Assistant Manager & Sundries Department Manager

Location: Southend
Contracted Hours: 40 hours/week (5 days over 7, one day per weekend)

We are recruiting for an Assistant Manager to lead the dry goods/sundries department of a well-established, independent garden centre in Southend. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced retail professional to make a meaningful impact within a respected and supportive business.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee day-to-day running of the garden centre, with a focus on the dry goods/sundries departments.
• Lead a small team across retail, tills, and shop floor to ensure high standards of customer service and merchandising.
• Organise workflow and task allocation, ensuring priorities are met and the team remains productive and engaged.
• Manage EPOS-based stock systems (IPOS), support ordering, and ensure smooth stock replenishment processes.
• Handle customer enquiries and complaints professionally, contributing to a positive visitor experience.
• Support with deliveries and liaise with the delivery driver to ensure timely and accurate fulfilment of orders.
• Work alongside senior team members initially, with a view to taking full responsibility for retail operations.

Ideal Candidate:

• Prior experience in a garden centre or similar retail environment, ideally in a management capacity.
• Excellent people skills - able to build rapport with customers and lead a diverse, multi-generational team.
• Organised, dependable, and comfortable in a dynamic environment where you'll need to manage multiple responsibilities.
• Confident with basic IT systems and EPOS.
• A sense of humour, team spirit, and a positive attitude are highly valued in this team.

Perks & Benefits:

• Free parking on site
• Staff discount (10% after 3 months)
• 28 days annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Stable, long-term opportunity with supportive directors
• Chance to step into a key leadership role and make a meaningful contribution to the business

Get in Touch!

Think you could be a good fit? We'd love to hear from you!

To learn more or discuss the role further, contact Leo at leo@morepeople.co.uk or call 01780 480 530.

INDGC