At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to inspire creativity and deliver exceptional customer service.
- Company: Join The Works, where imagination and creativity come to life.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25% discount, flexible hours, and access to exclusive perks.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by inspiring others to read, learn, and create.
- Qualifications: Retail management experience and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
40 hour contract
Why The Works?
We don’t just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play. The Works literally means everything. And whatever your story or background, we’re all about unlocking imagination and making creativity accessible to everyone. Whether you’re engaging with customers on the frontline or supporting our colleagues behind the scenes, your impact can be profound and far-reaching.
This is more than toys and books and art supplies. This is about inspiring people to read, learn, create and play. So, with the right passion, it all starts with you.
Become a Retail Store Manager
As a Store Manager, you are responsible for leading your store to success. You’ll inspire and develop your team, drive commercial performance, and ensure every customer enjoys a welcoming, well-run, and engaging shopping experience. You’ll take ownership of all aspects of store operations, from people and performance to standards and service.
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. You help create an environment where everything runs smoothly and everyone feels supported, included and developed in the team.
Being a Brand Ambassador
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
- Lead, coach, and develop your team to deliver excellent customer service and achieve store targets.
- Lead by example as a brand ambassador representing The Works to inspire your team to follow.
- Take full ownership of store performance, using data and insights to drive results.
- Ensure high standards of visual merchandising, stock availability, and store presentation.
- Recruit, onboard, and train new team members, building a high performing, engaged team.
- Manage rotas, payroll, and operational tasks to ensure efficient day-to-day running.
- Maintain compliance with health & safety, cash handling, and loss prevention policies.
- Foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive team culture where people feel developed, and genuinely cared for.
- Collaborate with your Area Manager, stores in your area and central teams to implement business initiatives and share feedback from the shop floor.
Skills / Behaviours That Will Set You Apart
- Proven experience in a retail management role.
- Strong leadership and people development skills.
- Commercially focused with a track record of delivering results.
- Excellent communication, planning, and organisational abilities.
- Confident using data to inform decisions and improve performance.
- Flexible, resilient, and able to adapt to changing priorities.
- Experience in a high-volume or value retail environment.
- Familiarity with retail systems and reporting tools.
- Experience managing recruitment, training, and performance processes.
- Tech savvy with using back-office systems, EPoS Tills, emails and video calls.
Being a Great Leader
As a great leader with wonderful people skills, you'll create an environment that's more inclusive 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, speak up so we can work together to get it right or make it better! - Nobody is too proud for constructive feedback so we all win together!
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
- Stream - Claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them – for when ‘life’ happens!
- Can-Do Academy - Grow your skills and career with instant access to further training and development in areas that interest you.
- 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 the Retail Trust 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
Each year, we run an anonymous colleague engagement survey. This is so important for us to hear your feedback and suggestions. We want to know what’s going great, and what needs a couple of tweaks to help make The Works the best place you’ve ever worked! You’ll have opportunity to help give us that direction.
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!
Brand-Led Store Manager: Inspire, Lead & Delight in Banbury employer: The Works Stores Ltd
At The Works, we are more than just a retail store; we are a community dedicated to inspiring creativity and learning. Our inclusive work culture fosters personal and professional growth, offering extensive training opportunities through our Can-Do Academy, alongside generous benefits like a 25% colleague discount and a supportive Employee Assistance Programme. Join us in a vibrant environment where your leadership can truly make a difference, and every day is an opportunity to inspire others.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Brand-Led Store Manager: Inspire, Lead & Delight in Banbury
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Before your interview, dive into The Works' values and mission. This way, you can show how your passion for inspiring creativity aligns perfectly with what they stand for.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice makes perfect! Run through common interview questions with a friend or in front of the mirror. Focus on how you can lead and inspire a team, just like the role requires. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 3
Bring your A-game to the interview! Dress smartly and arrive early. Show enthusiasm and be ready to share examples of how you've created engaging experiences for customers in the past. Remember, you're not just applying for a job; you're showcasing your potential as a brand ambassador!
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. Mention something specific from your conversation to remind them of your passion and fit for the role. And don’t forget, apply through our website for the best chance at landing that dream job!
We think you need these skills to ace Brand-Led Store Manager: Inspire, Lead & Delight in Banbury
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When you're writing your application, let your passion for inspiring creativity and learning shine through. We want to see how you connect with our mission at The Works and how you can bring that energy to the team!
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your retail management experience and how it aligns with the role of a Brand-Led Store Manager. Use specific examples that demonstrate your leadership skills and ability to drive results – we love a good story!
Be Authentic:We value authenticity, so don’t be afraid to let your personality come through in your application. Share what makes you unique and how you can contribute to our inclusive culture at The Works.
Apply Through Our Website:For the best chance of success, make sure to apply directly through our website. It’s the easiest way for us to see your application and get you on the path to joining our amazing team!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Works Stores Ltd
✨Know the Brand Inside Out
Before your interview, dive deep into The Works' mission and values. Understand how they inspire creativity and learning. This will help you articulate how you can embody their brand as a Store Manager and connect with customers on a personal level.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led a team in the past. Highlight your ability to inspire and develop others, as well as how you've driven performance. Be ready to discuss specific situations where your leadership made a difference.
✨Engage with Customer Experience
Think about how you can enhance the shopping experience for customers. Prepare ideas on how to create a welcoming environment and spark conversations that lead to memorable interactions. This aligns perfectly with the role's focus on customer engagement.
✨Be Data-Driven
Familiarise yourself with retail metrics and how they inform decision-making. Be prepared to discuss how you've used data in previous roles to improve store performance. This will show your commercial focus and readiness to take ownership of store operations.
