Operations / Area Manager

Guardian Malaysia; Selangor; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Guardian Malaysia is seeking an experienced Retail Area/Store Leader to drive sales, profit and performance across multiple stores. You will ensure adherence to company standards, deliver excellent customer experiences, and lead merchandising, promotions and store execution with a strong focus on digital and AI-enabled decision making.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree with at least 6 years retail experience, including 3 in leadership, strong commercial acumen, and the ability to

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.
• Possess a valid driving licence and own transportation.
• Willing to travel extensively across store locations as required.

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

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Communication

Coaching

Team development

English proficiency

Digital tools

Data analytics

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Retail systems

AI-enabled solutions

Data analytics tools

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.