Deputy Manager

Are you looking to join our set?

If so we have an exciting opportunity to sharpen your skills and become a Deputy Manager working 37.5 hours per week.

Are you an Art and Design enthusiast? Are you looking to work in an Aladdin's Cave of all things Creative? Does working over 2 floors of art suppliesget you excited? If so, we want to hear from you!!

At the London Graphic Centre we have a rare opportunity to join our team of budding artists!!? Since 1973, London Graphic Centre has been in Covent Garden providing artists and designers with the tools that spark their creativity. The flagship store, opened in 1996, is a treasure trove of creative supplies, stationery, gifts and more

What is the role?

This is a significant leadership role within the largest and most important part of the London Graphic Centre business.

Working closely with the Store Manager, you will help lead the day to day running of a busy, high profile Covent Garden store. You will be responsible for delivering excellent customer service, strong commercial performance, high operational standards and a knowledgeable, motivated team.

This role would suit an experienced Assistant Store Manager, Deputy Manager or Store Manager who is ready to take on a more specialist, commercially important and rewarding retail leadership position.

You will need to be hands on, visible and highly organised, with the confidence to lead from the shop floor while also understanding the commercial detail behind strong retail performance.

What will your key responsibilities be?

• Support the Store Manager in leading a large, specialist retail store over two floors.
• Help drive sales, contribution, customer service, operational standards and team performance.
• Act as a senior leader on the shop floor, setting the tone for the team and ensuring customers receive knowledgeable, helpful and confident service.
• Deputise for the Store Manager, taking full responsibility for the store when required.
• Lead, coach and motivate the team to deliver agreed targets, standards and objectives.
• Build a strong service culture, ensuring colleagues engage with customers properly understand their needs and recommend the right products.
• Develop product knowledge across the team, particularly across art materials, design supplies, stationery, graphics, paper, print and creative tools.
• Maintain excellent visual merchandising, housekeeping and stock presentation standards.
• Work with the Store Manager to manage store resources, rotas, payroll control and daily deployment.
• Support recruitment, induction, training, performance management and colleague development.
• Ensure stock accuracy, replenishment, availability and loss prevention standards are maintained.
• Identify opportunities to increase sales through better product knowledge, add on sales, promotions, displays and improved customer engagement.
• Work closely with support functions including Buying, Marketing, Ecommerce, HR, Finance and Operations where needed.
• Ensure all company policies, procedures, health and safety standards and security processes are followed.
• Bring energy, ownership and commercial focus to one of London's most respected creative retail destinations.

What are we looking for from you?

• Someone who can bring both retail discipline and genuine enthusiasm for creative products.
• Experience as an Assistant Store Manager, Deputy Store Manager, Store Manager or senior retail leader.
• A track record of helping to run a sizable or complex retail store.
• Strong people leadership skills, with the ability to coach, motivate and hold a team to high standards.
• A commercial mindset, with confidence around sales, margin, stock, payroll and store performance.
• Excellent customer service standards and the ability to lead by example.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast moving environment.
• Good judgement, maturity and confidence when dealing with customers, colleagues and operational issues.
• A genuine interest in art, design, stationery, creative materials or specialist retail.
• The ability to learn a large product range and help others build their knowledge.
• A practical, hands on approach. This is a leadership role, but it is very much based on the shop floor.

Experience in art materials, stationery, design, books, home, lifestyle, fashion, premium retail or specialist retail would be especially relevant, but the right attitude, leadership style and commercial

ability are most important.

Role benefits:

• Fantastic training to help you complete your role and be the best you can be, with the option to continue your development into a more senior role, if you choose to progress within the business
• A great Team to work with where you can progress and make a difference at all levels
• Ongoing incentives to reward your performance
• Fun working environment with regular social events
• Eligible to join the enhanced pension scheme after 12 month's service but auto enrol after 3 month's service
• Generous discount at the London Graphic Centre and the other brands within the Theo Paphitis Retail Group

Who are we and why us?

London Graphic Centre has been serving the UK's design and arts communities since 1973. Trends are constantly changing in the ever-growing art and design world and we take pride in moving with those trends.

London Graphic Centre is part of the Theo Paphitis Retail Group, which comprises London Graphic Centre, Ryman, Robert Dyas and Boux Avenue.

We are a people oriented Company made up of a diverse mix of talented people in a variety of roles, which thrives on supporting colleagues by providing them with the knowledge, tools, policies and procedures to excel in their role. We are committed to providing our colleagues with development opportunities, job satisfaction and of course some fun whilst working!