Retail Store Manager

The Works; Carlisle; On-site; GBP 30,000 - GBP 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A national retailer in Carlisle is seeking a Retail Store Manager to lead the store's operations and team. You will inspire and develop your team, ensuring exceptional customer service while driving commercial performance. Key responsibilities include managing daily operations, maintaining store standards, and coaching employees for success. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills and proven experience in retail management. This position offers various perks, including discounts, health plans, and training opportunities.

Benefits

25% Colleague Discount

Access to online discounts

Enhanced family leave

33 days holiday including bank holidays

Early access to wages

Training and development opportunities

Employee share scheme

24/7 support for employees

Healthcare Cash Plan

Pension and life assurance

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a retail management role.
• Strong leadership and people development skills.
• Experience managing recruitment, training, and performance processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop your team to deliver excellent customer service.
• Ensure high standards of store performance and presentation.
• Manage rotas, payroll, and operational tasks.

Skills

Retail management experience

Leadership skills

Commercial focus

Communication skills

Data-informed decision making

Flexibility and resilience

High-volume retail experience

Familiarity with retail systems

Job description

We don’t just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.

Overview

40 hour contract

The Works is about unlocking imagination and making creativity accessible to everyone. Whether you’re engaging with customers on the frontline or supporting colleagues behind the scenes, your impact can be profound and far-reaching. This role is more than toys and books and art supplies; it’s about inspiring people to read, learn, create and play. With the right passion, it all starts with you.

Role

Become a Retail Store Manager. As a Store Manager, you are responsible for leading your store to success. You’ll inspire and develop your team, drive commercial performance, and ensure every customer enjoys a welcoming, well-run, and engaging shopping experience. You’ll take ownership of all aspects of store operations, from people and performance to standards and service.

Your mission is to deliver exceptional service, spark brilliant conversations, and help customers with their shopping missions — whether it’s discovering new products they’ll love or finding the perfect gifts. By understanding customers’ interests, you’ll be ready to recommend items that surprise and delight. You’ll also ensure the store is well-stocked, tidy, safe, and welcoming, and you’ll help create an environment where everyone feels supported, included and developed in the team.

Brand Ambassadorship

Being a brand ambassador is how you bring our brand to life every day through small moments that become memorable for customers. You’ll represent our products, services, values and behaviours in a positive and authentic way, helping build trust, awareness and loyalty. At The Works, we are all Brand Ambassadors.

Your Mission

• Lead, coach, and develop your team to deliver excellent customer service and achieve store targets.
• Lead by example as a brand ambassador representing The Works to inspire your team.
• Take full ownership of store performance, using data and insights to drive results.
• Ensure high standards of visual merchandising, stock availability, and store presentation.
• Recruit, onboard, and train new team members, building a high performing, engaged team.
• Manage rotas, payroll, and operational tasks to ensure efficient day-to-day running.
• Maintain compliance with health & safety, cash handling, and loss prevention policies.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive team culture where people feel developed and cared for.
• Collaborate with your Area Manager, stores in your area and central teams to implement business initiatives and share feedback from the shop floor.

Skills and Behaviours

• Proven experience in a retail management role.
• Strong leadership and people development skills.
• Commercially focused with a track record of delivering results.
• Excellent communication, planning, and organisational abilities.
• Confident using data to inform decisions and improve performance.
• Flexible, resilient, and able to adapt to changing priorities.
• Experience in a high-volume or value retail environment.
• Familiarity with retail systems and reporting tools.
• Experience managing recruitment, training, and performance processes.
• Tech savvy with back-office systems, EPoS tills, emails and video calls.

Being a Great Leader

• Inspire and motivate your team in line with our employer brand, values, behaviours and purpose.
• Lead your team to reach their potential and drive store success.
• Work collaboratively with support departments and peers.
• Speak up when something isn’t right so we can work together to improve.
• Support your team’s well-being and career aspirations with ongoing coaching and development.

Perks

• 25% Colleague Discount with exclusive double discount days.
• MyWorks – access online discounts across retailers, holidays, utilities, tech and more.
• Family Friendly Leave – enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
• Holiday – 33 days including bank holidays.
• Stream – early access to wages as you earn them.
• Can-Do Academy – training and development opportunities.
• Share Scheme – own a piece of The Works.
• 24/7 support for you and your family through Retail Trust.
• Healthcare Cash Plan to support everyday healthcare costs.
• Long service awards, pension, life assurance, Cycle to Work scheme and more.

Our Purpose and Values

To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play. We are Crafty, Caring, Can-do, and we listen. We are committed to diversity, inclusion and reasonable adjustments, and open to discussions around working hours and flexible arrangements. We strive to create an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves. If you need reasonable adjustments for an interview, let us know in your application.

We don’t just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play. When people spend time doing what they love, it’s Time Well Spent. And with the right passion — It All Starts With You.