Store Manager

About the Business

Cactus Outdoor has been crafting durable clothing & equipment for over 33 years. We make rugged, dependable clothing and outdoor equipment for hardworking Kiwis and adventurers alike. Our products are bombproof — designed to handle the grind of daily work, epic play, and everything in between. We produce some of our products here in Aotearoa within our Christchurch factory, as well as from carefully chosen partners further afield.

Our ethos is simple: make tough gear that's sustainable, ethical, and built to last. Whether you're in the backcountry or heading to your latest watering hole, we've got you covered. We're on an exciting journey of growth, both domestically and internationally.

We have retail stores across New Zealand and strong commercial & eCommerce channels.

About the Role

We are on the hunt for a highly motivated Store Manager to oversee the daily running of our Ponsonby store, maximise sales, and enhance Cactus' retail presence in Auckland. You'll report to our Head of Sales and work closely with our Experience, Marketing and Retail teams.

This is a hands-on role. You'll be equally comfortable on the shop floor selling and coaching your team as you are managing stock, merchandising the store, and reporting on your numbers.

Key responsibilities include:

• Running the day-to-day operations of the store, including stock levels, purchasing, and visual merchandising.

• Recruiting, training and coaching your retail team to maximum performance, and being an unquestionable role model of Cactus' values.

• Driving sales growth across your store and the wider Auckland region, working to budgets, KPIs and targets.

• Delivering an authentic, knowledge-led customer experience, and handling complaints in a way that protects the store's reputation.

• Planning and running in-store promotional and community events, and taking part in community-building activity both in-store and out.

• Owning our customer service channels — inbox, live chat, phone, and social messages — with responsive, professional replies.

• Reporting on sales, conversion, customer count and other metrics as directed.

• Ensuring the store meets relevant regulations, including health & safety, and flagging any concerns early.

• Contributing ideas to product development and brand/marketing initiatives as they come up.

About You

You're aligned with Cactus' values and have a genuine passion for the outdoors. You love talking to customers, believe in an authentic customer experience, and can sell using product knowledge and brand storytelling rather than a script.

You're a fast learner who's just as comfortable running the store solo as you are leading a team. You're highly organised, work well at pace, and bring a can-do, relentlessly positive attitude to everything you do — including the days when it's just you, a queue, and a ringing phone.

Ideally you'd have:

• Experience as a store manager, ideally in apparel or a related retail environment — preferred but not a deal-breaker.
• A proven track record of hitting sales targets and growing revenue within a store.
• Experience recruiting, training and managing staff, and working towards budgets and KPIs.
• Confidence managing stock levels, purchasing and merchandising to maximise efficiency and spend.
• Competency in Office365 (Outlook, Excel, Word etc.), Shopify, and Cin7 (including POS).
• Skill in delivering responsive, professional customer service across multiple channels — email, live chat, phone and social media.
• Exposure to B2B sales is a plus, but not essential.
• An understanding of, or willingness to learn, Cactus' product design and manufacturing approach.
• Community events or relationship-management experience is a bonus, though you'll be expected to plan and take part in these as part of the role.

This is a full-time position based in Auckland at our Ponsonby store.

Apply via Seek by uploading your CV and cover letter outlining your relevant background and experience. If you'd like more information about the role, email [email protected].

Applicants for this position must be a New Zealand citizen, resident, or have already secured the right to work in New Zealand, and therefore hold a valid visa.