team performance
• Work closely with trainers (internal and external) to ensure new staff can perform at high levels and are customer-ready; coordinate remedial training of staff as required
• Compete formal appraisals of Operations staff as per appraisal cycle

Customer Relations/Complaint handling:
• Ensure that customers are receiving exceptional customer service/consistent service standards, and that any customer related issues are addressed effectively by team members to delight and retain customers
• Handle customer service escalations as required, to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty
• Ensure salon staff are well versed on complaint handling process and policies, and handle escalated complaints as required
• Ensure all customer complaints are recorded as per the process and attended to by Salon Directors as per complaint handling process
• Ensure appropriate measures are taken with customers to resolve complaints
• Ensure that appropriate internal action is taken following complaints to improve service standards and avoid repeat incidents (e.g. remedial training, disciplinary actions etc.)
• Ensure staff proactively deal with operational disruptions (e.g. delays, facilities issues) to notify customers in advance and minimize impact on customer experience
• Ensure incidents are reported by staff members on timely basis, as per standard process

SOPs:
• Develop in-depth understanding of all SOPs, and ensure teams are well versed on and strictly adhere to SOPs
• Continually improve company SOPs based on operational experience and best practises
• Ensure staff strictly maintain salons in tidy and orderly manner at all times

Facilities Management:
• Ensure all FM issues are reported by salon teams on a timely basis, and attended to by FM department within appropriate time periods (e.g. critical issues within 24 hours)
• Guide FM department on prioritisation of maintenance job requests, and provide approval/feedback on jobs completed
• Ensure condition of salons is impeccable at all times to protect brand positioning and maximize customer comfort levels
• Maintain register of all salon assets/equipment and manage replacement cycle/new orders

Inventory Management:
• Ensure inventory management policies/procedures are strictly followed by staff members to maintain control of inventories across locations
• Ensure teams maintain stock variance within tolerance levels, by controlling wastage, pilferage, accurate stock issuance etc.
• Guide salon teams on weekly orders to ensure sufficient stock levels, based on business requirements/consumptions trends, while avoiding stock excess in locations
• Guide Procurement team on monthly stock orders, based on consumption trends and business requirements
• Ensure inventory turnover rates for all skus are kept within tolerance levels, and develop initiatives (promotions, sales etc.) to drive clearance of slow moving stock

Reporting/Analysis:
• Work with Finance and Operations Analyst to generate business intelligence and reports as required to analyse and communicate business performance (to company Operations Director as well as Salon Directors), and to develop and implement actionable insights to improve business results based on data/trends


Marketing/Loyalty support:
• Guide marketing team on monthly promotions/offers, to ensure marketing efforts are consistent with business requirements and drive value for the business (e.g. drive new customer visits and high spend without cannibalizing revenue)
• Work with teams to support the implementation and communication of marketing campaigns/promotions and loyalty initiatives to customers
• Works with salon teams to drive loyalty program engagement and understanding

Bookings/POS management
• Ensure all salon admin teams have expert knowledge on POS/scheduling software, and can optimize bookings/schedules to maximize revenue and avoid missed opportunities (e.g. no gaps in bookings)
• Ensure consistency in the handling of customer inquiries and booking requests by salon staff
• Ensure appropriate use of discount codes/coupons at check-out by staff

Requirements

• Exceptional leadership and team player skills – with an ability to inspire, motivate and develop team members
• Excellent communication skills
• Pleasant and warm demeanour and passion for working with and enabling exceptional experiences for customers
• Strong commercial instincts and fluency with numbers
• Ability to maintain composure and work effectively in a stressful/high pressure environment.
• Extremely strong work ethic and proactive approach to solving problems and improving business performance
• Strong computer literacy (excel, POS/scheduling software)


Other
• Support company participation at events as required
• Coordinate and oversee pre-opening of new stores e.g. store set-up, merchandising, collaterals etc.

An interest in beauty would certainly be a plus point!

About the Company

GG Selection is a search partner with an international presence, clients in diverse industries, and a network of talent for all levels of seniority and experience. We’re not limited by industry or geography, and we treat every brief and every client like the individual case it is — never making assumptions or taking anything for granted, and always tailoring our service to the needs we discover.