At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a vibrant store, inspire your team, and create unforgettable holiday experiences.
- Company: Join Virgin Atlantic Holidays, a brand known for its unique approach to travel.
- Benefits: Enjoy industry-leading staff travel perks, uncapped commission, and personal development opportunities.
- Other info: Embrace diversity in an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
- Why this job: Shape a positive store culture and connect with the community while driving sales.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading teams and a passion for guest-focused service.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 40000 £ per year.
Location: Battersea, London
Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week. Shift-based, retail stores operate 7 days a week between 9:00am and 9:00pm. This role requires flexibility to work a variety of shifts, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £40,000 per annum plus Sales Incentive Plan
Closing Date: 27th August 2026
In a nutshell
Our retail stores are more than places to book holidays. They are where curiosity starts, dreams become plans and our guests get the confidence to holiday to the fullest. As Retail Store Manager, you will lead a flagship standalone store in a prestigious capital city destination, representing one of the UK's most recognisable travel brands in a high-profile retail environment. You'll create a welcoming, high-performing culture where guests feel inspired and colleagues feel proud, supported, and motivated to succeed. This is a role for someone who can balance commercial performance with real warmth and personality. You will be responsible for driving sales, developing your team, building local relationships and making sure every guest interaction reflects the energy, care and confidence that make Virgin Atlantic Holidays different.
Day to day
- You will set the tone for the store. Leading from the front, you will inspire your team to deliver trusted, personalised holiday advice and create exceptional experiences at every touchpoint.
- Working alongside our award-winning Retail team who share your passion and dedication to delivering outstanding guest service, you will:
- Lead your store to deliver sales, guest experience and people performance targets, using insight and data to drive continuous improvement
- Coach, develop and inspire a team of Retail Advisors to deliver personalised holiday experiences and exceptional service at every touchpoint
- Create a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture where colleagues feel motivated, supported and empowered
- Build relationships within the local community and with key partners to grow brand awareness, attract new guests and drive commercial performance
- Bring the Virgin Atlantic Holidays brand to life through every guest conversation, local activity and team interaction
- Champion innovation, embrace change and help your team feel confident through new ways of working
- Oversee the day-to-day operation of the store, ensuring compliance with policies, health and safety, data protection and operational standards
- Act as the key escalation point for the store while working closely with the Divisional Manager and wider support teams to deliver operational excellence
About You
You will be a passionate and inspiring leader who gets the best out of people. You will care about performance, but you will know that great results come from engaged teams, trusted relationships and exceptional guest experiences. You will bring:
- Proven experience leading a team to achieve sales, guest and operational performance targets, ideally within a retail, travel or hospitality environment
- A natural coach who enjoys developing others, building confidence and creating an engaged, high-performing team culture
- Strong commercial awareness, using data, market insight and local opportunities to drive business performance and guest acquisition
- The ability to create an energised, inclusive and high-performing team culture
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to influence and collaborate with colleagues, suppliers and stakeholders
- Resilience, adaptability and a positive approach to change
- A guest-first mindset, with the ability to make every interaction feel personal, thoughtful and memorable
Retail management experience is desirable, but we are equally interested in inspirational leaders from retail, travel, hospitality or guest-focused environments who bring commercial thinking, people leadership and a passion for creating brilliant experiences.
Why Virgin Atlantic Holidays?
This is your chance to lead a store with personality, purpose and ambition. You will be part of a brand known for doing things differently, challenging the ordinary and putting people at the heart of travel. You will have the opportunity to shape a store culture, grow a team, connect with your local community and help guests create holidays they will never forget. You will also have access to a range of learning and leadership development programmes to support your progression and help you build the next stage of your career.
What we offer
- With our blended training programme, you'll be able to confidently recommend and sell holidays, ensuring our guests have the best store experience!
- Industry-leading Staff Travel benefits with up to seven flights a year to any Virgin Atlantic destination
- Go above and beyond and get rewarded for it. Our uncapped commission scheme rewards great guest experiences and outstanding sales performance, giving you the opportunity to significantly increase your earnings.
- Explore a range of learning programmes, available both online and in person, to support your personal and professional development.
- Generous contributory pension scheme and life assurance
- Our iconic Vivienne Westwood uniform in your choice of styles!
Be yourself – Our differences make us stronger
Our guests come from all walks of life and so do our colleagues. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. At Virgin Atlantic, we believe everyone can take on the world - no matter your age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs. We celebrate difference and everything that makes our colleagues unique by upholding an inclusive environment in which we can all thrive. So that everyone at Virgin Atlantic can be themselves and know they belong. To make your journey with us accessible and individual to you, we encourage you to let us know if you’d like a little extra help with your application, or if you have any individual requirements at any stage along your recruitment journey. We are here to support you, so please reach out to our team, (recruitment@fly.virgin.com) feeling confident that we’ve got your individual considerations covered.
Retail Store Manager - Virgin Atlantic Holidays employer: baseskillsacademy
At baseskillsacademy, we pride ourselves on fostering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that empowers our employees to excel. As a Premium Chocolate Retail Lead, you will not only have the chance to inspire your team but also benefit from comprehensive training and development opportunities tailored to enhance your career in luxury retail. Located in a bustling area, our store offers a unique environment where creativity and passion for exceptional customer service thrive, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Retail Store Manager - Virgin Atlantic Holidays
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like baseskillsacademy, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like baseskillsacademy!
We think you need these skills to ace Retail Store Manager - Virgin Atlantic Holidays
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at baseskillsacademy, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at baseskillsacademy and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show baseskillsacademy that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at baseskillsacademy
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
