Retail Manager: Lead Team, Elevate Service & Sales

Compass Group UK & Ireland; Swindon; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension scheme

Career development opportunities

Digital GP for you and family

Healthcare and wellbeing support

Travel discounts with major brands

Retailer discounts

Cinema ticket discounts

Cashback rewards

Wellness and fitness classes

Staff discounts for friends and family

Job summary

ESS, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, is seeking a Retail Manager to lead the Swindon retail operation. You will oversee daily service, stock, budgets and compliance while delivering excellent customer experiences and inspiring a high-performing team.

The role offers scope to drive sales, manage rotas, implement planograms, and uphold ESS values across the operation, with a focus on safety, engagement, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience managing a busy retail environment.
• Track record of delivering sales growth and hitting financial targets.
• Strong leadership with ability to develop teams.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building.
• Customer-focused approach and delivering outstanding service.
• Good IT skills and confidence with retail systems and reporting tools.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills.
• Proactive and organised with multi-priority management.
• Flexibility to meet business needs, including occasional off-site meetings.

Responsibilities

• Champion a positive health, safety, and wellbeing culture.
• Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing retail team.
• Deliver the ESS Way management promises and create an environment for colleagues to thrive.
• Ensure policies and best practices are implemented and maintained.
• Manage stock control, merchandising, promotions, availability, and waste to maximise sales.
• Own retail labour scheduling, budgets, resources, and equipment.
• Complete people management activities including absence, performance, and development.
• Maintain planograms and merchandising standards as required.
• Produce accurate rotas and manage timesheets to optimise labour and sales.
• Conduct regular colleague reviews and performance conversations.
• Lead weekly team huddles and communications.
• Carry out customer journey reviews and quality audits for service excellence.
• Ensure banking procedures, cash handling, and reconciliations are secure.
• Protect assets including cash, stock, equipment, and property.
• Model ESS values and behaviours and ensure compliance with requirements.

Skills

Retail management

Sales growth

Leadership

Communication

Customer focus

IT skills

Numerical & analytics

Organisational skills

Flexibility

Tools

Retail systems

Reporting tools

Job description

ESS, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, is seeking a Retail Manager to lead the Swindon retail operation. You will oversee daily service, stock, budgets and compliance while delivering excellent customer experiences and inspiring a high-performing team.

The role offers scope to drive sales, manage rotas, implement planograms, and uphold ESS values across the operation, with a focus on safety, engagement, and continuous improvement.