Operations / Area Manager

Guardian Health and Beauty Sdn Bhd; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Guardian Health and Beauty Sdn Bhd is seeking an experienced Retail Leader to drive store performance across Malaysia. You will guide merchandising, promotions, and store execution while optimizing inventory and labor to meet budgets.

You will lead a team of Store Managers, coach leaders, and implement AI-enabled solutions to boost productivity and decision-making. Strong English and travel readiness are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional qualification.
• Minimum 6 years of retail experience, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong understanding of retail operations, customer needs, and market trends.
• Strong commercial and business acumen with a proven track record of delivering results.
• Strong leadership, communication, coaching, and stakeholder management skills.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound business decisions.
• Ability to develop and motivate teams and build strong leadership pipelines.
• Good command of written and spoken English.
• Proficient in digital tools, retail systems, data analytics, and AI-enabled solutions.

Responsibilities

• Drive sales, profit, and overall store performance.
• Ensure stores meet company standards and provide an excellent customer experience.
• Drive effective merchandising, promotions, and store execution.
• Monitor sales and customer trends and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Monitor competitors and market trends to identify opportunities and best practices.
• Lead and align store teams to achieve business goals.
• Encourage the use of digital and AI solutions to improve productivity and decision-making.
• Manage inventory levels, stock availability, and stock turns effectively.
• Minimize shrinkage, wastage, and operational losses.
• Optimize manpower planning and store productivity.
• Manage store expenses within approved budgets.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.
• Work with Property and other functions to identify and evaluate new store opportunities.
• Support new store openings and ensure operational readiness.
• Provide market, customer, and competitor insights to support business growth.
• Build a strong customer-first culture across all stores.
• Coach and develop Area Managers and Store Managers to improve leadership and business performance.
• Build a strong talent pipeline and high-performing teams.
• Promote continuous learning, engagement, and teamwork.
• Ensure stores comply with company policies, health and safety requirements, and relevant regulations.
• Drive safety awareness and risk management across all stores.
• Ensure corrective actions are taken for any identified compliance or safety issues.
• Support the growth and profitability of the Pharmacy business.
• Ensure pharmacy operations comply with regulatory and professional standards.
• Enhance healthcare services, customer trust, and engagement.
• Promote professional ethics and accountability across the Pharmacy team.

Skills

Retail leadership

People management

Data analytics

Digital tools

English proficiency

Travel-ready

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Retail systems

Data analytics tools

AI-enabled solutions

Job description

Drive sales, profit, and overall store performance.

Ensure stores meet company standards and provide an excellent customer experience.

Drive effective merchandising, promotions, and store execution.

Monitor sales and customer trends and identify opportunities for improvement.

Monitor competitors and market trends to identify opportunities and best practices.

Lead and align store teams to achieve business goals.

Encourage the use of digital and AI solutions to improve productivity and decision‑making.

Cost & Operational Management

Manage inventory levels, stock availability, and stock turns effectively.

Minimize shrinkage, wastage, and operational losses.

Optimize manpower planning and store productivity.

Manage store expenses within approved budgets.

Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.

Business Development

Work with Property and other functions to identify and evaluate new store opportunities.

Support new store openings and ensure operational readiness.

Provide market, customer, and competitor insights to support business growth.

Customer & People Development

Build a strong customer‑first culture across all stores.

Coach and develop Area Managers and Store Managers to improve leadership and business performance.

Build a strong talent pipeline and high‑performing teams.

Promote continuous learning, engagement, and teamwork.

Safety & Compliance

Ensure stores comply with company policies, health and safety requirements, and relevant regulations.

Drive safety awareness and risk management across all stores.

Ensure corrective actions are taken for any identified compliance or safety issues.

Pharmacy Business & Ethics

Support the growth and profitability of the Pharmacy business.

Ensure pharmacy operations comply with regulatory and professional standards.

Enhance healthcare services, customer trust, and engagement.

Promote professional ethics and accountability across the Pharmacy team.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional qualification.

Minimum 6 years of retail experience, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.

Strong understanding of retail operations, customer needs, and market trends.

Strong commercial and business acumen with a proven track record of delivering results.

Strong leadership, communication, coaching, and stakeholder management skills.

Good analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to make sound business decisions.

Ability to develop and motivate teams and build strong leadership pipelines.

Good command of written and spoken English.

Proficient in digital tools, retail systems, data analytics, and AI‑enabled solutions.

Possess a valid driving licence and own transportation.

Willing to travel extensively across store locations as required.

Health & Beauty Retail More than 10,000 employees

guardian is Malaysia’s leading health, beauty, and personal care chain, trusted by customers for offering high‑quality products at great value. Over five decades of commitment and service have solidified this trust, beginning with the very first guardian store, a modest 200 square feet at The Weld, Kuala Lumpur, 57 years ago.Today, guardian operates more than 600 stores across high streets, popular shopping malls, and through our e‑commerce platform. guardian is now part of the DFI Retail Group, a leading pan‑Asian retailer with operations in Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

guardian is Malaysia’s leading health, beauty, and personal care chain, trusted by customers for offering high‑quality products at great value. Over five decades of commitment and service have solidified this trust, beginning with the very first guardian store, a modest 200 square feet at The Weld, Kuala Lumpur, 57 years ago.Today, guardian operates more than 600 stores across high streets, popular shopping malls, and through our e‑commerce platform. guardian is now part of the DFI Retail Group, a leading pan‑Asian retailer with operations in Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia.