Area Manager – London and Greater London

To ensure the delivery of KPI's and standards throughout stores within the designated area through motivating and inspiring store management to excel. It will be the Area Manager's responsibility to ensure stores are compliant through the performance and development of store managers.

Role Specific

• Develop, coach and inspire your team of Store Management to their full potential and ensure the stores are running smoothly and efficiently.
• Manage all key cost control areas within designated stores and provide direction to your management team to enable them to meet their KPI targets.
• On the spot problem solving and use of initiative to maintain great standards throughout.
• Strive to create, retain and develop a strong and motivated management team.
• Drive sales and increase turnover in stores by ensuring full use of all promotional activities in store.
• Identify personnel requirements through succession planning and develop high potential employees.
• To recruit and ensure the full implementation of induction programme for new store managers and monitor ongoing performance needs through probation reviews, PDR and PDPs.
• Ensure high standards of cleanliness, freshness, stock availability and customer service throughout your stores.
• Maximise your own KPI targets to ensure deadlines and agreed standards are achievable.
• Pro-actively contribute to the direction of the retail strategy.
• Support and drive the management of in store customer service experience and staff competence so as to optimise and sustain sales performance and customer satisfaction
• To ensure exceptional customer service is driven throughout stores using style hero criteria to deliver company service objectives.
• To manage payroll budgets within your area in line with sales performance.
• To achieve stock control targets in line with company guideline and reduce financial loss.
• To liaise with Buying and Merchandising department regarding the supply of stock in the area to maximise stock potential.
• To identify underperforming stores and develop a plan to address and manage issues effectively.
• To ensure that the visual presentation of all stores represents the brand image.
• To develop an effective network of communication across the area to ensure shared knowledge and understanding of business activity.
• To encourage management to seek and continuously develop knowledge of competitor activity and local market conditions, with the purpose of making appropriate and innovative recommendations to drive the business forward.
• To encourage managers to identify trends and make suggestions to improve and enhance product performance to drive brand achievement.
• To plan for succession in the area through the identification of employee potential for development and growth.
• Create a positive environment resulting in stable retention and reduction of turnover.
• To build relationships and communication with host store contacts to drive the performance of our OFFICE concessions
• Drive the ACE programme within the area.

Additional role specific that you may be responsible for

• Any other duties that may be required
• You may be required to work in the same or similar capacity in any of the Company's department, offices as well as those of any associated Company or at any locations within the UK on a permanent or temporary basis as the Company from time to time.

Additional Responsibilities

Contributing to a safe working environment

• Contribute to a safe working environment by being aware of, adhering to and advising store management of, legislative and health and safety requirements of the workplace.

Accountability

• Uphold OFFICE's reputation by being a great ambassador for the brand.
• Bring ideas to line manager on how ongoing improvements can be achieved
• Ensuring stores are complying with company policies, procedures and compliance

Development of self and others

• Take ownership for own development and participate in a coaching and feedback culture.
• Achieve agreed company objectives; attend training sessions, team meetings as requested.

Requirements

• A strong management style with experience in performance management
• Experienced within the retail sector
• Ability to work under pressure and experience managing multiple sites in a fast-paced environment
• Commercially aware, being able to identify potential and maximise opportunities
• Ability to prioritise effectively
• Ability to work using own initiative
• Strong people management skills with the ability to motivate and delegate effectively
• Strong customer focus – able to see the shopping experience through the customers eyes
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Flexibility to travel

Competencies

• Methodical approach, excellent time management skills and ability to work smart
• An enabling Leadership style
• Problem solving ability and solutions orientated approach
• Proactive, flexible approach
• Strategic awareness to see the bigger picture

• Methodical approach, excellent time management skills and ability to work smart
• An enabling Leadership style
• Problem solving ability and solutions orientated approach
• Proactive, flexible approach
• Strategic awareness to see the bigger picture