General Manager - Retail / Distribution

Boardroom Appointments; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Boardroom Appointments seeks a General Manager - Retail / Distribution to drive sales targets across retail concession stores and shape strategies for growth. You will lead a high-performance, multi-store team, mentor managers, coordinate with marketing, oversee stock and compliance, and ensure exceptional customer service in South Africa.

In this role you will implement growth initiatives, manage budgets, and ensure brand standards while expanding the territory from Western Cape to nationwide.

Qualifications

• Relevant Degree in Business, Management, or related field.
• Strong commercial skills and business acumen.
• 4-7 years of management experience, preferably in retail concession or distribution.
• Experience in retail with exposure to distribution operations.
• Proven track record of managing teams in a sales/marketing-driven, customer service-focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Communicate and drive sales targets across retail concession stores.
• Develop and implement strategies to achieve and exceed sales quotas monthly.
• Monitor sales performance and take corrective actions as needed.
• Collaborate with marketing to develop and execute promotions.
• Business development, customer relationships, and growth.
• Contribute to budget formulation and manage performance to the budget.
• Develop and agree on a business plan for each store.
• Identify and pursue growth opportunities within the territory (Western Cape initially, expanding nationwide).
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships to drive sales and satisfaction.
• Ensure brand guidelines and promotions are communicated effectively.
• Keep abreast of market trends and competitor activity to identify opportunities.
• Lead in-store events and develop a high-performance team across multiple stores.
• Inspire, mentor, and support store teams to maximize sales and service.
• Develop managers' skills and leadership capabilities; implement recruitment/retention strategies.
• Conduct performance reviews and provide coaching to drive performance.
• Maintain high standards of customer engagement and service, handle inquiries and conflicts.
• Ensure stock management, merchandising, and asset protection; safeguard company assets.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Leadership

Sales management

Team management

Customer service orientation

Education

Business/Management degree

Job description

About the job General Manager - Retail / Distribution

• Relevant Degree in Business, Management, or a related field.
• Strong commercial skills and business acumen.
• 4-7 years of management experience, preferably within the retail concession or distribution sector.
• Experience within the retail sector, ideally with exposure to distribution operations
• Proven track record of effectively managing teams within a sales and marketing-driven, customer service-focused environment (7 years of practical managerial experience).

Responsibilities:

• Effectively communicate and drive sales targets across retail concession stores.
• Develop and implement strategies to achieve and exceed sales quotas monthly.
• Monitor sales performance and take corrective actions as needed.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to develop and execute sales promotions and initiatives.
• Business Development, Customer Relationships, and Business Growth.
• Provide input into budget formulation and manage performance in line with the budget.
• Develop and agree upon a business plan for each store.
• Identify and pursue business growth opportunities within the territory(Initially Western Cape and expanding Nationwide)
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships to drive sales and customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate closely with marketing teams to align strategies and ensure effective communication of brand messaging and promotions.
• Stay updated with market trends and competitor activities to identify new opportunities.
• Manage and execute in store events
• Build, organise, motivate, and lead a dynamic, high-performance team across multiple retail concession stores.
• Inspire, motivate, and support store teams to maximise sales and deliver exceptional customer service.
• Develop and mentor managers to enhance their skills and leadership capabilities.
• Implement effective recruitment & retention strategies to attract and retain top talent.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide coaching and feedback to drive individual and team performance.
• Set, measure, and maintain the highest standards of customer engagement and service.
• Handle customer inquiries, feedback, and conflicts effectively.
• Ensure consistent implementation of brand guidelines and standards to create an exceptional customer experience.
• Monitor adherence to company policies, procedures, and brand guidelines.
• Identify areas for improvement in operational efficiency and implement necessary processes.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and laws in South Africa.
• Oversee stock management, including optimising stock levels and merchandising displays.
• Safeguard company assets and minimise shrinkage.
• Provide daily coaching and training to sales staff to improve sales conversion rates and product knowledge.
• Ensure all team members receive ongoing training to meet the Company's certification standards.
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance the technical and sales skills of the team.