Retail Store Manager

RETAIL SHOP MANAGER

Shedfield Country Stores & Raw Pet Food Pantry: Shedfield & Lee on Solent

Reporting to: Managing Directors

Purpose of the Role

The primary responsibility of the Retail Manager is the leadership and management of our retail team.

We are looking for an experienced people manager who can take full ownership of the day-to-day management of our employees and build a well-organised, accountable, and motivated team.

The Retail Manager will decide how best to organise the team, establish clear individual responsibilities, delegate effectively, manage performance and ensure everyone understands what is expected of them.

The role is not about personally completing every operational task. It is about creating the team structure, procedures and accountability that ensure those tasks are completed consistently and to the required standard.

A key objective of this appointment is to remove the managing directors, from day-to-day people management and routine retail operations. This person will become the team’s first point of management and will have the authority and responsibility required to manage effectively.

Responsibilities – In Order of Priority

1. People & Team Management – Primary Responsibility

• Take full day-to-day management responsibility for the retail team.
• Assess and develop the structure of the team to meet the needs of the business.
• Establish clear individual roles, responsibilities, and areas of ownership.
• Set expectations and hold team members accountable for delivering them.
• Lead, motivate and develop the team.
• Manage performance, conduct and capability issues promptly and appropriately.
• Hold regular one-to-ones and team meetings.
• Manage training, development, inductions and probation periods.
• Manage absence, sickness, holidays and other routine people matters.
• Recruit and onboard new team members when required.
• Create a positive culture of communication, responsibility and teamwork.
• Act as the team’s first point of management, escalating to the Managing Director only where appropriate.

2. Retail Operations & Procedures

• Take ownership of the smooth day-to-day operation of the stores.
• Review how work is currently carried out and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Create clear, practical procedures where required.
• Allocate ownership of regular operational tasks to appropriate team members.
• Ensure procedures are understood, followed and reviewed.
• Establish effective communication and handovers between departments, stores and shifts.
• Identify recurring operational problems and implement solutions.
• Continually improve efficiency as the business develops.

3. Rotas & Resource Planning

• Take full ownership of retail rotas.
• Ensure appropriate staffing across departments and locations.
• Plan around holidays, sickness, seasonal demand and trading patterns.
• Arrange cover for unexpected absence.
• Ensure staffing hours are used effectively and commercially.
• Anticipate future staffing requirements and raise recruitment needs with the Managing Director.

4. Customer Orders

Take overall responsibility for the customer-order process across all departments.

• Establish and maintain one clear and reliable process for customer orders.
• Delegate responsibility for processing and monitoring orders appropriately.
• Ensure orders are placed, tracked, and followed through.
• Ensure customers are kept informed.
• Monitor outstanding and overdue orders.
• Ensure stock arriving for customers is correctly identified and allocated.
• Resolve recurring problems and improve the process where necessary.

The Retail Manager is accountable for ensuring that customer orders do not get lost, forgotten or left without follow-up.

5. Stock Management & Stock Control

• Maintain oversight of stock levels across the retail operation.
• Ensure appropriate replenishment of key and fast-moving lines.
• Identify recurring out-of-stocks, overstocking, and slow-moving products.
• Ensure deliveries and stock movements are processed correctly.
• Ensure damages, wastage and adjustments are recorded.
• Investigate significant stock discrepancies.
• Organise and oversee regular stock takes and cycle counts.
• Delegate stock-counting responsibilities and ensure accuracy.
• Report significant stock issues and recommendations to the Managing Director.

Strategic buying, supplier relationships, and major range decisions will remain with the Managing Director unless otherwise agreed.

6. Shopfloor & Customer Standards

Ensure the team consistently delivers the standards expected by the business, including:

• Excellent customer service.
• Clean, tidy and well-presented stores.
• Well-stocked shelves, freezers and displays.
• Accurate pricing and promotional material.
• Completion of opening, closing, and daily tasks.
• Professional handling of customer enquiries and problems.
• Consistent standards across departments and locations.

7. Reporting to the Managing Directors

The Retail Manager reports directly to the Managing Directors and is expected to operate with a high degree of day-to-day autonomy.

The Manager will:

• Keep the Managing Directors informed of significant people, stock, and operational matters.
• Escalate matters requiring Director-level input while taking ownership of routine management decisions.
• Implement agreed business priorities through the retail team.
• Identify risks, issues, and opportunities.
• Bring forward recommendations for improving the retail operation.
• Provide the Managing Director with confidence that the day-to-day retail operation is under control.

Pay: £25,500.00-£30,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• On-site parking
• Store discount

Work Location: In person