Department Manager

JD GROUP; Gateshead; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

JD GROUP is seeking an experienced store leader to help drive performance at our Gateshead location. You will support the Store Manager by coaching and developing a high-performing team, ensuring outstanding customer service and strong store standards.

You will contribute to achieving sales targets, manage day-to-day operations, oversee hiring and training, and maintain a safe, compliant environment. The role requires a proactive, customer-focused mindset and the ability to lead with a

Qualifications

• Proven coaching and team-building skills.
• Strong communication and engagement with colleagues.
• Experience leading retail teams in a customer-focused environment.
• Ability to prioritise and delegate workload to achieve goals.

Responsibilities

• Support Store Manager in leading, coaching and developing a high-performing team.
• Deliver exceptional customer experiences to drive loyalty and repeat visits.
• Develop store teams through internal development programmes for future talent.
• Maintain a safe, compliant store environment for colleagues and customers.
• Contribute to delivering financial results in line with targets.
• Assist in hiring, onboarding and training new employees.
• Provide feedback and coaching to improve performance.
• Assist in colleague scheduling to ensure coverage and productivity.
• Support day-to-day operations including opening and closing procedures.
• Handle cash tasks, processing transactions and till reconciliation.

Skills

Coaching & mentoring

Team leadership

Customer service

Communication

Retail operations

KPI understanding

Tools

POS systems

Job description

Role overview

Create a positive and engaging environment for colleagues and customers through the effective leadership and management of your department or defined business area. Support, coach and develop store colleagues to deliver service which has customers at the heart, through exceptional store standards and highly engaged colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Support the Store Manager in leading, coaching and developing a high-performing, engaged team.
• Deliver exceptional customer experiences that encourage customer loyalty and repeat visits.
• Develop store teams through internal development programme to support future talent and career pathways to help us grow our business.
• Help maintain a safe and compliant store environment for colleagues and customers.
• Contribute to delivering financial results in line with or exceeding company targets.
• Support other retail management duties where required.
• Act as the point of contact for colleagues in the manager’s absence.
• Provide excellent customer service, addressing inquiries and resolving complaints professionally.
• Help manage day-to-day operations, including opening and closing procedures.
• Support cash management tasks, such as processing transactions and reconciling tills.
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, and training new employees.
• Provide feedback and coaching to colleagues to improve performance.
• Support the Store Manager in maintaining colleague schedules to ensure proper coverage and productivity

Role objectives and KPI’s

• Contribute to achieving or exceeding the store’s monthly sales target.
• Drive all additional KPIs including but not limited to Units, Conversion, ATV, UPT.
• Achieve upselling or cross-selling targets.
• Maintain a high customer metric score.
• Ensure stock accuracy during store Audits.
• Ensure all new colleagues complete mandatory training required.
• Ensure colleague engagement survey results meet or exceed company benchmarks.
• Assist in keeping operational costs within the allocated budget

Skills and Experience

• Great coaching, mentoring and team building skills that drives team performance.
• Strong communicator with the ability to engage, support and influence colleagues effectively.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing colleagues within a retail or customer-focused environment.
• Experience of effectively prioritising and delegating workload to achieve team goals and objectives.
• Experience supporting business growth through customer engagement, local activity or community initiatives.
• Commitment to delivering excellent customer service and customer experiences.
• Be able to demonstrate the ability to improve store performance & standards through effective planning.
• Strong understanding of retail KPIs and commercial performance measures.
• Knowledge of local market trends, competitor activity and the ability to identify local community growth opportunities.
• Leads with a plan/do/review mindset.
• Effective decision-maker with the ability to assess information and make informed decisions.
• Communicates in a way that inspires and engages.
• Demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
• Resilient and positive attitude even under pressure.
• Demonstrates accountability and ownership of responsibilities.
• Demonstrates company values and behaviours in day-to-day activities.
• Committed to supporting colleague development and progression.
• Committed to two-way, clear, and honest feedback.
• Builds positive working relationships with colleagues, customers and stakeholders.