Selling
When it comes to preparing graduates for senior store management roles, our Selling scheme is hard to beat.
Over the course of 12 months, you’ll take on a series of attachments across our retail operation. This will give you a good general understanding of our business, as you develop the skills you need to motivate large teams, deal with customers and handle a multi-million pound budget. The aim is to prepare you for a commercial manager role.
What is a commercial manager?
Usually based in one of our larger stores, a commercial manager sits below the store manager and looks after a department such as Womenswear or Foods. Broadly speaking, they’re responsible for increasing sales and making sure their teams are delivering the highest standards of customer service. This involves everything from setting the layout and look of the department to overseeing the training and development of their team. They will have a couple of section managers below them who, in turn, are responsible for anything up to 25 customer assistants.
How will you help me develop?
While on the scheme, you’ll gain experience in a number of areas of the store, including Foods, Clothing, Home, Store Operations and, for a short stint, HR. On each placement, you’ll receive structured training and get the opportunity to learn from experienced managers and staff.
What sort of qualities are you looking for?
Confidence, loads of enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. You’ll also need plenty of drive and the ability to come up with new ideas (not to mention the commitment to see them through). Communication skills are perhaps most important of all, as you’ll have to be able to motivate your team and relate to customers of all ages.
What happens after I’ve completed the scheme?
You should be appointed to a managerial position within 12 months (it has been known to happen in as little as nine). We’ll then follow your progress and, once you’ve developed the necessary skills and experience, you’ll get the chance to take on another commercial manager role in a bigger store, or a store manager’s position in a smaller one.
Long term, the opportunities for progression are almost endless. Not only will you have the chance to move further up and up within retail management, but also to move across into the many different areas of the business.
Apply now
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