Store Manager Designate

Dunelm; England; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading homewares retailer is hiring a Store Coach Designate in West Sussex. This hands-on position demands a natural leader focused on enhancing customer experiences and empowering team members. Responsibilities include driving local customer acquisition, ensuring store compliance and operational excellence, and nurturing talent among staff. Candidates should have strong coaching abilities, commercial awareness, and a commitment to community engagement. Competitive benefits and opportunities for growth are provided.

Benefits

Competitive benefits

Opportunities for growth

Qualifications

• Natural leader who inspires others and leads with empathy.
• Customer-focused with a dedication to personalizing the shopping experience.
• Excellent coaching skills with hands-on leadership experience.
• Commercially curious, spotting opportunities for growth.
• Detail-oriented, ensuring smooth operations behind the scenes.
• Community-oriented, finding ways to connect the store locally.

Responsibilities

• Drive customer acquisition and enhance local presence.
• Coach and empower the team to deliver excellent service.
• Ensure the store maintains high standards and is presentable.
• Oversee compliance, health, safety, and operational standards.
• Inspire and nurture team talent for future leadership roles.

Skills

Leadership

Customer service

Coaching

Commercial awareness

Process management

Community engagement

Job description

At Dunelm, we’re all about helping people feel truly at home—now and for generations to come. That’s not just something we say; it’s something we live and breathe in every store, every day.

We’re looking for a Store Coach Designate to cover stores around West Sussex. Someone who’s got a head for operations, a heart for people, and a passion for creating brilliant customer experiences—no matter how or where our customers choose to shop.

It’s a hands‑on role where your attention to detail will make life easier – not just for customers, but for your team too. You’ll be helping people find what they need, when they need it, and making sure the store feels as good behind the scenes as it does out front.

Home. There’s no place like it.

And there’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home. At Dunelm, that’s what we do. We’re the UK’s number one choice for homewares because we make home life lovelier for our customers. And we’ve crafted a workplace that feels just as welcoming – where you can bring your ideas, be yourself, and feel right at home.

We’re all about the customer – making them feel welcome and helping them find the perfect pieces for their home (and maybe a few they didn’t even know they needed!) We’re fast and friendly, and no two days are ever the same. There’s always someone new to meet, something new to learn, and plenty of chances to make a real difference.

Seeing as we have 200+ stores across the UK it’s safe to say we know a thing or two about great shopping experiences – and it all starts with our people. Our friendly, helpful teams make all the difference, so we make sure they’re well looked after with great benefits and loads of opportunities to grow. So, get stuck in, take pride in your store, and make the most of everything on offer. There’s something for everyone here – and that includes you!

What you’ll be doing

• Customer Acquisition
• You’ll be the friendly face behind growing our local presence—whether that’s boosting our Facebook followers, encouraging e‑receipts, or finding smart ways to bring new customers through the door (and keep them coming back).
• Customer Obsession
• You’ll coach and empower our Hosts to deliver a seamless, multi‑channel shopping experience—from mobile point‑of‑sale to virtual consultations. You’ll champion our Customer First mindset, helping the team deliver consistently great service and strong NPS results.
• Trading Mindset
• You’ll spot opportunities, act fast, and make sure our store is always looking its best. Working closely with your Deputy Manager and Team Leaders, you’ll bring campaigns to life and keep standards sky‑high.
• Process & Compliance
• From click & collect to stock loss prevention, you’ll keep things running smoothly and safely. You’ll take ownership of compliance, health & safety, and audit standards—because a well‑run store is a happy store.
• Empower the Team
• You’ll inspire your leadership team to think like owners and act with purpose. You’ll nurture talent, build succession plans, and work with your Regional Coach and People Lead to help your team grow and thrive.

What we’ll look for in you

• A natural leader – You know how to bring out the best in others and lead with empathy, not ego.
• Customer‑obsessed – You genuinely care about making every shopping experience feel personal, easy, and enjoyable.
• A great coach – You love helping others grow, and you’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and lead by example.
• Commercially curious – You spot opportunities, act on them, and always have one eye on what’s next.
• Process‑savvy – You’re organised, detail‑focused, and know how to keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.
• Community‑minded – You see the value in local connections and love finding ways to make your store part of something bigger.
• A culture ad – You bring something new to the table and help us build a team that’s as diverse and dynamic as the customers we serve.