Area Manager, Management Operations Management

Area Manager - Food Division Salary: £55,000  Company Car | Permanent Join us and help shape the future of our Food stores At Heart of England Co-operative Society, we're proud to serve our communities through our network of 40 Food Convenience Stores. As an independent, values-driven co-operative with roots dating back to 1832, we're committed to delivering great service, strong commercial performance and real value for our members and communities.

We're looking for a commercially driven, results-focused Area Manager to join our Food Division and work alongside our Head of Store Operations and Transformation to deliver our Food strategy. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced multi-site retail leader who knows how to turn strategy into action, drive sales and profitability, and build a culture of accountability and high performance.

You'll play a pivotal role in ensuring our stores deliver brilliant standards and exceptional service, in every store, every day. About the role As Area Manager, you'll take ownership of the performance of the stores within your area, driving sales, profit, operational standards and customer experience. You'll provide visible, hands-on leadership, coaching and developing Store Managers to deliver results, strengthen their teams and consistently execute our operating model.

You'll bring a strong trading mentality, using financial performance, data, local knowledge and competitor insight to identify opportunities, respond to challenges and keep our stores competitive. From improving availability and controlling costs to embedding new initiatives and developing future talent, you'll make a tangible difference to the performance of our Food Division. Key responsibilities Commercial Performance & Trading Take ownership of sales, profit and operational performance across your area, delivering against budgets and business targets.

Embed a strong trading mentality, ensuring teams actively manage sales, availability, waste and margin opportunities. Monitor performance against budget, identify risks and opportunities, and take prompt corrective action. Drive effective execution of ranging, pricing, promotions and merchandising to maximise commercial returns. Use data, customer behaviour, local knowledge and competitor insight to identify opportunities and improve results. Respond quickly to seasonal events, competitor activity and changing market conditions.

Operational Excellence & Standards Establish clear expectations for store standards, execution and accountability across all locations. Ensure consistent delivery of daily, weekly and period routines, including store walks, replenishment, availability, promotions and compliance checks. Build a right-first-time culture, improving efficiency, reducing rework and simplifying ways of working. Maintain a strong, visible presence in stores through structured visits, real-time coaching and effective follow-up.

Take accountability for Health & Safety and Food Safety compliance, ensuring audits, checks and corrective actions are completed promptly. Drive continuous improvement, productivity and the effective implementation of new systems, initiatives and ways of working. Cost Control & Efficiency Drive strong financial discipline across payroll, waste, stock loss and operational overheads. Ensure Store Managers understand their financial performance and take ownership of their budgets.

Align labour deployment with trading patterns, improving productivity and resource utilisation. Identify and deliver opportunities to reduce costs while maintaining strong standards and customer service. Support Store Managers to manage resources effectively and deliver sustainable commercial results. Leadership & People…