Assistant Manager

We have a full-time/part-time opening for a Assistant Manager.

Must be able to work various shifts per week.

Position Purpose:

The Assistant Manager will be expected to oversee and supervise the Style Encore staff as well as participate in the day to day tasks as well. The Assistant Manager is responsible for ensuring that all standards set in place by the Employee Handbook, Position Descriptions and operation procedures are followed consistently ensuring that the business is run efficiently and that all members of the Style Encore team are treated consistently and fairly.  Achieving performance objectives will require action in store operation and managing: staffs behavior; customer care; loss prevention; marketing.

Major parts of the job on a day to day basis include managing staff, finding new ways to improve sales, meet customer’s demands, insist and deliver outstanding customer service.

MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSITILITY INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

1. Must be able to work banking holidays and one weekend day. Must be able to work 3 evenings each week.
2. Part time and full time must meet the minimum of 40 hours for a full time position.
3. Must be able to work with an Assistant Management team to ensure that all store hours are covered by an Assistant Manager at all times.
4. Motivating: lead and direct a team (up to 25 employees at one time) to increase sales and insure efficiency.
5. Must be able to address all staffing issues in a professional manner.
6. Follow standards for quality customer service, strong sales and high level of product purchased. Responding to customer complaints, comments and situations.
7. Be able to recognize areas of the retail setting that require re-organization and have appealing and appropriate visual merchandising for a teen store.
8. Releasing employees from employment when their performance violates critical policies or does not meet standard expectations.
9. Attending staff and management meetings which are all mandatory.
10. Promote and role model superior customer service to all customers, every day.  Insure that all store associates perform the superior service they were trained to deliver.
11. Oversee and supervise the process of “BUYING” as per the Style Encore standards ensuring efficient buying and high quality product.
12. Maintain appropriate security procedures including; computer cash register, product and open/close procedures.
13. Assistant Managers will be expected to learn the basics of the Assistant Manager position as well as the Sales Associate, Customer Service Lead, Key Holder within the first six months of hire.  The following six months will be using those skills to learn how to independently run the business successfully to store standards.

Work Expectations:

Flexible Hours:

Style Encore expects all staff to have flexible work schedule.  An Assistant Manager is the lead position at Style Encore. They must role model and meet this expectation on an ongoing basis.

1. Full time position (40 hours per week minimum).  Part time Assistant Managers (25 hours per week). Changes that occur after the time of hire will affect ability to remain an Assistant Manager.
2. Must be able to work one day/evening shift on the weekend as this is most likely to rotate between mornings, afternoons and evenings.  Sunday shift is an open to close shift and may not be an available shift at the time of hire.
3. Work three evenings a week is a requirement.
   1. Evening shifts are as late as required to have the store in acceptable conditions for the next day opening. Style Encore closes at 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5p.m. on Sundays and there will be times when customers do not exit the store until an hour past closing and the management as well as the staff remain in the store cleaning and organizing to store standards and will stay until those duties are complete.
4. Calling Out/Shift Coverage
   1. Assistant Managers are responsible for covering each other during vacation and sick time as there must always be an Assistant Manager on shift.
   2.   Assistant Manager will occasionally need to have coverage for their shift.  It is anticipated that they will find coverage by another Assistant Manager.
   3. If for some reason there is a call out the only person able to give approval for this is a Manager.  The Manager must approve Assistant Manager shift switches.
5. Style Encore is retail and is open for all holidays excluding: New Years, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
6. Promotional Days are events that special sales occur.  These days are mandatory working days for the Assistant Manager and may require scheduling adjustments that are unusual to normal scheduling.
7. Physical Inventory is an entire count of the items within the business.  This is a mandatory working day for an Assistant Manager and will have unusual working hours.

Assistant Manager

• Communication
  • Written- There are many forms of written communication that occur on a daily basis.  The Assistant Manager must be able to communicate in a positive way and be detailed so anyone reading notes will be able to logically follow directions, events or issues.
  • Verbal- Effective verbal communication with Owner, Manager, Assistant Manager, and Sales Associates is critical.  The Assistant Manager must be able to maintain respectful, clear communication with all members of the Plato’s Closet team.
  • Confidentiality-The Assistant Manager handles individual employee personal issues that may impact their work.  Assistant Managers also review and support staff in meeting performance reviews.  Therefore they hear and read many confidential issues and conversations.  The Assistant Manager must be able to professionally maintain confidentiality at all times.

Employee Supervision

• Direct work flow of Sales Associates
  • Motivate Sales Associates
  • Direct work flow
  • Set goals
  • Coach Sales Associates
  • Take Sales Associates through leadership to a place they are capable of going but wouldn’t go on their own.
  • Constantly see where their team is going and jump in front of them and prepare the next step.
  • Handles disputes and resolutions

               Product Processing

Style Encore is a unique retail business in that it not only sells the product to customers but buys the product from customers for cash.  This makes the business dependent upon its customers for the inventory.  It must be recognized as a very labor intensive business compared to regular retail.  It is imperative that the relationship between the business and its customers is carefully protected.  It is the Assistant Managers responsibility to make sure the following occurs to store standards:

• Sales
  • Customers should not have to wait to purchase merchandise.  The Assistant Manager must ensure that all staff that are available to conduct sales are doing so when a line begins to form.  Staff will sometimes become complacent with this and it is the Assistant Managers position to remind and reinforce this.
  • Customers should receive consistent promotional delivery including: sales promotions, inventory needs pertaining to buying, and e-club information. Every time.
  • Sales Associates should be upbeat and friendly at all times.  The Assistant Manager will have to deal with any issues or problems regarding this area immediately.
  • Sales Associates should encourage customers to return again soon.
  • Customers should receive speedy and accurate service.
  • Assistant Managers will need to reinforce sales expectations.  When necessary they will need to remind, guide and at times deliver corrective actions when sales associates are not meeting standards.
• Buying
  • Style Encore considers the buy process the key to its success.  This will be one of the most critical areas for the Assistant Manager to be able to successfully supervise.  The Assistant Manager must have a clear understanding of this process and its efficiencies and follow all standards that are in place to ensure the store is successful in this process.
  • Keeping customers satisfied at all times.  There will be times when a customer is dissatisfied and the Assistant Manager must be able to recognize an unhappy customer and intervene.
  • Buying times are to be kept at 10 to 15 minutes. The Assistant Managers ensures this happens by:
    • Keeping track of how long a buy is taking.
    • Observing and guiding the staff for efficient, accurate and customer friendly service.
  • Communication with the customer must be encouraged while discussions amongst the staff should be kept at a minimum.
    •   When these areas are not meeting standards it is up to the Assistant Manager to deal with these issues promptly and professionally following standards.   
    • Appropriate discussions occur from staff.
    • Be aware when more staff is needed to ensure that buys are processed in a respectable time frame. The Assistant Manager does not have to be the person to jump into this, but they should always be aware of what the buying situation is on the cash wrap for customer’s convenience.
      • The hourly management checklist is the tool the Assistant Manager should use to ensure that this occurs.

* Review how many buys are on the floor to be completed and figure out how many more staff are needed to get the buying done in the 10 to 15 minute standard.

*Call to the cash wrap how many staff are needed to ensure that buy times are met.

*“Aces in their Places” is a term we use to put the fastest staff in their strong areas when we are busiest.The Assistant Manager will need to be aware of which staff are best buyers and put them into place when buy times start to drop off from the standard and when necessary assist to get them done.

* Communicate with the manager that there was an issue in getting the buys completed in a timely fashion so changes can be made so this doesn’t occur again.

• Product Processing
  • All product ready to be tagged must be tagged and hung in a timely manner. Keeping the cash wrap clean and organized allows buyers to focus on that part of the business and provide excellent customer service.
  • Product must be tagged, censored and hung and moved to the sales floor in a timely and efficient manner.  The Assistant Manager must supervise this area as it is an area where chatter and poor efficiency can occur.
  • Back Stock
    • The Assistant Manager is responsible for ensuring that all available space on the sales floor is at its maximum potential.    The Assistant Managers prepare a list of rack space available in each sub category and then prepare a list for the back room processing to get out in the day.
    • The Assistant Manager is responsible for taking overstocked product to and from storage as needed.
    • Use the back stock log so we are aware how much product is off site, the oldest product to go out first and what sub category is available.
    • Assistant Managers drive themselves and another staff member to and from storage.
    • Loading and unloading the back stock product.
    • Lead back room staff to get product to the sales floor so product can be put on racks.

Store Maintenance

• Assistant Managers oversee and keep track of the “look of the store”.  The store looks neat, clean and organized at all times.
• Use and follow the standard checklists for rack maintenance.  The Assistant Manager must guide staff in efficient and accurate organization of all product.
• Use and follow the standard checklist for cleanup of all areas.  Included in this is window washing, mirror washing, vacuuming, sanitizing surfaces, replacement of light bulbs, etc. so Style Encore looks fabulous.
  • Recognize when something must be done even though it is not on a list.  Delegate these needs and ensure that they are executed efficiently and accurately.
  • Work as a team member to complete the store maintenance, it’s not a one person job, but a group job.
• Tools and Equipment: The Assistant Manager must be able to efficiently use many different types of tools and equipment.  Assistant Mangers must also be able to instruct and direct others on the use of the tools and equipment.  These include but are not limited to:

• Computers
  •  This includes Point of Sale Terminals
  •  Office computers such as a desk tops and or lap top
  •  smart phones
  •  Label and receipt printers and scanners.
  • Cleaning
• Cleaning Equipment-This includes vacuums and carpet cleaners
• Tools- Basic use of hammers, screw driver and wrenches. 
• Sometimes there is equipment assembly.

               Physical Requirements

1. Lift bend and rotate conducive to a retail environment.
2. Lift up to 40lbs unassisted.
3. Stand on feet for up to 8 hours.
4. Maintain a fast pace up to 8 hours.
5. Must be licensed to drive and have a clean driving record.