We are looking for an authentic and astute Flagship Store Manager with a passion for Cath Kidston.
Cath Kidston is a very British brand that always looks on the bright side of life. With a glass oh so full and a playful humour, we started in 1993 with a small shop in West London selling car boot finds and vintage fabric, and now have adventures all over the world.
For over 28 years, our hand-drawn prints have set alight the hearts and minds of the Great British public – and beyond – making us a household name. We like to think of our products as portable sunshine, lifelong reminders to find the extraordinary in the everyday.
After an unprecedented period of challenge and change as a brand, we’re taking the leap into a new era for Cath Kidston. And we’re looking for the right people to help us make it happen.
ABOUT THE ROLE:
It’s a very important role, heading up our Flagship in-store experience for our customers. We’re looking for a strong commercial leader and people manager to bring to life our Piccadilly flagship store – the retail epicentre of our brand. It will be a pacey race for results, along with shouldering the responsibility of providing an exceptional and memorable Cath Kidston experience to our much-loved customers. This is more than just a Flagship store, this store will provide a window into our brand. This role will be responsible for ensuring that we are providing our customers with the best showcase of who Cath Kidston are as a brand and where we are going.
The role will report in to the Digital & Stores Director and will be based at our Piccadilly store in London.
ABOUT YOU:
You know people and how to get the best out of a team. How to motivate them, push them and bring them together. You lead from the front, with your sleeves rolled up, all the while helicoptering above the detail to see the bigger picture. You know that ‘it takes a village’ and thrive within a community, building relationships across your team and head office that reflect our distinct Cath Kidston culture.
You have strategic agility and will work alongside the Digital & Stores Director and Marketing to evolve the business and sniff out the next big commercial opportunity. You can sell in your sleep, with a wit and charm that your team and your customers can’t help but gravitate towards.
You have experience running flagship and high-turnover stores (at least £1million) and understand the balance between service first and the slick operational processes needed to trade a busy, thriving store. You have a keen eye for marketing opportunities, delivering events and in-store activations that increase footfall and conversion whilst brimming with ideas about the next and obviously, you are passionate about Cath Kidston.
So, if you thrive off big challenges, building teams and a fast-paced working environment, apply today. We can’t wait to hear from you.
The important to do’s:
- Deliver a flagship store experience, in terms of all aspects of service, overall standards and expertise. Build a unique and memorable customer experience that reflects the brand’s truths
- Deliver the commercial metrics and exceed KPI’s by creating an innovative, motivated and high performance team. Manage total store four-wall contribution.
- Be a brand advocate for the store’s “Community”, including enabling and fostering relationships across multiple constituencies, stakeholders and followers.
- Exert an entrepreneurial “single store” mindset to approaching the business, understanding the customer, defining opportunities given the competitive environment and market dynamics,. Influence the strategic positioning and build stakeholder alignment around objectives
Performance Indicators:
- Sales Target
- Conversion
- ATV
- UPT
- Controllable costs
- Data Capture targets and Customer acquisition
- Omni-channel experience
Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities
Business Management
- Accountable for driving sales and KPIs with their team; thinking outside the box for ways to drive additional revenue and having an entrepreneurial spirit, keen to bring ideas to the table
- Ensures all KPI and financial reports are analysed daily, weekly and monthly and has a clear plan and vision to drive the business
- Manages all costs closely, with emphasis on wages ensuring PTS is kept in line to expectation
- Holds themselves and each team member accountable for their own results
Brand and Customer Experience
- Works closely with key Head office departments to drive the strategy “Brighten Up Your day”
- Ensures that Customer Experience is front and centre and that the store is the shining beacon for the brand and a point of difference on the high street
- Acts as a brand ambassador for all internal and external store visits ensuring best in class behaviours and actions
- Creates a warm, friendly, cheerful and fun Cath Kidston ‘home away from home’ environment
- Works closely with the head office team to ensure that the in-store customer experience is delivered on brand, to the highest standards and with a ‘surprise and delight’ mindset
- Has a multi-channel lens – always keeping abreast of activity on social media and on-line, ensuring the team are informed and can communicate to customers
Leadership and Talent Management
- Ensures all new starters are set up for success by using the Greenhouse tools and embedding the Carefree service journey and driving product knowledge training within the store
- Sets SMART objectives and continually monitors achievements, providing open and honest feedback to drive individual performance on an on- going basis
- Grows a team that will go the extra mile and want to deliver to the best of their capabilities
- Takes pride in owning our values and all they represent
- Communicates in a way that gets the best out of every individual
- Has an honest and professional approach when handling objections from their team, and are confident when delivering feedback
- Provides effective coaching and mentoring and works with their team to develop their skills and confidence
- Has development plans in place for each team member and ensures these are reviewed on an ongoing basis
Commerciality
- Fully owns the VM in their store, working closely with Head office to make the right decisions and execute any innovations, trials and pop up ‘shop within a shop’ concepts
- Leads weekly walkthroughs with the IVM, analysing commercial reports and making commercial moves to maximize sales
- Works with Head office to ensure the stock package is the best it can be, with optimum stock levels to drive sales
- Understands the market and competition and is on top of key trends – feeding back to Head office as required
- Takes overall accountability for the appearance and upkeep of the store
Retail Operational Excellence
Stock
- Accountable for all stock management procedures & processes and for minimizing stock loss
- Works with Head Office to continually review stockholding and identify opportunities for improvements
- Accountable for ensuring the effective in store management of staff rotas, holidays and payroll administration
Marketing & Event Management
- Works with the Head Office Marketing team to deliver the marketing calendar for the Flagship store providing ideas and giving feedback
- Accountable for ensuring all Flagship Marketing Events and Promotions are thoroughly executed effectively and to the highest standard
Security, Health & Safety
- Accountable for the overall management of all monetary and security procedures and systems
- Accountable for all store Health & safety compliance and adhering to the Covid-19 Government Guidelines on social distancing and hygiene
Desired attributes
- Genuine love, experience and understanding of the retail industry
- Track record of exceeding sales targets and maximizing profit
- Senior Store management experience – comfortable working with key Head office and departments and being able to influence and impact decision-making
- Ability to work autonomously when required; a natural self-starter and solution-finder
- Proven track record of driving exceptional customer experience
- Strong knowledge of trading a flagship store in London
- Proven experience in recruiting and developing high performing teams
- Extensive knowledge in retail operations: budgets, wages, optimum Rota-management, VM, stock management
- Evidence of achieving results above and beyond their defined job role – always striving to develop their own skills and knowledge
- You must have the Right to Work in the UK