Fashion Area Manager - Colchester

Job Title: Fashion Area Manager

Location: Covering sites in the South East - ideally based in Maidstone or Colchester

Hours: Full time & permanent (39 hours per week)

Salary: Competitive Salary DOE

Benefits: Fully expensed Company Car included

An excellent opportunity has presented itself to join our client as their Fashion Area Manager. An industry leader in the fashion sector, we are actively recruiting for a Fashion Area Manager to join the management team, reporting directly to the CEO.

As the Area Manager, you will maximise business profitability of your stores by optimising sales opportunities whilst working within planned costs. You will manage day-to-day operations of all stores within your region, deliver excellent customer service through staff training and leading by example, providing an excellent service to all customers.

Primary Responsibilities

• To achieve and exceed sales and profit budgets in the stores and the area overall.
• Take a leading role in setting business objectives and budgets as well as agreeing with Store Managers plans and strategies to achieve the same.
• Take responsibility to ensure that high standards of customer service and satisfaction are achieved and maintained in all stores.
• Plan, monitor and regulate the financial performance of stores, identifying opportunities, remedying issues, and maximizing the return from existing resources.
• Plan store strategies/layouts in line with divisional sales strategies and ensure the stores implement the agreed seasonal and promotional plans.
• Identify new opportunities to profitably expand each store's business potential and feed back to Head Office any other business opportunities, e.g., potential new sites.
• Ensure that stores are crewed effectively to maximise sales and maintain store standards, within the set cost parameters.
• Take responsibility for ensuring every possible measure is taken to reduce the operating costs of stores and protect profitability, including effective action to combat shrinkage and controllable expenses.
• Ensure that the company procedures for cash and stock handling are followed within stores and that security procedures are being adhered to.
• Recruit Store Management in conjunction with HR, in line with the needs of the individual store and company.
• Take responsibility for the effective induction and ongoing training of Store Management in line with company Induction Guidelines.
• Identify and develop individuals with potential for succession, and in conjunction with HR maintain an accurate succession plan for the area.
• Monitor the ongoing performance/behaviour of Store Managers and take disciplinary action as required within company procedures and personal limits of authority.
• Ensure Store Managers recruit, induct and train their store teams in line with company procedures and programmes.
• Ensure Store Managers monitor their team’s performance ongoing and carry out Annual Performance Reviews.
• Ensure that stores maintain a safe working/shopping environment in line with the HASWA and company procedures, and carry out Risk Assessments of new stores or as directed by the Health and Safety Department.
• Flexibility is essential since the job-holder's working hours will be determined by the requirements of the business.

Experience & Requirements

• Previous experience as an area/regional fashion manager, fashion experience is essential, with fast fashion preferred.
• Experience with managing teams of up to 50 staff members and multiple sites.
• Experience with budgeting, managing and driving the sales process.
• Confident in leading large teams and ensuring your team is performing to the best of their ability.
• Experience with managing budgets, increasing sales and dealing with profitability.
• Ensuring KPIs are hit and sales targets are exceeded.
• Flexible to work weekends and longer shifts when required.
• Happy to be contracted for 39 hours per week, with shift flexibility.
• Proficient in administration, reporting and health & safety.
• Previous experience with recruiting, onboarding, training and developing staff.

If you feel these qualities describe you, then we would like to hear from you. Please only apply for the role if you are comfortable with the role outlined above.

Please submit your career details to Andrew Bridges at PDA SEARCH & SELECTION LIMITED.