Assistant Store Manager
Location: London
Salary: £44,000 – £47,000 per annum + Bonus
Team Size: 15–18
Reporting to: Store Manager
Management Team: 4
We are delighted to be representing an outstanding career opportunity with one of our clients, an iconic Italian fashion brand and internationally recognised retailer with strong links to a global luxury fashion house. Known for its clean, modern design with a sharp urban edge, the brand appeals to style-aware customers who value quality, confidence, and contemporary trends.
With a strong focus on denim, casualwear, and statement basics, they are seeking an experienced and commercially driven Assistant Store Manager for their London location. This role is ideally suited to a confident retail leader with strong operational expertise, exceptional clientelling skills, and a solid fashion background.
Role Purpose
The Assistant Store Manager plays a vital role in supporting the overall performance and day-to-day operations of the store. Working closely with the Store Manager, the role leads by example, drives sales, delivers exceptional customer experiences, and develops a high-performing team. In the absence of the Store Manager, the Assistant Store Manager assumes full responsibility for the store.
Key Responsibilities
Sales & Customer Experience
- Drive sales performance and maximise store profitability.
- Ensure excellence in the sales ceremony in line with company standards, overseeing the full customer journey from pre-sale to after-sale.
- Demonstrate strong product knowledge and strong fashion awareness.
- Analyse sales and performance data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement, providing clear recommendations to the Store Manager.
- Communicate sales targets and implement strategies to achieve or exceed store KPIs.
- Propose and execute sales initiatives, CRM strategies, and local marketing plans to increase revenue.
- Lead the execution of in-store promotions, events, and commercial initiatives.
- Deliver exceptional customer service by resolving issues efficiently and building long-term client relationships.
- Drive customer loyalty through consistent clientelling and engagement.
- Maintain high visual merchandising standards, including product placement, window displays, signage, pricing, and overall store presentation.
People Management
- Support the Store Manager with recruitment, onboarding, and training of new team members.
- Coach, develop, and motivate the team to achieve high performance and support succession planning.
- Drive company incentive schemes and sales competitions to deliver results.
- Train and empower the team across product knowledge, customer service, CRM, visual merchandising, and omni-channel sales.
- Foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative team culture.
- Proactively address employee concerns with professionalism and empathy.
- Support daily team briefings and ongoing performance management.
- Ensure all payroll-related changes are accurately communicated to HR.
Operations
- Ensure full compliance with company policies and procedures, including Health & Safety, Loss Prevention, HR, and Cash Management.
- Support staff rota planning to ensure effective floor coverage and smooth store operations.
- Oversee back-of-house organisation and ensure accessibility to core product categories.
- Enforce loss prevention standards to safeguard store assets and minimise shrinkage.
- Support administrative responsibilities, including reporting, petty cash, shipping, and HR records.
- Take an active role in inventory management to ensure stock aligns with store targets.
- Oversee the delivery of goods to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient stock handling.
Candidate Profile
Essential Skills
- Strong leadership and people management capabilities with the ability to motivate and develop teams.
- Commercially focused with a passion for sales, clientelling, and fashion retail.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong organisational and time management abilities with high attention to detail.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced retail environment.
Experience
- Proven experience in a retail management role with a strong track record of driving sales and store performance.
- Solid understanding of retail operations, visual merchandising, and inventory management.
- Confident in analysing data and making data-driven commercial decisions.
- Degree in retail management or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.
