At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead multiple retail locations, inspiring teams and driving commercial success.
- Company: Join The Works, a top-rated company that values creativity and inclusivity.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, 25% discount, and access to exclusive perks.
- Other info: Embrace a dynamic environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by inspiring reading, learning, and creativity in your community.
- Qualifications: Strong leadership skills and a passion for exceptional customer service.
The predicted salary is between 25000 - 30000 £ per year.
Why The Works? 10th Best Big Company to Work For 2024 - 'Best Companies'. We don’t just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play. The Works means everything. 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.
As a Retail Area Manager, you'll be at the helm of multiple retail locations, steering them towards success with your dynamic leadership and strategic vision. Your primary goal will be driving commercial success, infused with a dash of innovation and a sprinkle of charm. You’ll empower your teams, aiding them in reaching their full potential while ensuring a joyful journey – after all, it's part of our DNA! We firmly believe that a team that thrives is one that is both happy and engaged. Expect to spend a significant portion of your time across the designated area, collaborating closely with your teams to drive commercial success and set the pace.
Your Mission
- Inspire, motivate, and develop high-performing store teams to deliver exceptional customer experiences.
- Communicate with your store teams and spend time with them in store to keep engagement high.
- Drive retail commerciality like a boss! Striving for fantastic sales and high performance across all KPIs including sales, profitability, safety, store standards, pricing, and cost control.
- Drive operational excellence and achieve outstanding results across your designated retail area.
- Create store experiences that are fun, friendly, accessible, and inclusive for colleagues and customers.
- Hire Store Managers who align with our purpose, values, and mission.
- Spot potential and use their strengths to add value to your area.
- Implement effective visual merchandising strategies to enhance the customer journey.
- Collaborate with fellow Retail Area Managers to share best practices and drive continuous improvement.
- Ensure the delivery of commercial targets, including sales, profitability, and cost control.
Skills / Behaviours That Will Set You Apart
- A positive ambassador for our brand and our values.
- Inspirational leadership style with a positive outlook.
- Passion for delivering exceptional customer service.
- People skills with a track record of developing high-performing teams.
- Commercial acumen with the ability to drive sales and profitability.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Collaborative mindset and a team player.
- Able to drive growth, maximise sales, and profitability whilst leading our customer‑first service strategy.
- Willing to lend a hand – If you're on a store visit and the teams are busy or overwhelmed, you're happy to help by getting stuck in, working shoulder-to-shoulder with them to support.
- Resilience in a dynamic retail environment.
- Innovative thinking and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Being a Great Leader
- Align Goals with Values: Ensure that your team’s goals are clearly connected to the company’s values and purpose.
- Clear Communication: Ensure that your team understands the goals, expectations, and their roles.
- Regularly share updates, encourage open dialogue and have regular check‑ins.
- Role Model: Lead by example. Demonstrate the behaviours and attitudes you expect from your team, such as punctuality, responsibility, and being a brand ambassador.
- Provide Feedback: Offer constructive feedback regularly. Recognise achievements and address areas for improvement in a supportive and continuous growth manner.
- Empower Your Team: Delegate tasks and trust your team to handle them. This builds confidence and promotes professional growth.
- Conflict Resolution: Address conflicts promptly and fairly. Foster an environment where issues can be discussed openly and resolved amicably.
- Empathy: Understand and consider the feelings and perspectives of your team members. This helps in building strong, supportive relationships.
Our Perks
- 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 – 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.
- 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.
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.
Retail Area Sales Manager - South West England Area and Regional Operations Managers · Bristol employer: The Works Stores Ltd
The Works is an exceptional employer, recognised as the 10th Best Big Company to Work For in 2024, offering a vibrant work culture that inspires creativity and learning. With generous benefits including a 25% colleague discount, enhanced family leave, and access to the Can-Do Academy for professional development, employees are empowered to grow and thrive. Located in Coleshill, Birmingham, the hybrid working model fosters flexibility while ensuring meaningful engagement across teams, making it a truly rewarding place to work.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Retail Area Sales Manager - South West England Area and Regional Operations Managers · Bristol
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like The Works Stores Ltd, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like The Works Stores Ltd!
We think you need these skills to ace Retail Area Sales Manager - South West England Area and Regional Operations Managers · Bristol
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at The Works Stores Ltd, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at The Works Stores Ltd and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show The Works Stores Ltd that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Works Stores Ltd
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
