Team Leader - Stores

Today, Dunelm; Southampton; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Staff discounts

Career development

Job summary

Dunelm is seeking a hands-on Visual Merchandiser to bring store spaces to life and lead a passionate team. You’ll keep standards sky-high, coach colleagues, and ensure a welcoming, sales-driven shopper experience.

Day-to-day you’ll be on the shopfloor, spot opportunities, mentor future leaders, and help deliver the Engagement Action Plan while keeping customers at the heart of everything you do.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in a busy retail or hospitality environment.
• Strong focus on customer experience and sales outcomes.
• Clear communication and ability to mentor a team.

Responsibilities

• Be customer obsessed - consider the customer impact of actions to deliver joyful experiences.
• Promote upselling and coach the team to guide customers to add to baskets.
• Deliver exceptional service to support high CSAT scores and a welcoming store.
• Maintain energy by building team spirit and celebrating wins.
• Plan daily activities so the team knows what matters most.

Skills

Leadership

Customer focus

Communication

Job description

You’ll be a visual merchandiser and leader - you’ll be the one who brings it all to life for our customers. You’ll lead a passionate team, keep standards sky-high and help create the kind of shopping experience customers love and colleagues feel proud of. It’s a fast‑paced, hands‑on role that takes real energy and focus. But when everything comes together and you see our customers’ joy and those sales climbing - it’s seriously rewarding. We’re looking for someone who’s got an eye for detail, a love of good design, and the drive to keep things moving. If you know how to make a space feel welcoming, know what sells, how to connect with our customers and aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves - we’d love to hear from you.

• Be customer obsessed - consistently consider the impact of your actions on the customer experience, and strive to deliver joyful experiences in the most effective and thoughtful way
• Promote a culture of upselling, coaching the team on how to guide customers to what they might love, boosting impulse buys and basket sizes
• Consistently deliver exceptional customer service to support strong CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) scores, ensuring every customer receives a welcoming, helpful, and memorable experience
• Keep energy levels high by building team spirit, celebrating wins (big and small), and being the positive energy that everyone needs
• Have a clear plan for each day, so everyone knows what they're doing and why it matters
• Check in with your team in wellbeing 121’s, progress and career conversations and support our store succession plan
• Support the Leadership Team in bringing the Engagement Action Plan to life
• Take ownership - be clear on the "why" behind what we’re doing and bring your team with you every step of the way
• Get out on the shopfloor every day with your Store Coach - spot wins, fix snags, and make sure the day runs smoothly
• Grow your team by coaching and mentoring - always be on the lookout for tomorrow’s leaders
• You are customer obsessed - you inspire your team to put customers first and lead by example in every interaction
• You’ve got some solid management experience under your belt, ideally in a customer‑facing role like retail or hospitality, where rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in was all part of the job
• You know how to boost business performance and smash KPIs, all while keeping the store looking its best
• You’re passionate about creating brilliant shopping experiences that customers remember
• You’re a true team player, someone who knows how to communicate clearly, build strong connections, and lead a happy, high‑performing team

We’re not after a carbon copy of anyone else. We want people who bring something new to the table - different perspectives, fresh ideas, and a shared love of making our stores feel like home. D&I statement Dunelm is committed to becoming an inclusive business that is representative of our customers and locations. We recognise the value in diversity and welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, race, religion, disability, gender or sexual identity, socio‑economic background or education. We are committed to making Dunelm a place where everyone can enjoy a successful career and have systems in place to support all our colleagues. We are seeking applications from candidates who share our values and celebrate diversity in all its forms. Our commitment to you Accessibility allows everyone to have an equitable chance when applying and showing off their potential, which helps us create a more inclusive and diverse team that brings fresh ideas and perspectives. Should you need it, we have an accessibility tool available in the top menu to support you when you’re completing your application. If you require any other reasonable adjustments during the application and assessment process, reach out to your recruitment partner.

Work your way We have adapted our ways of working to make sure everyone can feel at home, wherever they work. For most roles, we offer flexible working options. In our stores, they include opportunities to work on a part‑time basis, seasonal contracts, or adjusted hours to accommodate the important things in your life outside work

Wellbeing is more than just a buzzword here From our Wellbeing Buddies and Mental Health First Aid training to our progressive parental leave, menopause policies and Colleague Support Fund, we’re committed to supporting our colleagues in every area - and at every stage - of their lives. Through our partnership with the Retail Trust, everyone at Dunelm has free access to a 24/7 Virtual GP, as well as therapy and counselling, plus information, guidance and advice in all areas of financial, emotional and physical wellbeing.

Taking opportunities Meet Amanda, our Chief Stores and People Director, who shares how she feels empowered to take opportunities every day, why Dunelm is her happy place, and why it’s a really exciting time to join us.

Look in our toy box Of course, you should never judge a business by its tech stack. But take a peek at the range of technologies our engineers and developers are currently playing with.

Dazzling design At Dunelm, we love every aspect of the design process. We’re continually researching new developments in packaging, materials and production methods, tapping into new data insights and keeping track of changing lifestyle trends. We’re hugely collaborative in the way we work. Together, the teams here have a direct impact on our success, creating amazing products that drive sales and delight our customers, as well as providing direction for our wide and varied range of brands.

• Thrive, our learning and skills platform which gives you a blended, bite‑sized, social learning experience with learning relevant to your role
• Our Step Up programme which is designed to prepare you for a Team Leader role
• Personal Effectiveness workshops and self‑led learning, also delivered through Thrive
• Apprenticeships opportunities relevant to your role - from level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) through to Level 7 (equivalent to Masters)
• Colleague Development Fund to support colleagues in accessing external training relevant to your role
• Coaching and mentoring opportunities to support you in your current role and help you prepare for the next Functional academies that offer training to support you in the technical aspects of your role
• Self‑awareness tools to help you understand what really matters to you, and where your own talents and ambitions lie
• Our Enterprise Leadership Programme designed specifically for our strong growth potential
• Heads of Department to help them reach the next level in their career
• Our INSPIRE Programme designed for our strong growth potential senior managers across the business to enhance their leadership capability

Today, Dunelm is a leader in the £11bn UK homewares market. With over 200 stores across the country and a successful online operation - dunelm.com - we offer over 60,000 products across a broad range of categories. But where did it all begin?

• Pay - £14.76 per hour
• Salary Equivalent - £30,703.67 plus overtime. This is a minimum 40hrs per week position.
• We take real pride in our shop floor - it’s where our customers fall in love with our products. You’ll be the creative force behind that joy. You’ll turn every shelf, display, and corner into an experience that delights, inspires, and makes shopping feel effortless.
• Along with competitive rates of pay, we offer a range of other great benefits to help you make your money go further.
• 25 days annual holiday plus your birthday off to celebrate, and another day when you move home, so you can get settled in
• Generous discounts on all our own products, in-store and online to help you make your house a home
• Instant discounts with a range of other companies to help you stretch your budget
• Salary Advance so you can access up to 50% of the money you’ve earned during the month, rather than having to wait until pay day
• Outstanding development opportunities and all the support you need to grow your career the way you want
• Cycle to work scheme to help you keep your fitness up and your travel costs down