Apprenticeship training course

Retail manager (level 4)

Managing staff, their work and sales within a retail environment.

• Qualification level: 4 ; Equivalent to higher national certificate (HNC).
• Typical duration: 12 months
• Apprenticeship category: Sales, marketing and procurement
• Maximum funding: £5,000 ; Maximum amount government will fund ; for apprenticeship training.
• Also known as:
  • Commercial Manager
  • Retail Store Manager
  • Sales Manager
  • Store Manager
• Skills:
  Skills an apprentice will learn

  • Customer: Manage the customer experience, including remotely e.g. on- line, through ensuring the team deliver to customers a positive experience that benchmarks favourably to its main competitors and meets customer service objectives
  • Business: Lead the team to achieve and exceed business objectives through forward planning, analysis and evaluation of own business area. Use sales and customer data to make sound and effective decisions which improve business performance
  • Financial: Manage the overall performance of the team to achieve financial targets taking into account the retail calendar year. Analyse reports to identify and determine key actions and recommendations. Produce and report on financial plans as required by the business, and identify and implement opportunities to increase profit and reduce waste
  • Leadership: Provide clear direction and leadership to the team, giving open and honest feedback. Apply and adapt own leadership style to different retail situations and people to achieve the desired outcome
  • Marketing: Communicate marketing objectives to team members and drive results. Analyse and evaluate the impact of marketing activities e.g. sales and customer feedback, and report the outcomes to senior management with relevant recommendations
  • Communication: Establish clear communication objectives, lead communications in a style and manner that is relevant to the target audience and achieves an effective result for the business
  • Sales and Promotion: Manage the team to achieve sales targets through regular monitoring of performance against results, identifying high and low performance products / services and taking timely action to find and implement appropriate solutions
  • Product and Service: Analyse and interpret product / service sales information and use it to make recommendations for future planning e.g. of staff and resources, ideas for new initiatives. Research and demonstrate new products / services or initiatives to the team
  • Brand Reputation: Ensure the team carry out activities in line with business and brand values that actively market the business, support competitiveness and help meet business objectives. Identify possible risks to brand reputation and take action to prevent or minimise their impact
  • Merchandise: Ensure effective merchandising set up, monitoring and maintenance in own area of business. Measure the impact of merchandising on sales and report the outcome to colleagues and senior managers, providing recommendations for improvements, and implementing changes within own remit
  • Stock: Monitor the stock management system to minimise the cost of damage to stock and the loss of stock to the business. Ensure audit compliance and react quickly to results to maintain business standards and stock requirements
  • Developing self: Work with team members to maximise their potential and achieve organisation’s objectives. Implement effective and accurate training on products, services and legislation governing sales, such as age restricted products, trading standards and weights and measures
  • Team performance: Recruit the right people into the right job, monitor team performance and recognise excellence, effectively manage performance that is below standard
  • Legal and Governance: Manage and continuously review adherence to legislation and regulations / policies for due diligence; handle audits and regulatory authorities such as the Environmental Health Officer appropriately
  • Diversity: Implement business policy on diversity, ensuring team are aware of and know how to work effectively with colleagues customers and other stakeholders from wide range of backgrounds and cultures
  • Technology: Ensure technology is sourced, located, available, maintained and secured in line with business needs; oversee the use of technology in line with business policy, identify and make recommendations for improvement

Full information on Retail manager (level 4) is available from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

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