At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a passionate team to deliver an exceptional chocolate shopping experience.
- Company: Join Hotel Chocolat, the UK's favourite premium chocolate brand.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, performance incentives, and generous staff discounts.
- Other info: Great career progression opportunities in a dynamic and supportive environment.
- Why this job: Be part of a growing family that values passion, purpose, and innovation.
- Qualifications: Experience in hospitality or retail with strong leadership and communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 27000 - 33000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a Store Manager who is a confident leader with natural people‑focussed management skills – someone passionate, curious, customer obsessed, and of course a chocolate lover! Ideally you will have experience in food and beverage, hospitality, or a premium retailer. Are you ready to join Hotel Chocolat’s exciting and ongoing journey as the UK’s favourite premium chocolate brand? As the Store Manager, you will hold overall accountability and responsibility for managing your store: driving profitable sales and meeting KPIs and completing all operational tasks including Health and Safety and HR processes and procedures. You will regularly collaborate with your District Manager, Support Functions and Store Managers, working together and supporting each other as one team, towards a shared goal and vision for Hotel Chocolat. Resilient and adaptable to work under pressure, you will lead from the front to coach and develop your team to achieve your stores objectives as our business continues to evolve. Commercially focussed, you’ll consistently drive KPIs and performance in store, motivating your team to achieve targets and deliver our premium shopping experience to every customer, every day. Sharing your expert knowledge as a brand ambassador, you will train, support and coach your team to be the best in class. Working with pride, you are a resourceful, presentable, and self‑motivated, always making the right decisions for your store. And lastly, People are the reason you are in retail – you thrive off building and maintaining excellent relationships with your customers and stakeholders with your infectious communication style.
What you bring to Hotel Chocolat
- A current role or background working in a hospitality or café environment or premium high street retailer delivering an excellent customer experience.
- Demonstrable experience of full P&L responsibility.
- Commercial Awareness to make sound decisions to benefit the store’s business.
- Strong communication skills with an ability to flex your communication style as needed.
- Teamwork: you can work autonomously and collaboratively with your team effortlessly.
- Effective decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Reliable, with effective time keeping and organisational skills.
- Goal-oriented with a focus on driving your own performance, demonstrating a continuous improvement mindset.
- IT literate with a good understanding of Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook.
In return for going the extra mile every day, we’ll offer you
- A competitive salary.
- Incentives based on performance.
- 50% unlimited staff discount to treat yourself and your friends and family.
- 70% discount off a stay in our Hotel in St Lucia.
- A chance to develop yourself personally, working in an exciting, innovative and expanding company with real career progression.
About Us
We’re not just a chocolate company; we’re a family of chocolate lovers. From luxury gifts to our iconic Velvetiser and beyond, we’ve built a brand that’s all about crafting moments of indulgence. Our journey began as a humble mint company, but we soon found our passion for cacao and never looked back. Today, we’re proud to operate over 150 stores across the UK and continue to grow across categories, channels, and territories. Patience, passion, and purpose drive everything we do – just like the perfect cacao pod, our success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of hard work, innovation, and the shared dedication of our customers, colleagues, farmers, and suppliers. To learn more about who we are and our People Pledge to equality, diversity, and inclusion, visit: hotelchocolat.com/uk/engaged-ethics/our-people.html
Store Manager in North East employer: Hotel Chocolat
At Hotel Chocolat, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values passion and customer obsession. Our vibrant work culture fosters teamwork and personal development, offering a competitive salary, generous discounts, and exciting career progression opportunities in the heart of a premium retail environment. Join us to be part of a dynamic team where your love for chocolate and commitment to excellence can truly shine.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Store Manager in North East
✨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 Hotel Chocolat, 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 Hotel Chocolat!
We think you need these skills to ace Store Manager in North East
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 Hotel Chocolat, 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 Hotel Chocolat 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 Hotel Chocolat that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hotel Chocolat
✨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!
