Skip to content

Business Strategy - Central Operations Manager

Please Note: The application deadline for this job has now passed.

Business Strategy - Central Operations Manager

Job Introduction

Selfridges has always been much more than a shop. We’re a social space where everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging, a creative playground where culture and commerce collide, and an experimental hub where you can discover the most innovative and sustainable ideas in retail. We’re here to help make the world brighter. And you can be an important part of this. We’ll talk more about the role below, but before we get to that, let’s share with you the good stuff…  

Rewards and benefits 

Life at Selfridges is dynamic, exciting, and always evolving. As well as working with some of the most cutting-edge, iconic and boundary-pushing brands, designers and creatives, we also offer our team members opportunities to help make a positive difference through our network of communities, both within and outside Selfridges. Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

  • Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or hybrid working

  • Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

  • Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

  • Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

  • Defined pension contribution scheme  

  • Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

  • Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

  • Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

  • Subsidised gym memberships  

  • Annual travel pass and cycle-to-work schemes  

  • A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme 

  • Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

  • Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

  • Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Role Responsibility

As a Central Operations Manager,​​ you will support Retail teams to establish more consistent and efficient ways of working across all 4 stores. You will combine your extensive knowledge of Retail Operations to identify areas of opportunity and risk. Keeping the customer first and foremost you will offer solutions and updated guidelines through innovative thinking and techniques. You will liaise with any project that impacts Retail Operations supporting and consulting with them from design to implementation.​

As a Central Operations Manager you will:​

  • Understand and continuously seek improvements to current ways of working and understand the impacts of all projects and changes on the store operation​

  • Challenge the way that things are done both in current and future state to ensure that we are efficient and relevant​

  • Keep the customer at the forefront of every decision, encouraging and developing a focus on high performance and continuous improvement​

  • Ensure that 'lessons learned' from previous projects and events are taken account of when formulating future approaches and plans ​

  • Proactively seek input from team members and customer feedback to uncover new simplified ways of working​

  • Lead and inspire Retail teams across all 4 stores to drive innovation and performance being positive ambassadors for change​

  • Have an ability to communicate technical information in a clear and concise manner to non-technical stakeholders​

  • Have confidence and resilience, with an ability to influence colleagues at peer level as well as at more senior level​

The Ideal Candidate

  • Collaborative. Working with key stakeholders to simplify ways of working, influencing where necessary​

  • A great communicator. You have excellent influencing and negotiating skills, whilst building professional, lasting relationships at all levels​

  • Commercially astute. You have a successful track record in the achievement of targets and objectives, with an ability to stay ahead of competitors and deliver excellence. ​

  • Focused and self-motivated. You are continually striving for excellence with the ability to develop and implement strategic plans while considering the bigger picture​

  • Exceptional problem-solving skills with an ability to break down issues and solve them via sound analytical thinking ​

  • An ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with a wide range of stakeholders ​

  • Exceptional numerical and system skills including; MS 365 (Excel & PowerPoint at an advanced level)​

  • Able to demonstrate an in depth understanding of all aspects of Retail Operations and ideally Project/Program management​

  • All over the numbers. You are comfortable and able to provide reports and analysis of financial position and forecast​

  • Naturally pragmatic and solutions orientated. You are calm under pressure and can give clear guidance​

  • An example of our values, a trusted and respected colleague.

  • This guide represents a summary of the role, however all team members are expected to be flexible in the work they undertake, which may change from time to time, according to the needs of the business​

About the Company

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

 

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges

This website is using cookies to improve your browsing experience. If you navigate to another page without changing the settings below you consent to this. Read more about cookies.