Store Manager Designate

Vision Express; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading optical retail company in Manchester is seeking a Store Manager Designate to oversee store operations and manage staff. You will join a 6-month training program designed to prepare you for the full role of Store Manager. Responsibilities include ensuring high service standards, recruitment and training of team members, and meeting sales targets. This position offers flexible working conditions and a comprehensive benefits package including bonuses, private medical cover, and annual leave. In addition, there are opportunities for personal development and team collaboration.

Benefits

Sales and performance-based bonus

Private medical cover

33 days annual leave

Flexible lifestyle benefits

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and management skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail in maintaining accurate records.
• Great communication skills for building rapport with customers.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the store.
• Manage recruitment and training of store employees.
• Ensure excellent customer service and maintain store standards.

Skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Ability to work under pressure

Confidence

Job description

As a Store Manager Designate at Vision Express, You’ll join us on a 6-month training and development programme, aimed to prepare you for the role of a Store Manager. The programme is designed to help participants understand our brand and equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge required to excel in the role of a Store Manager. You’ll be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the store. This includes managing your colleagues in store, ensuring excellent customer service, maintaining store standards, and meeting sales targets. You’ll also handle administrative tasks such as scheduling, inventory management, and financial reporting.

You’ll also manage the recruitment for your store with the support of your peers, including your Regional Manager and our Store Support Centre colleagues. You’re responsible for creating a positive and productive work environment for your team, ensuring that all employees are trained and supported in their roles as we all play a key part in our mission of helping our customers to ‘See More and Be More’ by providing tailored and effective eyecare and eyewear solutions, to help customers maximise their visual potential and enhance their lifestyle.

Although the hours of this role are advertised, if this sounds like the role for you, we'd love to hear about your ideal working week. Whether this is hours to fit around the school run or you prefer a compressed week - we are open to discussing flexible options with you further.

Who are we?

We are Vision Express - with over 550 stores across the UK and Ireland, we have something for everyone. Whether you want to work in a busy city centre flagship, a smaller village store or in one of our coastal locations, we're sure we will have the perfect solution for you!

Did you know, we are also part of the EssilorLuxottica family? EssilorLuxottica is the global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of lenses, frames and sunglasses! We are home to the most loved and widely-recognised vision care and eyewear brands in the world. Their priority eyewear brands include Ray-Ban, Oakley, Costa, Vogue Eyewear, Persol and Oliver Peoples, complemented by over 20 prestigious licensed brands.

Who is the perfect candidate?

• Monitor and analyse sales performance data to identify areas for improvement and encourage this within your team to meet or exceed sales targets and drive business growth
• Support your colleagues in store with your strong leadership and management skills
• Great communication and rapport building to translate professional terminology into language understanding to patients
• Exceptional attention to detail in maintaining accurate customer records, prescriptions, and requirements to provide them with the best service and product recommendations
• Teamwork with colleagues across the whole store team, including our Eye Care Professionals, Optical Assistants and Management
• The ability to work under pressure and handle challenging situations in a fast-paced retail environment
• Confidence, passion, drive and enthusiasm
• Support with the instore recruitment process
• Training and coaching sessions with your colleagues in store, to ensure everybody is working to the best of their ability and towards our mission to help customers ‘See More and Be More’.

Anything else you should know?

• Sales and performance-based bonus
• Targeted incentives
• Private medical cover for you and your family
• Life Assurance - 4 x your basic annual salary
• Free eyewear annually with eligibility from day one of joining us!
• Opportunities to get involved in the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
• Discounts throughout the year for your friends and family
• Employee Assistance Program offering confidential support and advice on everything from financial support and everything in-between
• 33 days annual leave - increasing with your length of service, plus the opportunity to buy or sell holiday
• Flexible health related benefits, such as Health Cash Plan, Additional Life cover, Critical Illness cover and Dental Plan
• Opportunities to join a company wide community with peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and collaborating through our internal channels
• Flexible lifestyle benefits, such as Gymflex, Dining Cards, discounted Travel Insurance, Experience Days and even discounted bicycles through our Cycle to Work Scheme

We are Pioneers bringing heritage into the future

We’re deeply rooted in our legacy – proud of where we came from, yet always innovating and improving the rules of the eyewear and eyecare game. We never stop learning, nor would we want to. We see our search for innovative solutions as an ongoing journey, not a destination. We’re curious – keeping up with trends, gathering insight, and thinking about where we can go next.

We’re thrilled that you’re considering applying to work with us. As a first step, you’ll need to submit your online application via our careers site. That’s when we review your application against role requirements. Unsuccessful applications will be informed by email.

Know someone who’d be a great fit for this role? We’d love your help getting the word out! Share this job with your friends, colleagues, or followers on social media. It might be just the opportunity someone’s been waiting for.