Gifts - Department Head

Squires Garden Centres; Wokingham; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee discount

Pension

Holiday allowance

Bonus

Cycle2work

Birthday perk

Free parking

Job summary

Squires Garden Centres is seeking an organised individual to provide management support in the Gift Department. You will work with the Garden Centre Manager to drive the department’s success and ensure strong customer service.

Responsibilities include stock control, supplier liaison, and helping with purchasing within guidelines. You will also help lead staff, enhance range availability, and resolve queries to optimise sales and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Excellent computer skills.
• Customer service skills.
• People management experience.
• Previous experience in similar environment essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide management support to the Gift Department.
• Work closely with the Garden Centre Manager to help the department succeed.
• Maintain control over stock levels including accurate ordering and stock clearance.
• Purchase within company guidelines and feed back on current and new products to optimise range and stock availability.
• Coordinate with Product Managers and liaise with relevant Product Manager to ensure optimum range and stock availability.
• Take responsibility for the whole centre in the absence of the Manager.
• Increase sales in the department through proactive customer interactions.
• Ensure high standards of appearance and customer service.
• Organise and allocate team and individual tasks in line with customer service needs.
• Handle queries and complaints courteously and refer to Manager/PM when needed.

Skills

People management

Customer service

Computer literacy

Job description

Your primary responsibility will be to provide management support to the Gift Department.

Working closely with the Garden Centre Manager to help the department to succeed.

Rota: Full time, 40 hours, 09:00 - 18:00, including alternate weekends Saturday 09:00 - 18:00 & Sunday 09:00 - 17:30

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Maintain good control over stock levels, including accurate ordering and stock clearance where necessary
• Co-operate fully with line management and Product Managers
• Take responsibility for the whole centre in the absence of the Manager
• Purchasing within the company product range within company guidelines
• Feed back on current and new products to optimise range and stock availability
• Maintain good control over stock levels, including accurate ordering and stock clearance where necessary
• Close liaison with relevant Product Manager to ensure the optimum range and stock availability
• Use initiative to increase sales in their department
• Sales opportunities are generated through interaction with customers
• Standards of appearance are monitored and maintained
• Organises and allocates team and individual tasks, in line with customer service needs
• Queries and complaints handled with courtesy by all team members, and referred where necessary to the Manager and Product Manager

To be successful in this role, we are looking for people:

• Excellent computer skills
• Customer service skills
• People management experience
• Previous experience in similar environment essential

Squire’s is a family-owned group of 17 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, and Berkshire. Since 1936 the purpose of our business has been the happiness of those who work in it.

We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in horticulture, catering, and retail.

We want our staff to enjoy working with us in a friendly, energetic customer focused environment.

Rewards & Benefits:

• Employee Discount – 50% in Restaurants and 20% in Garden Centre on joining, increasing to 25% after 2 years’ service and 30% after 5 years’ service.
• Holiday (including bank holidays) – 5.6 weeks on joining increasing to 6.2 week after 2 years’ service and 6.6 weeks after 5 years’ service.
• Bonus – We reward our employees with a non-contractual bonus at Christmas, based on the profit of the company in any financial year (first year is dependent on start date)
• Pension – We are all aware of how important it is to save for our retirement. We offer a Defined Contribution Pension Plan to new employees. If you pay into the plan and meet the government criteria, the company will too, and these contributions will be invested.
• Attendance – After one years service, if you have worked for a full financial year and have 100% attendance, one day holiday (pro-rata) will be added to your holiday grant as a 'Thank you'.
• Made A Difference Scheme (M.A.D) – A reward scheme for team members who make a difference to our business through outstanding customer service, over and above normal duties or initiatives that have grown / inspired the business. There is a monthly winner. All winners select a gift to receive.
• Learning & Development – You can look forward to a wealth of learning opportunities with us that will enhance and develop you with the skills and confidence you need.
• Birthday – After 6 months service if your birthday falls on your contracted day to work, you can leave work early (holiday policy rules apply). If you have 2 years service on your birthday, you will receive a £25 Squires gift voucher (pro rata for less than 40 hours).
• Cycle2work scheme – After 1 years service, a government initiative which offers a 25% to 39% saving on new cycling equipment. This cost is deducted out of your pay over 12 or 19 months.
• Child's first day at school – After 1 year's service come in late and go home early on your child's first day of school life, so that you can be there to take them and pick them up from school on their first day.
• RHS Membership or a Tree / Shrub – After 1 years service Squire's employees can choose either one tree or shrub to plant each year up to the value of £50 retail on the anniversary of your engagement or £50 towards RHS annual membership.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – After 2 years service employees are eligible to join an EAP, that gives them access to a range of wellbeing resources, etc.
• Retirement – After 15 years service if you are retiring and have over 15 years service, your contracted hours will be reduced by a fifth but your pay will remain the same for your final 3 months.
• Free Parking – Available to all employees in the designated parking areas on our site.