At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead store operations, drive sales, and create an amazing customer experience.
- Company: Join Dobbies, a leading garden centre retailer with a rich history.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous leave, discounts, financial support, and development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a passionate team dedicated to customer satisfaction and community engagement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a thriving environment while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Retail management experience and strong communication skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Our General Managers play an essential role in delivering customer experience across our stores - driving sales, promoting customer loyalty, maintaining high operational standards and smashing commercial targets.
Responsibilities
- Take full ownership of the store management, ensuring everything is in place to hit commercial targets with responsive management of budgets and cost controls.
- Overseeing the complete business operation, maximising profitable sales and growth while creating a unique customer focused environment.
- Taking the lead in creating a great place to work for everyone on a day-to-day basis whilst thinking ahead to ensure your team have a development journey with Dobbies.
- Sparking your team's passion for delivering the best customer experience possible by creating a brilliant customer journey.
- Observing your team's service levels, identifying ways they can improve and finding the best way to suit that individual in coaching them to improve.
- Working closely with our central support teams, maintaining excellent communication, stock supply and response.
- Ensuring all compliance with health & safety regulations, whilst caring for employee and customer welfare at all times.
Who we are looking for
- Retail management expertise with proven experience of leading multiple direct reports and their teams.
- Commercial awareness and understanding of budgets, profitability from driving retail sales and improved ways of working.
- Ability to identify training needs. You'll be effectively coaching and training all levels ensuring teams are delivering a first-class customer experience.
- Excellent communication skills. You'll ensure that successful initiatives and actions are shared across the business and that performance is monitored.
- Adaptability. You'll act quickly and enthusiastically to changing priority, workload and concepts.
- Positivity managing change. You'll lead the team through each season with care and motivation to deliver best.
- Can demonstrate our values at all times - we're one team, getting better every day. We bring a smile. We live and breathe gardens. We make it work for our customers.
What we offer
- Generous annual leave entitlement. Use your holidays when you want with limited statutory days off required.
- Treat yourself with generous uncapped discount across our stores with 50% off in our restaurants, 25% off in the Garden Centre and 10% off in our food halls.
- Access to Stream - support your financial wellbeing, with ability to access earnings ahead of pay day, save for the future and financial advice.
- Access to Retail Trust - seek confidential support, access to a virtual GP, free counselling service and discounted retail rewards with our employee wellbeing platform.
- Access to Dobbies Academy - continue your development with our eLearning platform and development programmes.
- Thriving culture; the Dobbies team are passionate, diverse and committed to making it work for our customers.
About us
At Dobbies, we’re proud to have a history dating back to 1865. We were founded by James Dobbie and are the only garden centre retailer to have stores in every nation across the UK. Our passion and joy for gardens and plants is what makes us special. In our stores, we showcase this through own brand and branded products, concession partners and services. We champion garden living all-year-round. Many of our stores feature a restaurant or coffee shop, where customers can enjoy refreshments or meals in a relaxed and welcoming environment. We offer a calendar of events and experiences that bring people and communities together, and we have a national charity partner that both our colleagues and customers raise money for. We’re committed to being a great place to work. We’re one team and we encourage our colleagues to be the best version of themselves, every day; to share their wins and celebrate success. Together, we make it work for our customers.
General Manager in Andover employer: Dobbies Andover
At Dobbies, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a thriving culture where our team is passionate, diverse, and committed to delivering outstanding customer experiences. As a General Manager, you'll enjoy generous benefits including uncapped discounts, access to financial wellbeing support, and continuous development opportunities through Dobbies Academy, all while working in a supportive environment that values teamwork and personal growth. Join us in creating a unique customer-focused atmosphere and be part of a company that celebrates success and community engagement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land General Manager in Andover
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research Dobbies, its values, and what makes it tick. This way, when you chat with us, you can show off your knowledge and passion for gardens and customer experience.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current or former employees on LinkedIn. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have. It’s a great way to get the inside scoop and make a lasting impression.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by practising common questions related to retail management and customer service. Think of examples from your past that highlight your leadership skills and adaptability. We love hearing about real-life experiences!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it keeps you fresh in our minds as we make our decisions.
We think you need these skills to ace General Manager in Andover
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Customer Experience:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for delivering an amazing customer experience shine through. We want to see how you can spark joy in our customers and create a unique shopping journey!
Highlight Your Leadership Skills:As a General Manager, you'll be leading a team, so make sure to showcase your retail management expertise. Share examples of how you've successfully coached and developed teams in the past – we love to see that growth mindset!
Be Clear About Your Commercial Awareness:We’re all about smashing those commercial targets! In your application, demonstrate your understanding of budgets and profitability. Talk about how you've driven sales and improved ways of working in previous roles.
Tailor Your Application to Us:Make your application stand out by aligning it with our values. Show us how you embody teamwork, positivity, and adaptability. And remember, apply through our website to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves!
How to prepare for a job interview at Dobbies Andover
✨Know Your Numbers
As a General Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of budgets and profitability. Brush up on key financial metrics relevant to retail management, and be ready to discuss how you've driven sales and managed costs in previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare to talk about your experience leading teams. Think of specific examples where you've coached individuals to improve their performance or fostered a positive work environment. Highlight how you can spark passion in your team for delivering exceptional customer experiences.
✨Communicate Clearly
Excellent communication is crucial for this role. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Be prepared to discuss how you've maintained effective communication with support teams and shared successful initiatives across the business.
✨Embrace Adaptability
The retail environment can change rapidly, so be ready to share examples of how you've successfully adapted to shifting priorities. Discuss your approach to managing change positively and how you motivate your team through transitions.
