Area Support Manager

Bestway Group; Southampton; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Bestway Group in the United Kingdom is seeking a proactive leader to drive store performance across Southampton and Portsmouth. You will coach Store Managers to deliver excellent customer service, compliance and cost control while upholding brand standards and safe working practices.

You will analyse data, plan action steps, deputise for the Regional Manager as required, and continuously strive to improve profitability and the customer experience across the region.

Qualifications

• Previous experience within a similar retail role is preferred.
• Commercially aware with P&L and business measures focus.
• Strong ability to interpret business reports and inventories.
• Outstanding communication, presentation and people skills.
• Ability to coach and develop teams to improve sales and customer service.

Responsibilities

• Coach and develop store teams to view stores through the eyes of customers
• Build relationships with the local community to support positive brand
• Support and coach Store teams to meet brand standards
• Promptly resolve or report issues affecting customer experience
• Communicate positively with colleagues, offering advice and assistance
• Lead by example in promoting a strong safety culture
• Complete Store visit documentation and action follow-ups
• Agree and deliver action plans to improve store performance and profitability

Skills

Coaching leadership

Retail leadership

Customer service

Data analysis

Brand compliance

Team development

Job description

Are you passionate about great leadership and providing excellent customer service? Are you tenacious in your pursuit of excellence? Do you want to develop with a company that has ambitious growth plans and that has recently entered an exciting new partnership? If so, we would love to hear from you.

You are seen by stores and your Regional Manager as the expert in the operational routines and practices of all stores, as well as leading and maintaining safe and legal processes. You will do this by coaching Store Managers to deliver expected levels in operations, compliance and people processes.

You will analyse and track data, responding appropriately, focusing on where there is a need to improve processes, using your skills to ensure that the P&L is met.

Be agile and focused on every store visit and audit, adding value with every interaction making a positive difference.

Deputising for the Regional Manager as and when necessary.

You will be covering Southampton and Portsmouth areas.

Your main responsibilities:

• Coach and develop store teams to view stores through the eyes of customers
• Build relationships where possible with the local community to develop a positive brand
• Support and coach Store teams to present their store in-line with the company brand standards guidelines and ensuring the store team take pride in their appearance
• Promptly resolve or report all issues affecting the customer experience
• Communicate positively with all colleagues, offering advice and assistance when needed
• Develop understanding of support departments and use knowledge to optimise the customer experience
• Mitigate risk by ensuring compliance with health and safety and food safety legislation
• Lead by example in promoting a strong safety culture throughout the store teams and region
• Ensure that stores adhere to company owed, company operated (COCO) routines and processes and use my analysis and coaching skills to drive improvement
• Complete Store visit documentation on each store visit, ensuring that all follow up is actioned through to completion
• Agree and deliver action plans to develop and improve on each store performance, including providing effective solutions and guidance to stores to improve their sales and profitability and supporting stores in controlling costs, with a particular focus on wage costs
• Prioritise underperforming stores and put solutions in place to improve these to the standard expected within COCO and Bestway
• Ensure that my understanding is up to date on all processes and routines, I keep up to date with key business information and cascade where appropriate and that I am clearly seen as the ‘go to’ person for stores where required
• Communicate company information effectively to all team members; cascade relevant information and encourage feedback
• Actively work to resolve any colleague issues and engage the Regional Manager where needed
• Actively support and promote team member induction and training, ensuring training and development needs are met, ensuring all training is completed as required
• Provide support with instore people management including recruitment and ensuring that conduct, attendance, return to work interviews and performance issues within store
• Celebrate success with the stores and continually learn from missed opportunities

About You:

• Previous experience within a similar retail role is preferred
• Commercially aware and both P&L and business measures focused
• Basic knowledge of growing sales and controlling costs
• Sound business awareness, with the ability to comprehend and respond to business reports
• Understanding of inventory management
• Knowledge and awareness of licencing and health & safety context
• I understand employment and safety legislation within retail to an acceptable level
• Ability to interact and understand others, developing new relationships, building on existing relationships to ensure trust and mutual respect.
• Develop and deliver work plans and improvement of success measures whilst managing budgets
• Demonstratable leadership skills to get the best from my team or a situation which includes coaching to stretch the performance of others
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and people skills
• Ability to analyse data and make correct decisions to improve the business
• Able to make proactive and reactive decisions to mitigate risk and protect a business
• Ability to work under pressure and deal with challenging situations professionally, delegating tasks and activities appropriately as needed
• Excellent customer service skills and am able to train and develop this skill in others.
• Ability to manage a diverse range of activities – to prioritise and multitask.
• Excellent Microsoft Office tools including PowerPoint, Excel and Word with confidence in presenting to Peers and above