At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and grow our South Outdoor division, driving sales and inspiring teams.
- Company: Join JD Outdoors, a dynamic leader in the retail industry.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, travel opportunities, and a chance to shape the future of retail.
- Other info: Exciting career growth potential with a focus on customer-centric values.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Proven retail leadership experience and excellent communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Responsible to: Retail Director – JD Outdoors
Department: Central Operations
Location: Nationwide UK – Field based
Hours: 40 (Full-Time)
Role Overview:
This person will develop and grow our business across our South Outdoor division. Working as a member of the Outdoor Leadership Team with various stakeholders; partnering with buying, merchandising, finance, marketing & retail functions to drive sales in line with our strategic aims. This role will involve travel and overnight stays across the UK.
Key Duties & Responsibilities:
- As part of the Outdoor Leadership Team help shape, communicate, and implement the JD Outdoor vision, purpose, values, and strategy, with specific focus on your business area.
- Focus & Drive - Develop and deliver a sales plan for your category in line with the JD Outdoors’s strategic aims.
- Support & Develop Regional Managers to drive sales performance through the delivery of KPI’s; ensuring that sales, profit, and operational targets are met.
- Work with Visual Merchandising teams to shape inspiring displays to aid customer journeys in store.
- Create a strong service culture by engaging all category stakeholders to operate with our focus being on ‘Customer at the Heart’.
- Ensure effective sales monitoring and reporting is in place to highlight commercial opportunities.
- Support new stores openings, ensuring they are equipped to deliver your sales plan.
- Identify and develop processes with central operations to deliver consistency to the customers.
- Provide detailed competitor analysis and identify opportunities to improve the category to other stakeholders.
- Propose solutions which improve business performance and give a competitive edge to your business area.
Skills/Experience/Knowledge preferred:
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, can demonstrate that they can use several communication styles to effectively influence a wide range of audiences.
- Great coaching, mentoring and teambuilding skills that motivates and inspires others to take positive action, deliver great customer experiences and drive performance.
- The ability to build trust and influence others through collaborative working relationships with key stakeholders.
- A developing knowledge of the industry within your remit.
- A learning mindset which keeps up to date with the market and consumer feedback.
- Knowledge of industry marketing techniques and best practices.
- Capacity to manage various projects and work to tight deadlines.
- Proficient and confident in the use of Microsoft Office products and retail business system.
- Proven retail operations and leadership experience across multi-site retail that is gained within a fast-paced retail environment is essential.
- Multi-site leadership experience delivering initiatives and commercial focus across projects, retail stores or similar is essential.
- Proven record of driving performance through the delivery of KPI’s in a Multi-site business.
- A leader that is Customer-centric and has a proven record of driving and delivering retail excellence in this area.
Leadership Behaviours:
- Lead with a plan/do/review mindset.
- Puts the Customer at the Heart.
- Confident and clear decision maker.
- Communicates in a way that inspires and engages.
- Strives to be better.
- Resilient and positive attitude even under pressure.
- Takes personal responsibility.
- Lives and breathes our values.
- Passionate about developing teams.
- Committed to two-way, clear, and honest feedback.
- Confident to “have a go” and not afraid to challenge!
- Builds great relationships.
- Catches people doing the right things.
Associate Director of Retail - South in Bury employer: Go Outdoors
At JD Sports, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and inclusive work culture. As a Store Manager, you will not only lead a dynamic team but also benefit from extensive personal development opportunities, including access to apprenticeships and accredited qualifications. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, competitive benefits like staff discounts and gym memberships, and a commitment to diversity, JD Sports is the perfect place for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the retail industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Associate Director of Retail - South in Bury
✨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 Go Outdoors, 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 Go Outdoors!
We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director of Retail - South in Bury
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 Go Outdoors, 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 Go Outdoors 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 Go Outdoors that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at Go Outdoors
✨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!
