Area Manager in Devon

Like the idea of joining the Saltrock family? We are looking for an Area Manager (North) to come aboard and join the next part of our adventure! The Atlantic Ocean, North Devon Coast and salty air. For over 30 years, Saltrock; a British, coastal, lifestyle brand, has had holiday, family, spirit and fun at its heart. Our inspiration flows from land and sea, waves and coastline. Designed in the South West since 1988 we have grown into a loved Devon brand known for its iconic print designs. It’s a great time to join the Saltrock family, we have many exciting opportunities as our company continues to grow and flourish and we welcome new talent to help us achieve our goals.

Main Duties/Responsibilities

• Proactively manage and lead an area of stores and support the Head of Retail with implementing and successfully delivering a retail strategy.
• The role means you are accountable for a minimum of 25 Saltrock stores, supporting with visual merchandising and executing all communication sent by the Retail, DC and Head office team.
• Managing, supporting, and developing store teams to execute the expected store standards, guidance, and training when it comes to commercial thinking and encouraging store teams to take accountability of their responsibilities whilst nurturing our people to ensure they go the extra mile within their store and role.
• Continuously focused on creating succession plans for individual Managers and stores alike whilst delivering on all short-, medium- and long-term business objectives.

Relationships

• Proactively build and maintain a professional commercial relationship throughout the business, whilst ensuring the company’s requirements are met.
• Proactively build and maintain a professional commercial relationship with Head Office, DC and retail team to ensure the best commercial decisions for the store are made.
• Building a rapport with Managers and wider store teams to effectively manage your area.

Customer

• Ensure all teams are focused on delivering exceptional customer service by approaching, engaging and proactively selling to them.
• Always providing the highest standard of customer service and leading by example.
• Ensuring customers have a positive experience within the assigned store through the actions taken by all team members and managing stores/teams where necessary.
• Ensure full adherence to all company policies and procedures including where relevant, centre procedures, with particular emphasis on health and safety of staff and customers.
• Maintain high security awareness by ensuring that all company security procedures are complied with.

Sales/Financial

• Accurately complete/understand profit & loss, forecast and commercial documents - monitor sales and take action where required.
• Use commercial reporting information to influence decisions and maximise commercial opportunities.
• Actively ensure stores implement any markdown and price alterations within agreed timescales.
• Ensure individual stores are appropriately covered with staffing, ensuring peak trade periods are maximised and payroll spend and savings are tightly monitored, including fair deployment of Manager and Supervisor hours.
• Being aware of key trading periods and ensuring hours are deployed for those periods.
• Aware of and monitoring of stores stock integrity and addressing any concerns with shrinkage in order to protect the business.

Stock Maintenance & Visual Standards

• Ensure all stores in your area have optimal stock at any point in the year to ensure maximum store performance, particular focus on peak trading periods by store.
• Lead and ensure all stores maintain a model store standard of housekeeping throughout every store to ensure it is attractive to customers and provides a healthy and safe environment.
• Monitor and maintain all aspects of stock management including stock losses, markdowns and stock levels by store.
• Check that stores merchandise product commercially ensuring visual merchandising principles and guidelines are adhered to ensure maximum sales return.
• Expectations set and monitored regarding processes such as; deliveries, high standards of housekeeping including maintenance of stockroom standards.

People

• Complete and review annual appraisals whilst building a future succession plan.
• Recruit and train new Managers which meet Saltrock standards ensuring that all probationary requirements and individual reviews are carried out within the correct time scales.
• Carry out induction of new staff ensuring that required competencies are demonstrated and all documentation is correctly completed then forwarded to Head Office and Line Manager as required.
• Ensure team are fully trained and able to run the store in Managers absence.
• Monitor and evaluate the development needs of staff ensuring appropriate coaching and training is provided to ensure needs are met.
• Monitor performances of staff identifying any disciplinary issues or training needs and ensuring appropriate action as required.
• Motivate team members to deliver exceptional service to all our customers both internal and external as an ambassador for Saltrock.
• Ensure all team members deliver agreed service levels to customers, maximising every sales opportunity.
• Proactively seek feedback from competitors on performance to ensure we are aware of any factors that could affect trade.

Communication

• Complete all administration tasks required correctly and on time.
• Implement and maintain communication systems to staff, line manager and all other contacts as required.
• Ensure consistent communication and visits with stores on a regular basis.
• Ensure all communication tools provided by the business are utilised to benefit the stores.
• Ensure all communication with Head office, DC, retail team is polite, clear, concise and fit for purpose.
• Ensures feedback on commercial performance is effectively communicated to all relevant parties.
• Ensure that all company and where applicable centre procedures are strictly adhered to.

What you will bring on the journey

• Strong retail management gained primarily within the fashion & clothing retail sector.
• A proven record of driving and delivering exceptional results.
• Experience of multi-site management.
• Exceptional communication & interpersonal skills.
• A strong coaching style of management in order to motivate and drive others at all levels.
• A keen eye for commercial Visual Merchandising & Brand presentation.
• Must hold a valid UK driving license.

Reporting to: Head of Retail