Store Manager

Bubbadue; Ballito; On-site; ZAR 240,000 - 360,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market-related package

Performance incentive

Staff discount

Product training

Job summary

Bubbadue in Umdloti, KwaZulu-Natal, is seeking a Store Manager to lead our premium baby products store. You will oversee daily trades, the team, stock accuracy and the customer experience, spending a lot of time on the shop floor.

The role requires 3+ years of retail management, strong POS experience (Shopify POS, Vend, Lightspeed or similar) and a hands-on approach to coaching staff, with weekend and December trading hours.

Qualifications

• Matric (NQF 4) required.
• 3+ years managing a retail store with targets and staff.
• Experience with retail POS systems and Excel/Google Sheets.
• Clean criminal and credit record (verification required).
• Availability for retail trading hours, including weekends, public holidays and December.

Responsibilities

• Sales and customer experience on the floor.
• Hit monthly turnover, basket size and conversion targets.
• Serve customers directly and coach staff on product knowledge across ranges.
• Handle escalations, returns and exchanges per policy.
• Build the local customer base through registries, groups and events.
• Stock and merchandising: receipts, counts, and pricing displays.
• Draw up rosters and manage onboarding, briefs and discipline.
• Open/close the store, manage cash, banking, and reports.

Skills

Retail leadership

Customer service

Team management

Excel/Sheets

Education

Matric (NQF 4)

Tools

Shopify POS

Vend

Lightspeed

Job description

Store Manager — Bubbadue, Umdloti

Location: Umdloti, KwaZulu-Natal Reports to: Owner / Retail Operations Manager Type: Full-time, permanent (3-month probation) Direct reports: Sales assistants and casual staff

About Bubbadue

Bubbadue sells premium baby products across South Africa, including the country's widest BIBS range and sole distribution of Rockit, Lulla Doll and Ewan the Dream Sheep. We built the brand online and serve more than 20 000 customers. Our Umdloti store brings that range into a physical space where parents can touch the products, ask questions and walk out with the right thing.

The role

You run the store. That covers daily trade, the team, stock accuracy, the customer experience and the numbers that come out the other end. Most of our customers are expecting parents, new moms and people buying gifts, so the selling is consultative rather than transactional. You will spend a large part of your day on the floor.

What you will do

Sales and customer experience

• Hit monthly turnover, basket size and conversion targets agreed with the owner
• Serve customers directly and coach the team on product knowledge across pacifiers, sleep aids, feeding, bath and gifting ranges
• Handle escalations, returns and exchanges in line with the Consumer Protection Act
• Build the local customer base through gift registries, mom groups, prenatal classes and repeat contact with regulars

Stock and merchandising

• Receive deliveries, check them against invoices and resolve short or damaged stock with suppliers
• Keep stock on hand accurate, run cycle counts weekly and a full count monthly
• Flag slow movers and stockouts to the buyer with enough lead time to act
• Maintain displays, window installations and shelf pricing so the floor reflects the brand

Team

• Draw up rosters that cover trading hours without unnecessary overtime
• Onboard, train and performance-manage the team
• Run daily briefs on targets, promotions and new arrivals
• Apply company disciplinary procedures fairly and keep proper records

Operations and admin

• Open and close the store, manage cash-ups, floats, card reconciliation and banking
• Fulfil click-and-collect and online orders routed to the store
• Submit daily sales reports and a monthly summary covering sales, shrinkage, staff costs and stock movement
• Manage the store's petty cash, consumables and supplier relationships
• Keep the store compliant with health, safety and hygiene requirements

What you need

• Matric (NQF 4)
• 3+ years managing a retail store or a section of one, with accountability for targets and staff
• Working knowledge of a retail POS system (Shopify POS, Vend, Lightspeed or similar) and comfort with Excel or Google Sheets
• Clean criminal and credit record (verification required)
• Availability for retail trading hours, including weekends, public holidays and December

What helps

• Experience in baby, kids, gifting or premium lifestyle retail
• Own reliable transport and a valid driver's licence
• Familiarity with Shopify and basic social content for a store account
• isiZulu in addition to English

Who does well here

You notice when a shelf looks wrong. You would rather ask a customer about their due date than recite a price. You chase a supplier three times without being asked to. You can tell a staff member their till was short and still have a working relationship afterwards.

What we offer

• Market-related package, discussed at interview stage
• Performance incentive linked to store turnover targets
• Staff discount on the full range
• Product training from our brand partners

Bubbadue is an equal opportunity employer. Appointments are made in line with our employment equity objectives. Personal information submitted with your application is processed for recruitment purposes only, in line with POPIA.