Convenience Area Manager - South West Region

Team: In Store
Location
Contract type: Permanent
Position type: Full Time
Salary: Competitive + Benefits; Closing date: 24th February 2025

How We Hire

Everyone is welcome at M&S. No exceptions. It’s your background, abilities and differences that make you, uniquely you. And when you’re part of M&S, that individuality has the potential to make waves.

About the role

This section tells you all you need to know about the position and its responsibilities, outlining everything we hope to see in a successful candidate.

All the details

As A Convenience Area Manager you are accountable for:

Your region made up of 45-50 stores, worth between £70-£90m per year, comprised of owned and partner owned stores
A small number of M&S owned Stores within the Region (c.1-6 depending on geography) and have line management accountability for those stores
Delivery of our owned M&S Stores operational KPIs, profit delivery, trading safely and legally
Setting the standard of great looking Stores every hour of the day, 100% execution of launches, events and campaigns
Delivering an excellent customer experience
Creating environments where our teams can be themselves and where we are honest with our feedback to drive performance , working with our Business Involvement Groups and our Partners, we act upon colleague feedback
Accountable for the leadership of our teams within owned stores and driving a High Performance Culture through role modelling, coaching and recognising remarkable people who are continuously “Aiming higher!
Deliver all key launches, phase change and trading events
Build a robust commercial and operational plan for your region to support ongoing improvement
Supporting Partners people plan and influencing successional priorities

As a Convenience Area Manager you are responsible for:

Spotting opportunities to simplify, make more efficient and identify different ways of working to continually influence our growth and bottom line impact
Ensuring Partner owned stores deliver the M&S Brand standards and service consistently
Building strong relationships with your regional counter parts across up to 6 Partners and M&S regional teams in your local regional geography through listening and understanding
Reviewing Partner delivery and shaping the future growth of our Partnerships
Supporting Partners to move forward KPI goal performance
Spotting opportunities to drive performance by reducing bandwidth and doing things differently
Relentlessly challenging Central Support Teams to deliver right first time for customers, Partners and our colleagues
Win for our customers through colleagues who care, quick payment experience and by setting the standard of clean, safe and well-presented stores
Growing relationships across multiple Partners and influencing the Store Support Centre to shape solutions for any issues
Ensuring store feedback is represented and improvements put in place alongside root cause fixes
Inputting into operational strategic programs to ensure that are fit for purpose and aligned to partner needs
Shape trading planning priorities ensuring key learnings and observations are captured

ESSENTIAL

Retail background, specifically strong operational experience
The ability to identify data trends and opportunities, with a strong commercial awareness
A continuous improvement mentality to support the simplification of our operation and drive right first tie execution
Ability to provide solutions to complex problems
Excellent communication and influencing skills – making connections quickly and with impact
Strong people leadership skills and the ability to recognise, engage and grow a team
Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders both within and outside of the business
Driven, self-starter who can set their own agenda

DESIRABLE

Experience within Food Convenience Retailing
Remote Management experience
Third party Partner Relationship experience and influence

Meet the Team

Our Support

Mentorship

It’s important to us that our new colleagues feel supported in their roles and can learn from each other. That’s why we offer mentorship through our buddy system.

Flexible working

We’re a 24/7 business and our working patterns adapt to our customers’ needs. Worklife is our flexible working policy that gives colleagues the option for part-time working, a 4-day compressed week, or to job share if it’s in the best interests of everyone.

I started with M&S as a Customer Assistant at the age of 19, and ever since then, I’ve continued to progress. Now I’m the Deputy Store Manager for one of our Academy stores, managing over 200 people. What I like the most about my role is learning new things and sharing that knowledge with the team, so they can work to the best of their ability and be high achievers.

Jacynta (She / Her) | Deputy Store Manager Read full story

The great joy of my life as a manager is that I can coach people and help them grow. I had some fantastic line managers myself: they believed in me and would sometimes nudge me out of my comfort zone to see what I could achieve. I hope I do the same for my team.

Dino (He / Him) | Manager Read full story

Benefits

Wellbeing hub

Get access to resources to support your wellbeing, including a free virtual GP service.
Giving back

Support your favourite charities by donating through your pay or even volunteering for them.
Pay

Earn a competitive salary.
Colleague discount

After completing your probation period, you'll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.

Please note only contracts of more than 12 weeks are eligible for this benefit.
Time off

Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.
Bonus

We have discretionary bonus schemes depending on your role and our business performance.
Life assurance

Get cover for twice your salary up to age 70 (double with our Pension Plan).
Workplace savings

We’ll help you save through our Pension Savings Plan, Share Buy and Sharesave schemes.
My Choices

Save on everyday costs through discounts and offers and get access to great health benefits.
Cycle to work

Bike/accessory hire with Cycle to Work and save on tax and national insurance.
Smart tech

Buy the latest technology with interest-free financing directly from your salary.
Family friendly policy

Industry-leading maternity, paternity, adoption and neo-natal policies, providing support and flexibility for you and your family.

Colleague Networks

We want you to feel supported, no matter what.

The LGBTQ+ Network

Open to all members of the LGBTQ+ community and spectrum (and their allies), we promote equality, celebrate inclusivity and diversity, and encourage everyone to be themselves - whatever their sexual or gender identity.

The Gender Equality Network

This group is focused on helping to create a workplace where gender-related challenges are addressed. They raise awareness of common barriers faced and offer support. They also challenge the business to act and empower individuals to ensure that everyone has equal access to opportunities.

Health and Wellbeing Network

Providing a safe space for colleagues with all types of health conditions or disabilities and supporting with business initiatives to ensure our stores are truly accessible for our customers.

Menopause Network

Initiating and encouraging open conversations about menopause by offering support and sharing experiences.

The Family & Carers Network

This group represents the different types of families that exist. We act as a support network and sounding board for ideas which help our colleagues as parents or carers. We also run an interactive blog, where you can write your own posts or hear about others' experiences.

The Cancer Network

This is a network driven by personal experiences, with the purpose of ensuring that anyone in the M&S family affected by Cancer feels supported and has access to the information they need.

Forces Community Network

Supporting colleagues connected to the Armed Forces, aiding their transition to civilian life, and ensuring that they thrive in the workplace.

Culture and Heritage Network

Raising awareness of various religions and cultures through events and comms, to educate others and better represent our M&S colleagues and customers.

How to Apply

Here’s what to expect at each stage of the application process. This can change depending on the role you’ve applied to. If you need any reasonable adjustments made at any stage, let us know and we can help.

Send us your application

Fill in our short application form and hit submit.

Online assessment

We’ll invite you to take part in an online assessment. This could be before or after your interview.

In-person assessment centre

We’ll invite you to an in-person assessment centre or an interview. This process may differ depending on the role you’ve applied to.

Decision

After we’ve decided, we’ll be in touch. If you’ve been successful, we’ll officially invite you to join the team and let you know the next steps.