Franchise Retail Onboarding & Development Manager

JD Sports Fashion Plc; Bury; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company as a Retail Onboarding & Development Manager, where you will play a pivotal role in supporting franchise partners and optimizing retail operations. This dynamic position involves coaching teams, driving sales, and ensuring compliance with global standards. You will collaborate closely with various stakeholders to enhance business performance and foster a high-performing team culture. If you are passionate about retail and eager to make a significant impact in a fast-paced environment, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Staff Discounts

Personal Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience in retail operations and franchise management.
• Strong understanding of forecasting, budgeting, and cost control.

Responsibilities

• Coach franchise teams on operations, training, and customer experience.
• Analyze data to provide actionable insights for sales growth.
• Support franchise setup procedures for successful market launches.

Skills

Business Acumen

Project Management

Interpersonal Skills

Communication Skills

Sales Maximization

Education

Degree in Business Management

Experience in Retail Operations

Job description

JD Sports - Head Office, Warwick House, Bury, Bury, United Kingdom Req #1338

Established in 1981 with a single store in the Northwest of England, the JD Group is a leading omni-channel retailer of Sports Fashion, Outdoors, and Gyms, with colleagues working across various retail fascias in many markets globally.

JD Sports Fashion Plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1996, has been a FTSE100 company since 2019, and continues to expand both in the UK and internationally.

Our goal is to be the leading global omnichannel retailer in the sports and outdoor industry. Join us to help achieve this by embracing our strategic goals of being a people-led, innovative, and customer-focused organization that delivers operational excellence and explores new growth areas.

Responsible to:

Head of Brand Implementation & Central Operations

Department:

Location: Bury Head Office

Hours:

Role Overview:

Supporting the retail development of the Franchise business across all markets, including business development and sales/profitability optimization. Supporting the Head of Brand Implementation & Central Operations and Local Franchise Partners.

This role involves working closely with the Franchise Retail and Operations Manager to support the overall business direction, acting as a brand guardian for JD and global processes.

The Retail Onboarding & Development Manager's role is to educate, nurture, and support franchise partners, ensuring their teams are fully supported and motivated to represent JD effectively, maximize sales, and meet global standards.

Key Duties/Responsibilities:

• Coach all aspects of daily franchise retail operations, including trade, operations, visual merchandising, training, and development.
• Support franchise setup procedures for successful market launches.
• Assist with forecasting, budgeting, cost control, and sales maximization at various levels.
• Coach franchise teams on store operations, team development, brand presentation, and customer experience.
• Build cross-functional relationships within the organization and with franchise partners.
• Use leadership skills to align stakeholders and deliver strategic projects.
• Organize regular retail and operations meetings to review processes and improve communication.
• Support property strategy execution, including store openings and closures.
• Troubleshoot operational issues to improve efficiency, systems, and processes.
• Analyze data and provide actionable insights to the franchise team.
• Ensure compliance with operational measures to mitigate legal and financial risks.
• Collaborate with the retail operations team to achieve standards within the region.
• Support business performance through training, visual merchandising, KPI management, and sales growth.
• Conduct in-market visits to ensure brand guidelines and standards are upheld, identifying additional training needs.
• Maintain training materials aligned with global improvements.
• Drive operational efficiency and visual excellence across markets, ensuring consistent brand portrayal.

People and Talent Management:

• Support the development and coaching of a high-performing regional retail team.
• Encourage team development, motivation, and achievement of personal and business objectives.
• Lead and develop capabilities within the team to support business growth.

Skills/Experience/Knowledge Needed:

• Experience in a similar role is essential.
• Willingness to work flexible hours and travel as needed.
• Strong business acumen, including forecasting, budgeting, cost control, and reporting on a global scale.
• Proven ability to maximize store sales across various levels.
• Experience managing projects, stakeholders, and quality execution.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work effectively within a multicultural, fast-paced environment.
• Understanding of the JD Brand and corporate strategy.

We value our colleagues' efforts and offer benefits such as staff discounts across JD and other brands, along with personal development opportunities.