General Manager – Outdoor Retail / Ecommerce Operations in Stevenage

Countryside Ski & Climb is a long-established independent outdoor and ski retailer, serving customers both in-store and online. We sell outdoor clothing, footwear, equipment, ski clothing and ski equipment, supported by a small, knowledgeable team and a busy ecommerce fulfilment operation.

About the role

We are looking for a capable, organised and commercially minded General Manager to take responsibility for the day‑to‑day running of the business. This is a practical, hands‑on leadership role covering shop‑floor standards, team leadership, ecommerce order fulfilment, stock flow, customer service, logistics, building management, health and safety, and operational improvement. The role would suit someone who enjoys leading a small team, solving problems, improving systems and keeping a busy retail and online operation running smoothly. You will act as the main point of contact between the Directors and the wider team, helping to set priorities, maintain standards and prepare the business for seasonal peaks, particularly winter.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the team: Manage, support and develop the current team, setting clear daily priorities, standards, and expectations.
• Maintain service standards: Ensure customers receive honest, professional advice in-store, by email and over the phone, including support with footwear and equipment fitting services.
• Run ecommerce fulfilment: Oversee picking, processing, packing and dispatch, keeping order flow accurate, organised and efficient.
• Coordinate logistics: Monitor courier collections, delivery issues, returns and fulfilment bottlenecks, working with the team to resolve problems quickly.
• Manage stock flow: Oversee deliveries, stock handling, stockroom organisation, replenishment issues, damaged items, slow‑moving lines and seasonal stock priorities.
• Keep the shop commercially effective: Maintain strong shop presentation, visual merchandising, product displays and a clean, tidy and welcoming retail environment.
• Support training and standards: Ensure staff are trained in product knowledge, customer service, order processing, stock handling, health and safety, and company procedures.
• Look after the building and safety: Oversee opening and closing procedures, security, key holding, alarm procedures, cashing‑up processes, maintenance issues, fire safety and day‑to‑day health and safety standards.
• Improve operations: Identify practical opportunities to reduce errors, improve efficiency, support promotions and product launches, and improve the customer experience.
• Support business performance: Monitor order volumes, customer service workload, staffing needs and operational pressures, providing useful feedback to the Directors.

What success looks like

• The team understands daily priorities and works to clear, consistent standards.
• Online orders are picked, packed and dispatched accurately and efficiently.
• The shop floor, stockroom, and customer areas are organised, safe and commercially effective.
• Customers receive knowledgeable, professional and helpful service across all channels.
• Seasonal busy periods are planned for and managed calmly.
• Operational problems are spotted early, and practical improvements are in place.

What we are looking for

• Experience managing a small team in retail, ecommerce, operations, logistics or a similar hands‑on environment.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy business.
• A confident, practical leadership style, with the ability to delegate clearly and hold standards.
• Excellent customer service skills and a calm, professional manner.
• Good IT skills, including email, order systems, spreadsheets and similar business systems.
• A practical understanding of stock handling, order fulfilment and retail operations.
• Good problem‑solving skills and the ability to stay calm during busy or pressurised periods.
• A hands‑on approach: this is not a purely office‑based management role.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work closely with both Directors and team members.

Useful but not essential

• Experience in outdoor clothing, footwear, ski, technical equipment retail.
• Experience with ecommerce order fulfilment, warehouse, or stockroom processes.
• Experience managing couriers, deliveries, and returns.
• Product knowledge in outdoor, ski, or active equipment categories.
• Experience with visual merchandising and shop‑floor standards.
• Previous responsibility for health and safety, fire safety, building management or key holding.
• Self‑motivated, organised and reliable.
• Calm, practical and hands‑on.
• Able to lead by example.
• Comfortable working in a small business environment.
• Commercially aware and customer focused.
• Able to balance people management with operational detail.
• Positive, approachable and professional.
• An interest in the outdoors and active lifestyles would be beneficial.

Salary of £33,000‑£35,000 per annum, depending on experience. Staff, product, and supplier training. A varied leadership role across retail, ecommerce, logistics, people management and operations. The opportunity to play a key role in a long‑established independent outdoor and ski retailer. The chance to improve systems, standards and day‑to‑day operations in a practical, visible way.