Retail and Operations Manager

The Company

Our client is a leading cultural organisation. They are committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences through engaging attractions, high-quality retail offerings, and outstanding visitor services. This is an exciting opportunity to join a values-led organisation where you can play a key role in enhancing the visitor experience while leading a high-performing operational team.

The Role

Our client is seeking an experienced Retail & Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day operation of their visitor services, retail, and front-of-house functions. Reporting to the senior management team, you will lead a dedicated team, ensuring exceptional customer service, strong commercial performance, and the smooth delivery of daily operations. This is a varied leadership role combining people management, retail operations, event support, commercial performance, and visitor experience. It would suit an experienced retail or hospitality manager looking for a rewarding role within a unique visitor-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & People Management
  • Lead, motivate, and develop the front-of-house, retail, and business support teams.
  • Manage staff performance, recruitment, induction, training, absence, and annual leave.
  • Create staff rotas to ensure effective operational cover.
  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement and exceptional customer service.
  • Coach and mentor team members to maximise performance and engagement.
• Retail & Commercial Operations
  • Drive retail sales, membership, gift aid, and customer engagement targets.
  • Oversee stock control, merchandising, ordering, and inventory management.
  • Manage retail systems, admissions, booking, and ticketing platforms.
  • Process retail orders, deliveries, and invoices accurately.
  • Coordinate e-commerce fulfilment and retail promotions.
  • Monitor sales performance and produce operational and commercial reports.
  • Ensure high standards of visual merchandising and retail presentation.
• Operational Management
  • Support the day-to-day operation of a busy visitor attraction.
  • Act as Duty Manager on a rota basis, including weekends, bank holidays, and occasional evening events.
  • Deputise for the Visitor Services Manager when required.
  • Manage visitor enquiries, complaints, and feedback professionally.
  • Liaise with contractors and third-party service providers to maintain high operational standards.
  • Support procurement and budget-related administration.
  • Assist in delivering commercial events and corporate functions.
• Visitor Experience
  • Ensure an outstanding visitor experience across all customer touchpoints.
  • Work collaboratively with internal teams to promote exhibitions, events, and activities.
  • Support the planning and delivery of public programmes and visitor events.
  • Maintain high standards of presentation, cleanliness, and customer engagement throughout the site.
• Health & Safety
  • Promote a safe environment for visitors, staff, and volunteers.
  • Act as a Designated Safeguarding Officer, Fire Marshal, and First Aider (training provided where required).
  • Participate in an on-call rota for operational support outside normal working hours.

The Person

Essential Criteria

• A minimum of three years' experience managing teams within a retail, hospitality, leisure, tourism, or visitor attraction environment.
• Experience leading, motivating, and developing teams, including performance management, recruitment, and staff development.
• Experience supporting the delivery of events, activities, or visitor experiences.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience using retail, admissions, or booking systems to analyse performance and produce reports.
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and reporting systems.
• Previous experience acting as a Duty Manager or managing day-to-day operations.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organisational skills.
• A passion for delivering exceptional customer service.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience supporting organisational change or service improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of visual merchandising and retail best practice.
• Experience overseeing e-commerce or online retail fulfilment.

Package & Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Full-time permanent opportunity.
• Opportunity to lead operations within a unique visitor attraction.
• Comprehensive training and professional development.
• Supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Opportunity to make a significant impact on visitor experience and commercial performance.
• Staff benefits package.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, submit your CV via the application form provided. Alternatively, to speak in absolute confidence about this opportunity please contact Zeenath Jackson.

Disclaimer

If you have a disability which means you require assistance at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us directly to discuss. Honeycomb is committed to providing equality of opportunity to all. Please note: We are receiving an exceptionally high number of applications at present and will be unable to shortlist candidates who do not meet the specific requirements for this role. Due to the high volume of applications, we may be unable to provide individual feedback. We thank you in advance for your understanding. This position is subject to a basic criminal record check through AccessNI. A criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining the position.