Apprentice Store Manager

We are looking to recruit an Apprentice Store Manager for our shop in Ponders End. We offer a permanent full-time (45 hours per week) position working a variety of shifts, 5 days from 7 each week.

What does the training involve?

• Initial training period working alongside an experienced shop manager and developing your practical skills in retail management.
• A period of running your shop with great support from your Area Manager.
• Approximately 3-6 months into your training, you will take on full responsibility for our Ponders End shop while you continue to develop your management skills, with the support of your area manager.
• Working towards a Level 4 Retail Manager apprenticeship qualification with Inspiro Learning, our approved training provider.
• Support with upskilling your maths and English (if required).
• Completion of an independent end point assessment at the end of your training.
• Be fully accountable for your shop and responsible for ensuring that customers are looked after, and shop routines are completed to maintain a safe, clean and tidy shop.
• Motivate and guide your team to be as successful and efficient as possible.
• Lead by example and get stuck in with the day-to-day tasks involved in running one of our busy shops.
• Control key costs including payroll, shrinkage and waste.
• Meet standards in relation to customer service, cash handling, health & safety, stock management, merchandising and presentation.
• Take responsibility for recruitment, training and development of your team.
• Manage the customer experience, including remotely e.g. online, through ensuring the team deliver to customers a positive experience that benchmarks favourably to its main competitors and meets customer service objectives.
• Lead the team to achieve and exceed business objectives through forward planning, analysis and evaluation of own business area.
• Use sales and customer data to make sound and effective decisions which improve business performance.
• Manage the overall performance of the team to achieve financial targets taking into account the retail calendar year.
• Analyse reports to identify and determine key actions and recommendations.
• Produce and report on financial plans as required by the business, and identify and implement opportunities to increase profit and reduce waste.
• Provide clear direction and leadership to the team, giving open and honest feedback.
• Apply and adapt own leadership style to different retail situations and people to achieve the desired outcome.
• Communicate marketing objectives to team members and drive results.
• Analyse and evaluate the impact of marketing activities e.g. sales and customer feedback, and report the outcomes to senior management with relevant recommendations.
• Establish clear communication objectives, lead communications in a style and manner that is relevant to the target audience and achieves an effective result for the business.
• Manage the team to achieve sales targets through regular monitoring of performance against results, identifying high and low performance products/services and taking timely action to find and implement appropriate solutions.
• Analyse and interpret product/service sales information and use it to make recommendations for future planning e.g. of staff and resources, ideas for new initiatives.
• Research and demonstrate new products/services or initiatives to the team.
• Ensure the team carry out activities in line with business and brand values that actively market the business, support competitiveness and help meet business objectives.
• Identify possible risks to brand reputation and take action to prevent or minimise their impact.
• Ensure effective merchandising set up, monitoring and maintenance in own area of business.
• Measure the impact of merchandising on sales and report the outcome to colleagues and senior managers, providing recommendations for improvements, and implementing changes within own remit.
• Monitor the stock management system to minimise the cost of damage to stock and the loss of stock to the business.
• Ensure audit compliance and react quickly to results to maintain business standards and stock requirements.
• Work with team members to maximise their potential and achieve organisation's objectives.
• Implement effective and accurate training on products, services and legislation governing sales, such as age restricted products, trading standards and weights and measures.
• Recruit the right people into the right job, monitor team performance and recognise excellence, effectively manage performance that is below standard.
• Manage and continuously review adherence to legislation and regulations/policies for due diligence; handle audits and regulatory authorities such as the Environmental Health Officer appropriately.
• Implement business policy on diversity, ensuring team are aware of and know how to work effectively with colleagues, customers and other stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.
• Ensure technology is sourced, located, available, maintained and secured in line with business needs; oversee the use of technology in line with business policy, identify and make recommendations for improvement.

Apprenticeship standards are aimed at developing skills within the apprentice's chosen career route. Each standard has set knowledge, skills and behaviours required to be successful within the job role. This will include the completion of functional skills in maths and English. Once the apprentice has completed a minimum of 12 months' training and the employer and Inspiro's Regional Trainer confirm they have met all the requirements of the standard, they will be put through to the end point assessment. The end point assessment is independent of the training and includes a variety of assessment methods which test the skills and knowledge of the apprentice to ensure they are fully competent in their role. Each apprentice will be supported throughout the apprenticeship by a structured programme of teaching, e-learning, face-to-face training and workplace mentoring; this will encourage and help them to meet the requirements of the new standards and will prepare them for the end-point assessment. Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Qualifications & Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Problem solving skills
• Team working

Benefits and Program Details

• This is a 19-month training programme and upon successful completion you will be made a permanent employee.
• A starting salary of £31,392.52 (which will increase to £33,948.94 after 6 months).
• A retail manager level 4 apprenticeship standard qualification.
• Paid time to complete your apprenticeship coursework.
• Great training and support.
• 30 days holiday each year.
• 15% staff discount to use in any of our shops.
• Free life assurance.
• Workplace pension.

Note: This position is for the Farmfoods group; the text references shop hours and schedules (e.g., Monday to Friday 8am-10pm, weekends) that may reflect standard shop operating hours.