A store manager runs a retail shop day to day and is accountable for its sales, people, stock and standards. The main store manager responsibilities are hitting sales and profit targets, recruiting, training and scheduling the team, controlling stock and shrinkage, keeping the store compliant and safe, and making sure every customer gets a good experience. In travel retail and duty-free, the role also involves working within airport security rules and planning staffing around flight schedules.
Below is a full store manager job description, the KPIs most managers are measured on, typical UK salaries and a template you can adapt.
What does a store manager do?
The National Careers Service describes retail managers as leading and motivating a team to meet sales goals, tracking stock and negotiating with suppliers, planning promotions, handling customer complaints, analysing sales data, managing budgets, recruiting and training staff and putting security measures in place against theft and fraud. In practice the job splits into four areas.
1. Sales and commercial performance
- Setting daily and weekly targets and sharing them with the team.
- Reading sales reports and acting on what they show.
- Delivering promotions, launches and visual merchandising plans.
- Controlling costs such as wages, consumables and waste.
2. People management
- Recruiting, inducting and training staff, including right to work checks.
- Building rotas that match footfall and stay within the wage budget.
- Coaching, appraisals, absence management and disciplinary matters.
- Keeping morale and retention high. Our guide to reducing staff turnover in retail covers practical steps.
3. Stock and loss prevention
- Overseeing deliveries, replenishment and stock counts.
- Investigating stock discrepancies and reducing shrinkage.
- Managing cash handling, till audits and refund controls.
4. Compliance, safety and standards
- Health and safety, fire safety and risk assessments.
- Age-restricted sales rules, such as Challenge 25.
- Opening and closing procedures and key holding.
- Store presentation and customer service standards.
KPIs a store manager is measured on
| KPI | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Sales vs target | Whether the store is meeting its plan |
| Conversion rate | Share of visitors who buy something |
| Average transaction value | How much each customer spends |
| Wage cost as % of sales | Whether rotas match demand |
| Shrinkage | Stock lost to theft, damage or errors |
| Staff turnover and absence | Team stability and engagement |
| Customer satisfaction or NPS | Quality of service |
Store manager in travel retail and duty-free
Airport stores trade around flight banks rather than normal shopping hours, so a duty-free store manager plans rotas around departure peaks and delays. They also manage airside access for the team, tax-free and duty rules for different destinations, and tighter loss prevention controls. Read more in our guides to reducing loss prevention risk in duty-free and scaling staff for peak travel season.
Skills and experience
- Leadership: setting clear expectations and coaching people to meet them.
- Commercial awareness: understanding margins, targets and costs.
- Organisation: juggling rotas, deliveries, reports and the shop floor.
- Problem solving: handling complaints, staff shortages and incidents calmly.
- Communication: with the team, area managers and head office.
- Confidence with data and retail systems.
Most store managers have worked their way up from sales assistant to supervisor or assistant manager. Apprenticeships range from Level 3 Team Leader to Level 4 Retail Manager, and some retailers recruit graduates onto management schemes.
Store manager salary in the UK
The National Careers Service gives a range of about £26,000 for new retail managers rising to around £60,000 for experienced managers of large stores. Pay depends on store size, sales volume, location and brand. Many roles add a bonus linked to sales and KPIs.
Store manager job description template
Job title: Store Manager
Reports to: Area / Regional Manager
Location: [Store]
Hours: Full-time, including weekends
Salary: £[amount] plus bonus
Purpose: To lead the store team to deliver sales, profit and excellent customer service while keeping the store safe and compliant.
Responsibilities:
- Deliver sales, margin and KPI targets.
- Recruit, train, schedule and develop the team.
- Manage stock, cash and loss prevention controls.
- Maintain visual standards and run promotions.
- Ensure health and safety and legal compliance.
- Report performance to the area manager.
Requirements: Retail management or supervisory experience, strong leadership and commercial skills, flexibility to work weekends.
Short of retail staff for a busy period?We provide trained sales associates, cashiers and stock teams for airport and high-volume retail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main responsibilities of a store manager?
Hitting sales targets, leading and scheduling the team, controlling stock and shrinkage, keeping the store compliant and safe, and delivering good customer service.
How much does a store manager earn in the UK?
Typically £26,000 to £60,000 depending on the size and type of store, often with a bonus.
How do you become a store manager?
Most people start as sales assistants and progress to supervisor and assistant manager. Retail management apprenticeships and graduate schemes are other routes.
What is the difference between a store manager and an assistant manager?
The store manager is accountable for the whole store. The assistant manager supports them and runs the store in their absence.
Support for your store team
WWSG provides sales associates, cashiers and stock operations staff for airports and retail. Talk to us about your peak trading plans.