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Retail manager

Retail managers look after stores, motivate staff to achieve sales targets, organise promotional events and monitor industry trends.

Average salary (a year)

£20,000 Starter

to

£70,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

40 to 42 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays managing your own hours

How to become a retail manager

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • a company training scheme

University

You could do a degree before applying to join an organisation's management training scheme. Most subjects are accepted but you may have an advantage if you study:

  • business retail management
  • retail marketing

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More information

College

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant subjects include:

  • Level 3 Diploma in Retail Skills Management
  • Level 4 Diploma in Retail Management

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
  • 1 or 2 A levels, a level 3 diploma or relevant experience for a level 4 or level 5 course

More information

Apprenticeship

You could do a retail manager higher apprenticeship or retail leadership degree apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More information

Work

You may be able to start as a retail sales assistant and work your way up through promotion to supervisor or department manager.

You could also get into this job by switching from a managerial post in a related industry like customer service. You would be given training in retail to build on your existing management experience.

Other routes

Many national retailers run graduate trainee management schemes for people with a suitable degree.

These combine training and mentoring with work placements in different parts of the business to develop your retail knowledge, skills and leadership qualities.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • customer service skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • the ability to work well with others
  • leadership skills
  • to enjoy working with other people
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

  • managing and motivating teams to increase sales
  • overseeing recruitment and training of staff
  • keeping track of stock and ordering
  • organising sales promotions and in-store events
  • dealing with queries, complaints and feedback from customers
  • analysing sales figures and forecasting future sales
  • maintaining awareness of market trends and monitoring competitors
  • controlling budgets and costs
  • providing reports to senior company executives

Working environment

You could work at a store or in an office.

Career path and progression

With experience you could progress into area or regional management.

You could also move into more specialist areas, like customer service, training and operations management.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a retail manager right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Are you interested in becoming a retail manager?

Search for training courses near you.

JobsIn the United Kingdom

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