Retail Deputy Manager in Milton Keynes

We don't just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play. You sell the paint that turns someone into an artist. You provide the book that unleashes an inner author. You supply the games that help bring families together. You give someone the puzzle book that reconnects them with a late family member's memory. You never know who someone will become. So with your passion, and our products, you will help ignite the spark within people, allowing them to unleash their creativity, find new passions, hobbies, or rekindle fond memories. The unseen possibilities are limitless, and it all starts with you.

As a Deputy Manager, you play a vital role in supporting the Store Manager to lead the team and deliver an exceptional customer experience. You'll help drive commercial performance, maintain high operational standards, and step up to lead the store in the Store Manager's absence. You'll be a role model for the team – motivating, coaching, and ensuring every shift runs smoothly. Your mission is to deliver exceptional service, spark brilliant conversations, and help customers with their shopping missions - whether it's discovering new products they'll love, or finding the perfect gifts for someone else. By getting to know their interests or shopping mission, you'll be ready to recommend things that surprise, delight, and inspire them. You'll also play a key role in keeping the store well‑stocked, tidy, safe, and welcoming. Alongside your teammates, you help create an environment where everything runs smoothly and everyone feels supported and included in the team.

Being a brand ambassador at The Works isn't your job title. It's the way you bring our brand to life every day through the moments you create. It's the smile that puts someone at ease, the warm welcome into the store, the way you support your colleagues with kindness and teamwork, the conversation that helps a child discover their new favourite toy, or the encouragement that inspires someone to reconnect with their creativity or their love of reading. These small interactions – the ones that feel ordinary to you, often become extraordinary memories for the people who walk through our doors. Whether you're on the shop floor, in our distribution centre, or at our support centre, you'll always be representing our products, services, values and behaviours in a positive and authentic way. You help build trust, awareness and loyalty simply through how you show up. At The Works, we are all Brand Ambassadors.

Your Mission:

• Support the Store Manager in leading the team to deliver excellent customer service and achieve store targets.
• Take ownership of key operational areas such as stock management, merchandising, and compliance.
• Lead by example on the shop floor, setting high standards for service, presentation, and teamwork.
• Coach and develop team members, providing feedback and support to help them grow.
• Step up to manage the store in the absence of the Store Manager, ensuring smooth day‑to‑day operations.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and training of new team members.
• Monitor store performance and contribute ideas to improve sales and efficiency.
• Ensure health & safety, cash handling, and loss prevention procedures are followed.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture.

Skills / Behaviours that will set you apart:

• Experience in a supervisory or team leadership role within retail or customer service.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Confident in leading a team and making decisions.
• Organised and able to manage multiple priorities.
• Customer-focused with a passion for delivering great service.
• Flexible and reliable, with a hands‑on approach.
• Experience in a high‑volume or value retail environment.
• Familiarity with retail systems and reporting tools.
• Experience supporting recruitment, training, or performance management.

As a great leader with wonderful people skills, you'll create a team that's more than just co‑workers – it's a team. Inspire and motivate your team in line with our employer brand, values, behaviours and purpose. Lead your team to reach their potential and steer your store to break records and get in the spotlight. Work collaboratively with support departments and peers. If something's not quite right, provide quality constructive feedback so we can work as a team to get it right! But let's not forget about the most important part… your team's well‑being and aspirations. You'll be their biggest supporter, cheering them on. You'll have amazing everyday conversations with your team, discussing everything from performance to career aspirations and helping them get there.

Our PERKS really are 'The Works':

• 25% Colleague Discount! – Plus, exclusive Double Discount days!
• MyWorks – Access exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities deals, tech and more!
• Family Friendly Leave – Enjoy some time well spent with enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
• Holiday – 33 days, including bank holidays. Plus, your holiday allowance increases with long service.
• Can‑Do Academy – Grow your skills and career with instant access to further training and development in areas that interest you.
• Stream – Claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them – for when life happens!
• Share Scheme – Unleash your inner Monopoly mogul and own a piece of The Works!
• 24/7 support for you and your family – Through our partnership with Retail Trust Charity, who provide an Employee Assistance Programme and so much more!
• Healthcare Cash Plan – To support your everyday healthcare costs.
• And loads more! – Long service awards, pension, life assurance, Cycle to Work scheme and optional charity giving.

Our Purpose: To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.

Our Values: We are Crafty – Smart with what we've got. We are Caring – Heart in every action. We are Can‑do – Energy that gets it done. We Listen. We Care.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Reasonable Adjustments: Promoting Diversity, Inclusion, and Applying Reasonable Adjustments. At The Works, we are proud to have an inclusive culture where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. Our roles are open to all, including under‑represented groups such as ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, carers & members of the LGBTQ+ community (including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans, non‑binary, or use another term). We are open to discussions around working hours and flexible working. And, where possible, we'll try to support this. If you need reasonable adjustments for an interview you might attend with us, let us know in your application and we'll be happy to help!

We don't just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play. Because when people spend time doing what they love, it's Time Well Spent. And with the right passion – It All Starts With You.