Section Manager | Retail | ZARA Bangsar Village II

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 Arab 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

Deputy Manager is responsible for consistent operational excellence in the store and support Store manager to achieve sales target and positive P&L responsibility and ensures Brand compliance for the store. He / She creates a working environment which encourages Brand values, teamwork and delivery of the results and exceptional customer service. 

What you will do

SALES

Drive Sales

• Lead by example in customer service, greet customer and give assistance and make sure standards are followed to reflect a strong image for our brands and company.

• Reviews and analyses sales figures to identify opportunities to develop and drive sales performance at department and BU level.

• Challenges the team to improve performance compared to business and shape of chain using relevant retail metrics.

• Engages with relevant department colleagues to enlist support for local opportunities that deliver sales growth for the store.

• Analyses and demonstrates an understanding of the competition and identifies opportunities to exploit at store level.

• Demonstrates an understanding of the customer and challenges their team to drive conversion, average basket, UPT and maximize sales.

• Scheduling monthly and daily planning for store cover, based on sales trend/week and hours/day.

Commercial & Visual

• Delivers stores standards and implements events with impact and commercial focus.

• Challenges direct reports on presentation of product and ensures business policies and seasonal launches are delivered in line with the brand principal guidelines.

• Ensures VM elements highlight the merchandise throughout the store to create customer awareness of our different lines.

• Consistently seeks to benchmark own standards with peer stores and competitors and looks for ways to create an aspirational shopping environment for the customer keeping in line with brand principals.

Stock Management 

• Ensure following SOP in all matters related to stock management like, shipment receiving, cycle count, transfer between stores, devo returns, damaged items and withdrawals from shop floor emails, etc and to communicate with concerned department. 

• Ensure proper cover for OPS team for better replenishment of best sellers on shop floor, as well communicating with Commercial and Merchandiser to ensure receiving of best sellers regularly.

• Regularly reviews top and bottom selling lines with store manager to ensure store is carrying correct options to maximize sales.

• Regularly reviews stock management process and stockholding areas with direct reports and operations team to identify areas of risk and initiate action.

SERVICE 
Service Standards

• Actively demonstrates and role models service – Doing the right thing generating excitement and commitment to service
• Respond to customer complaints considering that satisfying customer is a top priority.
• To ensure an effective replenishment that complies with company standards.
• Listens to and actively seeks feedback from customers on service standards in their store uses the information to drive improvement
• Drives the internal assessment process for ensuring service standards are driven on a daily basis and walk and talk service at every opportunity
• Ensures that all employees complete required service training in regard to customer services and business expectations.

Service Measurements

• Analyses Mystery Shop report to identify areas for improvement and implements an action plan. Demonstrates an understanding of store themes at BU level and challenges direct reports to drive improvement
• Regularly recognizing excellent service in store on a regular basis supported by clear communication

STANDARDS 
Compliance 

• Ensures that the store is adequately resourced across all the areas that are touched by legal compliance have a thorough knowledge of all compliance issues across the store and that the people involved are knowledgeable and fully trained
• Ensures employees are knowledgeable and always updated on SOPs
• Implements store self-assessment audits/reviews internal audit reports and devise action plans with the wider management team ensuing that actions are delivered.

Health & Safety

• Delivers a safe and legally complaint store trading environment for customers and employees by ensuring that there is a weekly review with the Health and Safety officer to identify risks and drive an action plan
• Works to ensure any store maintenance issues are reported correctly and resolved quickly to the company standard required, escalating as appropriate
• Cleaning contractors are regularly reviewed to ensure they are delivering to brand cleaning specifications and escalate risks appropriately

Duty Management

• Ensures that all the section managers are trained and able to carry out the duty manager role/ key holder role and manage major incidents competently

LOSS & PREVENTION

• Ensure that all employees understand and adhere to the cash management procedures
• Possess high integrity and adheres to cash and security procedures with all security log forms populated truthfully
• Carry out routine checks on stockroom and shop floor and look for loose alarms
• Check TGT after every stock take and take note of the items that might be due to theft. Deploy staffs on those zone areas and take precaution on those items
• Be vigilant and look out for shoplifters or anything that is out of the norm    

PEOPLE 

People policies and Process

• Implements company policies and processes for managing absence, leave, addressing disciplinary issues and support the management team
• Demonstrates an understanding of the HR policies to drive improvement in employee’s behavior & outcome
   

Voice of Employee

• Engages with the employees on a regular basis to build a strong working partnership that promotes good communication and involvement throughout the store

Performance Development (PDR)

• Partners with Store manager and HRBP to ensure staff completes required trainings through a Training Calendar and ensures reporting of training activity as required
• To participate in performance review of employees

COSTS CONTROL

Profitability

• Deliver an efficient use of FTE in the store which is comparable to MPC to Sales ratio and productivity
• Challenges teams to deliver shrinkage targets through accurate management of all stock systems and people processes

Cost improvement

• Creates a robust Cost Improvement action plan for their store which looks for opportunities to drive improvement.

What equips you for the role

• Diploma/Degree in relevant field

• Minimum 8 years experience in Fashion Retail 

• Motivated and can work towards set targets and KPI's

• Experience with and passion for fashion brands

• Commercial Acumen

• Strong leadership and customer management abilities

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

ABOUT THE DIVISION

Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Massimo Dutti and Pull & Bear) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.

Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference.