Department Manager, Womenswear, Designer Galleries

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 the Department Manager of Womenswear, Designer Galleries you will:​

• Be responsible for own bought and concession department and strategy (including payroll), identifying opportunities and risks using external market trends and competitor insights​

• Support the concession businesses in your department by working closely with the Concession Manager to support and set improvement targets, resolve issues that may arise​

• Motivate the team to exceed sales targets by developing skills in product knowledge, cross category selling, after sales service and awareness of other services within Selfridges​

• Manage and lead your team giving regular feedback and coaching. Recognising both talent and development areas, you will create unique plans to progress your team using the tools available​

• Act upon information and feedback from across the business e.g spotlight, engagement survey and team member feedback to name a few​

• Ensure that the department is fully compliant with trading standards, health and safety legislation and all store operating procedures​

• Achieve stock loss KPI through effective management of procedures, stockless action plan and team member training​

• Liaise and influence VM and B&M team to seek ways to improve visual presentation, stock holding and relay customer feedback, including best and worst sellers​

• Keep consistently high standards in your department through the completion of daily floor walks and checks, following up on required improvements

The Ideal Candidate

• Well organised. You understand the importance your role plays in our service proposition by maintaining clean, tidying and accurate stock rooms to support the sales team
• A great communicator. You will keep your division informed of workflow and timescales, pre-empting any issues and suggesting solutions
• Collaborative. You will work closely with multiple teams to ensure the safe guarding of stock, prevent loss and ensure product is accounted for at all times
• Adaptable. Ability to work both independently as well as collaborate across the wider team. You understand the need to shift working priorities due to competing deadlines and changing priorities
• A solutions focused individual with the ability to review ways of working and suggest improvements
• Able to lift and move stock safely and securely
• 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