General Manager

General Manager

Full-Time 40000 - 50000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Tapestry, Inc.

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead store strategy and culture to achieve outstanding financial results.
  • Company: Join Coach, a global fashion house with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a fun work environment, career progression, and attractive employee discounts.
  • Other info: Flexible schedule required; dynamic team culture with regular social events.
  • Why this job: Make an impact in luxury retail while developing your leadership skills.
  • Qualifications: 3+ years in luxury retail management; strong sales and team development skills.

The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.

Coach is a global fashion house founded in New York in 1941. Inspired by the vision of Creative Director Stuart Vevers and the inclusive and courageous spirit of our hometown, we make beautiful things, crafted to last—for you to be yourself in. Coach is part of the Tapestry portfolio – a global house of brands committed to stretching what’s possible. Our company name Tapestry represents the diversity of our brands and the diversity of our people. We know that having a diverse range of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences makes us more innovative and successful and it brings us closer to our consumer. Our goal is to create a culture that is equitable, inclusive and diverse - where all of our employees, customers and stakeholders thrive.

The General Manager leads store strategy, execution, and culture to deliver outstanding financial results and best-in-class Coach Service. This role partners with the Store Manager/Management Team to drive sales, clienteling, operations, and visual presentation. The GM builds and mentors high-performing teams, leverages market insights and forecasts to set goals, and executes initiatives that elevate customer experience and profitability. The GM also serves as a leader within the district/region, providing strategic and HR support as needed.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Sales & Business Strategy
    • Set and track sales/productivity goals; adjust strategies based on trends and market shifts.
    • Forecast sales, plan payroll, and align hiring plans with business needs.
    • Partner with leadership and corporate teams to implement operational processes and ensure product flow.
  • Customer Experience
    • Model and coach selling/service standards; lead team selling and floor leadership.
    • Develop clienteling strategies to build long-term customer relationships and brand loyalty.
    • Act as a trusted fashion advisor; share trends and styling insights.
    • Resolve customer issues promptly with a solution-oriented approach.
  • Team Leadership & Development
    • Recruit, onboard, and retain top talent; maintain strong bench strength.
    • Evaluate performance, provide feedback, and create development action plans.
    • Foster an inclusive, collaborative, high-energy culture; recognize and reward performance.
  • Operations & Compliance
    • Own daily operations: scheduling, payroll, inventory, HR, and loss prevention.
    • Maintain store presentation standards and ensure adherence to POS and operational policies.
    • Utilize retail systems and reporting tools effectively.
  • Communication & Collaboration
    • Communicate clearly and professionally; model active listening.
    • Build trusting relationships with peers and corporate partners; keep leadership informed.
    • Uphold ethics, compliance, and alignment with company goals.
Requirements:
  • 3+ years as a Store Manager (luxury retail preferred); proven ability in sales strategies, clienteling, and team development. A combination of education and experience will be considered.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook; experience with retail systems.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong English language proficiency.

Schedule: Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet business needs—including nights, weekends, peak busy season, and high-traffic retail days (including, but not limited to, public holidays).

What Coach can offer you:
  • An inclusive, innovative, and fun working environment.
  • Internal mobility & career progression.
  • 1 paid volunteering day per year and opportunities to volunteer with global projects.
  • Learning & development opportunities with our Ambassador Programme.
  • Regular social events.
  • Equity Inclusion & Diversity initiatives which include employee resource groups & regional inclusion councils.
  • Attractive employee discount.
  • Compelling incentive programme.
Our Competencies for All Employees:
  • Courage: Doesn’t hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and “actionable” positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary.
  • Creativity: Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
  • Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
  • Dealing with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn’t upset when things are up in the air; doesn’t have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
  • Drive for Results: Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
  • Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
  • Learning on the Fly: Learns quickly when facing new problems; a relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for clues to improvement; experiments and will try anything to find solutions; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks; quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of anything.
Our Competencies for All People Managers:
  • Strategic Agility: Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
  • Developing Direct Reports and Others: Provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments; holds frequent development discussions; is aware of each person's career goals; constructs compelling development plans and executes them; pushes people to accept developmental moves; will take on those who need help and further development; cooperates with the developmental system in the organization; is a people builder.
  • Building Effective Teams: Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in their team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.

General Manager employer: Tapestry, Inc.

At Coach, we pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive and innovative work environment that empowers our employees to thrive. Located in Bicester, our team enjoys unique benefits such as internal mobility opportunities, a paid volunteering day, and regular social events, all while being part of a global brand committed to diversity and personal growth. Join us to lead a high-performing team and make a meaningful impact in luxury retail.

Tapestry, Inc.

Contact Details:

Tapestry, Inc. Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land General Manager

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with current employees at Coach. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching Coach's values and culture. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their commitment to diversity and customer focus. Show them you're not just a fit for the role, but for the brand!

Tip Number 3

Practice your pitch! You want to be able to confidently explain why you're the best candidate for the General Manager position. Highlight your leadership skills and past successes in driving sales and building teams.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the Coach family. Good luck!

We think you need these skills to ace General Manager

Sales Strategy
Clienteling
Team Development
Operational Management
Customer Service Excellence
Communication Skills
Performance Evaluation

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the General Manager role. Highlight your experience in luxury retail, sales strategies, and team leadership. We want to see how your unique background aligns with our vision at Coach!

Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; share your successes! Use specific examples of how you’ve driven sales or improved customer experiences in previous roles. This helps us see the impact you've made in your past positions.

Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your application. We value diversity and want to know who you are beyond your professional skills. Share your passion for fashion and how it connects to your career aspirations with us.

Apply Through Our Website:For the best chance of success, make sure to apply directly through our website. This ensures your application gets to the right people and shows us you're serious about joining the Coach family!

How to prepare for a job interview at Tapestry, Inc.

Know Your Numbers

As a General Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of sales and productivity metrics. Before the interview, familiarise yourself with key performance indicators relevant to the luxury retail sector. Be ready to discuss how you've set and tracked goals in previous roles.

Showcase Your Leadership Style

This role is all about team leadership and development. Prepare examples that highlight your experience in mentoring and building high-performing teams. Think about specific situations where you’ve fostered an inclusive culture or resolved conflicts effectively.

Customer Experience is Key

Coach values exceptional customer service, so be prepared to share your strategies for enhancing customer relationships. Discuss how you've implemented clienteling techniques in the past and how you would approach building brand loyalty in this role.

Be Ready for Scenario Questions

Expect questions that assess your ability to handle ambiguity and make decisions under pressure. Prepare for hypothetical scenarios related to sales strategy adjustments or operational challenges, and think through your thought process and decision-making criteria.