Department Manager

ARMANI OUTLET - BICESTER - DEPARTMENT MANAGER

About us: The Armani Group is a leading company in the fashion and luxury sector, with more than 8,000 employees. Its three core brands – Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani and A|X Armani Exchange – are active in all the world’s major countries, across many continents. With origins firmly rooted in Italy, but also with a cosmopolitan vision and culture, the company has grown since it was founded in 1975, expanding its offer from clothes and accessories to cosmetics, fragrances, eyewear, watches, jewellery, and furniture and furnishing accessories. Today, therefore, as well as being well known in the area of fashion, the Armani Group is also renowned in the sectors of interior design, food and beverage, and hotels and resorts.

Giorgio Armani has created a style that has, with remarkable consistency, continued to explore countless variations and possibilities over the years. It expresses a precise vision down to the most minute detail: a way of being and presenting oneself, certainly incorporating clothing and accessories, but also including gestures, ways, behaviours and attitudes; a style that goes beyond the sum of its parts, and well beyond what one wears

Convinced that ethics and aesthetics must coincide, Giorgio Armani expresses fundamental and enduring values his clothes. He does so by creating timeless pieces that, enhanced by precious materials and artisanal craftwork, resist the whim of fleeting trends with their pure and essential design.

The role: As a Department Manager, you will oversee the operations and performance of a specific department within the store. You will play a key role in driving sales, managing inventory, leading a team, and ensuring excellent customer service. You will contribute to the store's overall success by implementing strategies to achieve sales targets, maintaining visual merchandising standards, and providing effective leadership to your Department.

The Department Manager is in charge of the store when the Store Manager and Assistant Store Manager are absent.

Responsibilities:

Sales & Customer experience

• Responsible for driving sales and overall store performance.
• Ensure excellence in the sales ceremony per company policy, supervising customer experience (presales, in-sales, aftersales) and relationship building.
• Analyse sales and performance data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement within the Department and provide recommendations to the Store Manager.
• Communicate sales targets and develop strategies to exceed or achieve store sales targets.
• Implement and execute promotions, events, and initiatives to drive sales and achieve store targets.
• Provide exceptional customer service, addressing customer inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring a positive shopping experience.
• Build and maintain relationships with customers and actively engage in building customer loyalty.
• Ensure visual merchandising standards are maintained, including proper product placement, window display, pricing, signage, and overall store presentation.

People Management

• Assist the store manager in recruiting the store team.
• Assist with onboarding and training all new starters.

• Drive company incentive schemes and contests to achieve sales targets.
• Train and motivate the store team to deliver exceptional performance in all areas of responsibility, including product skills, customer service, CRM, VM and sales.
• Create a positive, inclusive work culture promoting teamwork, collaboration, and mutual respect.
• Resolve employee concerns and conflicts by providing a supportive and empathetic approach.
• Continuously review the performance of the team according to company standards.

• Assist the store manager and assistant manager in managing daily team briefings.

Operations

• Ensure compliance with company policies and procedures, including Health & Safety, Loss Prevention, HR policies, Cash Management etc).
• Support Senior Management with the organisation of the store coverage to smooth store operations.
• Assist the Store Manager in completing administrative responsibilities (sales reports, petty cash, shipping records, vendor records, HR records, etc.).
• Take an active role in ensuring inventory levels, including restocking shelves, conducting inventory audits, and managing replenishing processes.

Requirements

• Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop a diverse team.
• Strong sales and customer service orientation, with the ability to build and maintain customer relationships.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational and time management abilities with attention to detail.
• Previous retail management experience, preferably a department manager or in a similar role.
• Knowledge of visual merchandising standards and inventory management.
• Ability to analyse data and make data-driven decisions.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and bonus scheme.
• Employee discounts on Giorgio Armani products.
• Training and development opportunities to enhance your skills and knowledge.
• Be part of a globally renowned brand with a rich heritage and an exciting future.
• Collaborative and supportive work environment.

As an equal opportunities employer, Giorgio Armani is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination based on age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join the Giorgio Armani family.