The Retail Area Manager will be responsible for overseeing all South UK POP MART stores, ensuring seamless daily operations, sales performance, and exceptional customer experience. This is a store-based role, requiring a hands‑on approach to store management while also supporting broader retail operations across the South UK region.
Responsibilities
- You are setting a 21st century retail culture, creating a safe space of joy and respect for your teams across the South UK region.
- Oversee daily store operations of all existing and upcoming new store locations in South UK, ensuring efficiency, service quality, and operational excellence, partnering with key functions such as the Retail Operations Supervisor.
- Monitor sales performance, analyse trends, and implement strategies to optimise revenue and profitability.
- Support store teams in executing merchandising plans, product launches, and marketing campaigns.
- Ensure compliance with operational policies, company SOPs, and local retail regulations.
- Conduct regular store audits to assess performance, service quality, and operational efficiency.
- Act as a key point of contact for retail challenges and opportunities, ensuring smooth communication across teams.
- Assist in recruiting, onboarding, and training store‑level staff, ensuring alignment with POP MART's service standards.
- Manage inventory flow and stock levels, ensuring optimal product availability.
- Lead and support future South UK store openings, providing operational guidance and best practices.
- Work closely with internal teams (Marketing, HR, Supply Chain) to enhance store operations.
- Drive employee engagement, performance, and talent development across the South UK store network.
Required Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in retail operations, preferably in a flagship or high‑traffic retail environment.
- Proven experience in store operations, sales performance management, and customer experience enhancement.
- Ability to analyse sales data and implement strategic improvements.
- Hands‑on approach with strong problem‑solving and operational execution skills.
- Experience in recruiting, onboarding, and training retail staff.
- Demonstrated experience in handling employee relations matters, including conflict resolution, disciplinary processes, grievance management, and performance issues.
- Strong understanding of visual merchandising, inventory control, including managing and conducting quarterly store stocktakes, and retail compliance.
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work cross‑functionally.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and retail analytics tools.
- Ability to travel regularly across the South UK region.
- Be able to commute to our London office.
Desirable but Not Essential
- Experience in licensed merchandise, designer product VM, or collectible toys.
- Familiarity with the UK retail market.
- Understanding of designer toy and collectible trends, particularly in the art toy market.
- Experience managing multiple stores across a geographically dispersed region.
- Proficiency in Mandarin or Chinese is a plus but not required.
