Retail Sales & Operations Manager

Overview: The Retail Sales & Operations Manager at guitarguitar will play a key role in ensuring the seamless operation of our retail stores, driving sales performance, and enhancing the customer experience. Reporting to the Retail & Operations Director, this role acts as the bridge between senior leadership and store management, ensuring that strategy is effectively implemented at store level while supporting and developing our management teams.

The successful candidate will lead, coach, and mentor Store Managers to uphold guitarguitar’s mission of Making Music Better at every stage of our customers’ musical journey whilst defining, innovating and implementing the highest standards of presentation and performance. They will focus on commercial performance, operational excellence and team development- ensuring consistency across all locations while adapting to local opportunities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Initial: project manage the opening of a new store in Manchester or the North West, including assisting in finding premises, overseeing the fit-out process, sharing local knowledge and insight and leading recruitment and training efforts.
• Support the Retail & Customer Operations Director in executing retail strategies and achieving company objectives across all stores.
• Drive sales growth by ensuring Store Managers are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and motivation to exceed targets.
• Define and uphold retail excellence standards, ensuring KPIs and operational benchmarks are met consistently.
• Provide hands-on coaching and mentoring to Store Managers, fostering a culture of high performance and accountability.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Purchasing, and Finance teams to optimise promotions, stock levels, and store layouts.
• Analyse sales data and store performance metrics to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Assist in the expansion of the retail estate, including store openings, refurbishments, and local marketing initiatives.
• Act as a key point of escalation for store issues, working to resolve operational challenges efficiently.

Reports To: Retail & Operations Director

Direct Reports: Store Managers (across all guitarguitar retail locations)

Collaborative Roles:

• Marketing Director (to align promotions and campaigns)
• Finance Director (to monitor financial performance and budgeting)
• HR Manager (to support staff training, recruitment, and performance management)
• Purchasing Director (to optimise stock levels and product strategies)

Key Attributes:

• Proven experience in multi-site retail management, preferably in the music, technology, or lifestyle sectors.
• Strong leadership and coaching skills with a track record of developing high-performing teams.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to analyse data and drive business performance.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to influence and collaborate across departments.
• Experience at every stage of the process of retail expansion and store opening.
• Passion for music and an understanding of musicians’ needs and preferences.

This role is a great opportunity for a dynamic retail leader to make a tangible impact on guitarguitar’s in-store experience and overall commercial success and ensure the company continues to lead the way within the UK MI retail space.

Location: Ideal candidate will be based within daily commuting distance of North-West England (Manchester/ Cheshire) with regular travel across the UK required.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Sales and Business Development

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