Store Team Lead (Apparel): Gauteng - Shoprite Group

The purpose of the Uniq Team Leader role is to manage and build the new Uniq apparel brand, drive an outstanding service culture, oversee store standards, and operational excellence, and develop service, sales, and stock strategies alongside the Uniq team. The role supports the Store Manager in all facets of the store operations and takes full accountability of the store during scheduled shifts and/or in the absence of the Store Manager.

The role oversees and supports a team comprising Sales Consultants and Associates who offer helpful, and accurate product information, and in-store customer support and ultimately work together to deliver a convincing and competitive experience as ambassadors of the Uniq brand.

Key responsibilities include:

• Stock management and merchandising plans
• Manages loss prevention and related mitigations
• Encourages the achievement of sales targets, and focuses efforts on returning customer traffic to the store as a key indicator of success.

Job Category: Retail

Job Objectives

• The role supports the Store Manager in all facets of the store operations and takes full accountability of the store during scheduled shifts and/or in the absence of the Store Manager.
• Manage every aspect of the day-to-day running of the store during scheduled shifts, including operating standards, store administration, security, sales, aftersales, stock, and merchandising (People, Process, Product).
• Together with the team provide a friendly and engaging customer experience.
• Maintain a positive and lively atmosphere with particular attention to customer service and public relations.
• Provide leadership to the allocated team / shift - motivating, leading, training and developing the team. Participate in daily, weekly, and monthly store meetings to share store and individual performance, celebrate top service and sales, drive identification of training needs and attendance, provide store operations / standards updates as well as broader company initiatives underway.
• Maintain adherence to trading hours, procedural opening and closing standards (including key carrier controls) and adequate resourcing cover to meet the needs of customers (considering peak trading trends).
• Consistently maintain store appearance to guidelines and standards. Keep a neat, clean, well-stocked environment. Adhere to all standards related to signage labeling, planogram integrity, seasonal style guides, and merchandise presentation ensuring high standards in product range, stock levels and presentation (and related stock smoothing).
• Support and coordinate all aspects of operational activity and management of standards pertaining sales, price, and promotion discounts, reduced to clear, donations and related pricing material.
• Support / coordinate, monitor, and mitigate losses throughout the stock movement cycle from point of arrival at store premises, verification of receipt, through merchandising, promotions, sales, self-checkout, recycle/return processes, and replenishment, managing shrinkage controls (including RFID tag controls) throughout the process.
• Support / coordinate inventory levels, assets, and expenses within the store by applying financial controls and routinely reviewing all operational processes. Ensure that stock is monitored and counted daily.
• Provide stock administration – ensure that the Sales Consultants and Associates remain focused on front of house while other administration is required from a back-of-house perspective.
• Deliver daily, weekly, and monthly reports and presentations as required.
• Share suggestions regarding the continuous improvement of store operations, campaign ideas, service, and sales opportunities etc. Support an innovative and open store environment.
• Provide support to the broader Uniq Team and other stores/projects as required.
• Support / coordinate a culture of non-negotiable compliance with company guidelines, standards, procedures, and policies including but not limited to safety protocols - Health & Safety (OHSACT), Security and related Loss Prevention.

Qualifications

Essential

• Grade 12

Desirable

• Relevant post-matric courses and qualifications

Experience

Essential

• +1 years exposure to a retail or service-oriented store environment, managing a small team (in a Team Leader / Senior capacity) in a customer interfacing, sales and stock-orientated environment.
• High-energy individual with overall store team leader and administration experience with exposure to apparel / clothing / fashion retail.
• Exposure to retail systems, technologies, and new innovations.
• Understanding of procedures, standards, and guidelines in a retail store context – Company policies and procedures, operational controls, loss prevention and mitigation, Health & Safety – OHSACT procedures etc.
• Flexibility to work daytime, afternoon and evening shifts, weekends, and holidays within legislative requirements. (To ensure that we optimize our service delivery to our customers and align with our teams, the working hours for this role are planned against a weekly schedule (any days from Monday to Sunday (shift work), including public holidays).

Knowledge and Skills

• Energetic, enthusiastic, creative, well-groomed, reliable, punctual, and not afraid of hard work.
• Team-oriented, with a social personality that thrives around people (store team and customers) - makes people feel comfortable by adapting their approach to suit their needs.
• Positive attitude with the ability to coach and motivate staff. Inspiring teamwork, leading by example, and consistently focused on delivering outstanding results.
• Independent problem solver, quick thinker, and learner, adaptable to change.
• Work well under pressure and handle multiple priorities.
• Set goals and priorities, organize outputs, maximize capacity and productivity.
• Sales orientation with a strong eye for detail and the ability to execute planograms, seasonal style guides and other visual merchandising to specification.
• Comfortable working with data - prepare reports & figures and provide observations and insights.
• Excellent communication skills - both written and verbal.
• Physically strong - ability to stand or walk for long periods of time, lift things, climb up ladders etc.
• Integrity, strong code of conduct and compliance.