Our client in the Wholesale/Retail industry is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to join their team at the Durban head office.
Duties:
- Competitive shopping and market analysis.
- Understanding of retail pricing ladders and cost implications.
- Monitoring the stock quality and escalating discrepancies to buyers and management.
- Running and analysing reports on regular basis.
- Communicating and coordinating with the Operations team and Buyers.
- Assisting the Buying Team in planning promotional activities.
- Visit stores regularly and build a trust relationship with the Operators, and Ops Team.
- Controlling and giving direction to the Operations department.
- Ensure all processes and operational aspects are implemented and followed in order to achieve sales and operational targets performance by store, department, category, and item; and take steps to achieve budgeted sales.
- Monitors and attend to effective and efficient space utilisation for effective sales, including, but not limited to, space being allocated and planned in accordance to turnover contribution.
- To be aware of competitors marketing /merchandising processes and practices. Check daily with store responsible on the reports that they need to pull and follow up on any issues.
- Analyse weekly foot count reports per store. Analyse and report on same, with reasons and recommendations.
- Analyse against previous year and month
- Verify if there were/are promotions during these periods.
- Recommend ways to increase foot count.
- Factors that affected foot count.
- Analyse and report on the monthly ranking report by /department and by store – Monthly. Including reasons and recommendations.
- Department increase and decrease of sales (value and percentage)
- Change in position ranking compared to previous month.
- Suggested reasons why there is a change in ranking.
- Recommendations on how to increase sales on top ranking departments as well as recommendations and suggestions on how to improve the bottom ranking departments.
- Seasonal sales affecting ranking of departments.
- Promotional sales affecting ranking of departments.
- Weekly/monthly Analyse and report on why the KVI is dropping in sales and recommend solutions.
- View Kvi listing to check stock availability and levels.
- Run a comparison between different periods to monitor sales levels.
- Run a comparison between competitor store (eg. 002 vs 005) to monitor the sales levels and differences.
- Discuss and action changes to maximise sales.
- Manage Tester and counter supply stock levels at stores to ensure that there are no out of stocks or abuse of these items.
- Store Operational (controllable) costs such as:
- Planning and recommending staffing rosters/plans and limiting staff expenses
- Liaises with Sales Manager to recommend changes, layout, products and pricing, improvements in merchandise mix and
- Recommend to Sales Manager/ markdowns/discounts/promotions to clear stock with Buyers and sales manager.
- Control/replenishment and return of model stocks.
- Control promotional model stock and targets. Ensure correct model stocks are in place for each plu based on sales.
- Ensure availability of stock in all stores
- Report/Recommend and advise on trends and new market opportunities.
- Competitor information
- New products
- Promotional trends
- Advertising
- To have a good Product knowledge
- Optimise presentation of line selections per promotion and monitor and report on its effectiveness.
- Merchandising/displays of promotional lines.
- Review sales of promotional lines
- Share promotion display information between stores to increase sales at poorly performing stores.
- Monitor sales after actioning display changes.
- Recommend any layout changes / improvements to Sales Manager improve sales.
- Store display structures are installed and placed strategically to optimise sales in a safe manner and look presentable.
- Control of shelving and display material and quantities.
- Oversee merchandising and to maintain standardisation across all stores.
- Visit potential sites with the basis of providing input on possibility of success.
- Propose and recommend store designs and layouts.
- Analyse/recommend and plan staffing requirements.
- Analysing of product range to meet the demographics of the area.
- Installation of shelving as per agreed layout and design. Reporting weekly/monthly on the Effective merchandising of the new store to achieve optimal sales, including any recommendations.
- Induct and train new store staff’ on operations.
- Instil/ monitor/ motivate and report monthly on all staff at all times that Stores must give best possible service to all its customers.
- Understand and communicate Company operational strategy and tactics to align with point 2 above.
- Ensure and maintain a high level of staff motivation.
- Labour scheduling by day / week and by month
- Promote staff development (including appraisals) and training, by store.
- Reporting and referring to HR, where necessary resolving staff/employee issues /incidents.
- Nature of issue
- Who was the issue discussed with (Hr).
- Decision taken regarding the issue.
- Has the issue been resolved/outcome.
- Recommendations on how to avoid these issues in the future.
- Staff Time management-
- Check security report and assist with staff issues and disciplinary actions and provide monthly reports to HR/G Manager
- All disciplinary action to be sent to Hr as each issue is addressed.
- Summary of all issues to be sent to Hr/Gm on a weekly basis.
- Follow up and action daily security reports with regards to disciplinary action and training identified.
- Discuss with staff issues picked up on security reports.
- Identify training required for staff from issues reported.
Plan and action training with the assistance of the HR department
Minimum Requirements: - Matric.
- Relevant Diploma or Degree would be an added advantage.
- 3+ years’ experience in a Operations Manager role in a Retail / FMCG environment.
- Valid driver’s license and own reliable vehicle.
