Store Manager - Simply Food - Hitchin

About the role 

You will be responsible for leading passionate and dedicated teams ensuring everything we do and every decision we make has our customers at the core.  Setting the standard and driving improvement are crucial to exploit every commercial opportunity. With a passion for delivering excellent standards at all times combined with continuously driving growth & profitability of the store through successful implementation of the M&S retail plan.   

You will have proven ability to lead a high performing Team Managers and Team Support Managers to deliver exceptional customer service and KPI’s across the store, using all available data and Management Information (internal and external) to identify commercial opportunities, particularly through knowledge of the locality to increase profit. 

The role will include: 

• Delivering improved customer journey instore which inspires our customers to shop and buy more often  

• Leading in-store delivery of KPI measures of performance and operational excellence through leveraging colleague capability, teamwork, and collaboration 

• Influencing the strategy and direction of the store as well as building relationships with senior retail stakeholders 

• Forming strong and successful relationships with your store team and Business Involvement Group 

• Continuously seeking opportunities to develop future talent through performance tools and development programmes 

• Working as part of a diverse and experienced store team where you will be confident to challenge peers and work collaboratively. 

• Accountability for driving an efficient operation in a store which operates legally and safely, protecting customers, colleagues and the M&S brand 

About you: 

You’ll be a retail leader with career aspirations for progression in the business as this will be a great step in your career path. You’ll keep the retail priorities at the heart of everything you do with enhancing the customer experience every day as your core goal.   

Your skills and experience will include: 

• Proven leadership track record alongside the ability to lead effectively through ambiguity 

• Strong communication skills across all levels, including influencing senior stakeholders  

• Resilience and confidence to drive and deliver cultural and behavioural change and develop at team of colleagues, and managers, of the future 

• Team player who can communicate effectively and build strong relationships in order to work confidently alongside the store leadership team 

• Ability to work at pace in a pressurised fast-moving Foodhall, with a passion for delivering exceptional results in a truly customer-focused trading environment at a consistently high standard 

• Leading and developing teams through significant change, continually building capability  

• High self-motivation and working with own initiative  

• Collaboration and situational leadership 

• Strong understanding of retail operational principles with the ability to analyse and interpret a range of commercial M.I. to support decision making to drive sales performance and robust people policy and process knowledge 

• Ability to work as part of a inclusive, diverse and experienced store team and be confident to challenge peers and the business to make things better for customers and colleagues