Reporting to Niwaki Chiltern Street Store Manager

– Overall purpose –

The Assistant Manager will provide a key supporting role to our Store Manager in our Flagship store in the heart of Chiltern Street, London. Making sure our customers receive impeccable service, our products are beautifully presented, and the store is run like a well oiled machine.

Main work location:

• Niwaki Store, 38 Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7QL

Working hours:

• 10.00 to 18.00, including 1 day a weekend and some Bank Holiday working.

Main duties:

• Greet and assist customers at the store to meet their requirements at all times
• Proactively engage with customers in order to build and maintain professional relationships and convert/drive sales
• Develop and maintain an up to date expert knowledge of Niwaki products
• Liaise with Niwaki HQ customer service and warehouse teams to keep customers regularly updated on their orders, coordinating and resolving customer service issues, carrying out logistical tasks where required
• Ensure Niwaki customer service levels are maintained at all times in the store
• Assist the Niwaki Store Manager to ensure the Niwaki style is maintained at all times, both in terms of look and feel of the store, and the level of customer service given by all staff to customers
• Assist the Niwaki Store Manager to ensure stock levels are correct
• Tour the sales floor regularly, talking to colleagues and customers and be a positive role model to team members
• Keep up to date with industry news and market trends, maintaining an awareness of our direct competitors and holding an understanding of the comparative products and price points. Feeding information back to Niwaki HQ

Deputise for the Niwaki Store Manager to:

• Ensure expected standards of health and safety are met, including dealing with any first aid situations should they arise in a timely and professional manner
• Maintain Niwaki Store security, ensuring the building is secure at the end of the day
• Manage a cash float in the tills, ensuring any cash above the minimum level is placed in the safe at the end of the day
• Ensure banking is carried out on a daily basis to reduce the amount of cash available onsite
• Ensure any cash carried onsite is held in a secure location, primarily in the safe
• Resolve store health and safety and security issues
• Respond to in-store customer complaints and comments

Personal duties:

• Be positive and helpful with colleagues and customers at all times
• Have a high level of customer service
• Have a high level of presentation, which is appropriate to the store/event
• Adhere to and be familiar with Niwaki’s terms and conditions

Other duties:

• Undertake any other reasonable duties, as directed
• Attend and work at any location, e.g. events, pop-ups, as required

– Person specification –

Essential experience:

• Retail experience
• Supervisory or management experience

Desirable experience:

• Experience of Japanese culture is a bonus
• Leadership of teams in a retail setting

Essential knowledge and skills:

• Strong communication skills, including fluent in English language 
• Excellent customer service skills 
• Good organisation and planning skills and able to prioritise workloads 
• IT literate – computer/keyboard skills 
• Good administration skills and attention to details

Desirable knowledge and skills:

• Knowledge of stock systems an advantage
• Working knowledge of H&S in a retail environment including up-to-date first aid certificate

Essential personal attributes

• Friendly, approachable attitude and tidy appearance
• Able to teach others, e.g. use of till system
• Flexible attitude and approach to work 
• Hard working and enthusiastic 
• Able to work as part of a team and on own initiative
• Ability to lead effectively and delegate
• Strong business sense and well-developed commercial awareness 

Desirable personal attributes:

• Interest and understanding of Japanese culture
• Interest in industry related news and developments

Other:

• Ability to travel to and attend Niwaki HQ, and/or shows
• Right to work in the UK