Operations Manager | Retail | Marks & Spencer Egypt and Bahrain

Job Requisition ID: 165893 

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United A”rab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate. 

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Overview of the role

As the Operations Manager, you must drive sales, profits, and the highest merchandising standards through people while delivering results via your management team. You need to build or participate in creating long-term strategies for the markets.

You are expected to lead your stores in delivering exceptional customer service with a focus on expanding sales and profitability. It's essential to set demanding yet achievable performance targets, monitor progress, and target areas with room for improvement. You should coach management and staff, identify high-potential individuals, and recognize achievements. Communicating the vision for the business is your responsibility, illustrating how each member of the store team can contribute to success. You must possess a high level of leadership skills and the ability to manage remotely. Frequent travel to market visits is required must.

What you will do

People

•  Utilize effective coaching skills to enhance the skills, knowledge, and behaviors of team members.
• Ensure every team member has a personal development plan that is regularly reviewed and updated.
• Make sure all team members understand their performance and have SMART objectives that promote continuous improvement.
• Create and implement a succession plan for the market that maximizes talent potential.
• Recruit, select, and train Store Managers to optimize Store performance and elevate management capabilities in the market.
• Exemplify the values; lead, motivate, and inspire the retail team while fostering a culture of open and continuous communication (training & meetings).
• Promote continuous improvement in stores through coaching and guidance to achieve operational excellence
• Take steps to `fully engage` employees on the market thereby increasing productivity rates and improving rates of staff retention.

Customer

• Take steps to ensure that Stores are equipped both in terms of attitude and skills to ensure that Customers' expectations are exceeded, and the level of service offered by Store staff is exceptional on a consistent basis.
• Promote and develop cross-functional relationships and communications at all levels.
• Lead the area team in all customer-focused activities and initiatives.
• Take steps to ensure that the Company sales process is adopted by all team members across all stores, taking remedial action where necessary.

Business Development / Driving existing business.

• In conjunction with the Store Managers develop and implement business plans for each store and the market as a whole.
• Ensure the effective management and understanding of profit and loss accounts and identify opportunities to drive improvements at the store and market level.
• Identify opportunities to drive performance through links with the local community.
• Demonstrate an awareness of current market position, trends, and influences, and utilize this knowledge to optimize opportunities (at store and market level).
• Develop effective relationships with key field and Central Operations teams to ensure guidance and assistance is provided to Store teams to achieve business objectives. Drive results through supporting colleagues and sharing best practices.
• Take steps to maximize the trading performance of the market every day of every week.
• Take steps to drive improvements in the performance of the market and individual stores across all KPI`s.
• Ensure that merchandising standards across all stores meet the Company's requirements

Finance/Compliance

• Effective management of market budgets
• Compliance: ensure each store operates in accordance with Company Policy and Procedure, taking remedial action as needed.
• Ensure all Company policies, procedures, and legal requirements are followed in all stores, including Health and Safety.
• Deliver exceptional retail Store Standards and disciplines throughout the region.
• Effectively manage the administrative functions within your team.
• Ensure efficient journey-planning to facilitate frequent, effective, and productive scheduled and non-scheduled store visits.
• Where appropriate, lead investigations into audit, security, stock management, and employee relations issues..

Required Skills to be successful

• Strategic Planning
• Leadership skills
• Proactivity
• Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Analytical Skills
• Good command of the English language

What equips you for the role

Minimum Qualifications and Knowledge

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree or any University Degree
• Fashion or Food retail experience
• Experience in market dynamics across Egypt and GCC
• Motivated and can work towards set targets and KPI
• Experience with and passion for premium fashion brands
• Commercial Acumen
• Customer focus

Minimum Experience

• Minimum 8 years of experience in a similar role

Behavioral Competencies

• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving skills
• Good organizational and management skills
• Customer Focus
• Individual Accountability
• Continuous Improvement
• Personal Leadership
• Teamwork

We’re here to provide excellent service but a little help from you can ensure a five-star candidate experience from start to finish.

Before you click “apply”: Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.

As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.