Retail Operations Manager

The Role

Responsible for identifying and delivering improvements to our existing retail systems, processes and relationship with third party suppliers. Works closely with the wider Retail Support team to identify ongoing issues and plan changes to address them.

Business operational owner for retail process and relationships with suppliers. Works with the business to ensure retail’s needs are met on key change projects. I am the voice of the stores and act as the gatekeeper for tasks and activity ensuring that they have the capacity to deliver and flagging any risks and concerns.

• Be the retail expert for large scale business change projects, providing a voice for the stores.
• Work collaboratively with key areas of the business on wider projects impacting retail.
• Hold relationships with central functions to ensure retail needs are met in the business.
• Have a good understanding of retail systems and be the operational owner of projects affecting retail stores.
• Work collaboratively with the retail support team in supporting the retail store estate.
• Hold the relationship with suppliers to ensure that services are meeting their potential.
• Ensure supporting documentation and training materials for the stores are up to date, simple, easy to use and effective.
• Engage and partner with Heads Of, Area Leaders and other field colleagues to embed new initiatives, launch new projects, and ensure a smooth transition to Business as usual on store processes.
• Carry out store visits to understand how operational initiatives are landing in store.
• Complete store operations audits and provide coaching to store leadership teams on areas requiring improvement.
• Gather feedback from stores and the retail leadership team to identify operational improvements and future learnings.
• Being the gatekeeper on all process and communication/engagement with stores between all head office departments and stores
• Be the first point of contact for retail stores for all operational issues.
• Support retail stores with issue resolution and holding departments accountable to processes.
• Managing workflow for retail teams by utilising the Workload Planner.
• Supporting Head office departments with queries relating to retail stores and ensuring their processes are fit for purpose.
• Work closely and collaboratively with members of the Retail Support team, utilising their areas of expertise to help inform any decisions and support them with their initiatives.
• Work alongside the communications team to ensure all stores are briefed adequately on operational activity.
• Support other departments with on boarding new suppliers that affect the retail team to ensure our requirements are met.
• Project manage key initiatives, engaging and communicating with key stakeholders at critical stages with vital information, ensuring successful outcomes through thorough planning.
• Communication effectively and confidently with a range of stakeholders across the business as well as our suppliers.
• Maintain business relationships with key external parties/suppliers (e.g. CCS McLays, Macro) and work closely with them to ensure the business receives adequate service, we are working at our operational best and any failures are resolved or compensated for.
• Identify any retail needs and requirements, briefing these in directly to suppliers or via procurement. Any new consumable or process should adhere to the business requirements of being sustainable and ethical as well as cost effective.
• Raising Purchase Orders for retail operations suppliers

• From a store operations background having worked in stores. You have a deep understanding of how stores work and what they need to operate effectively.
• Experienced in stakeholder management with the ability to influence at all levels.
• A…