ZARA BIRMINGHAM DEPUTY STORE MANAGER

ZARA DEPUTY STORE MANAGER

Reporting to:

General Manager

Purpose of the role

As a Zara Deputy Manager, you support the General Manager to deliver the end-to-end performance of a high-volume, fast-moving store. You lead from the shop floor with ownership, pace and calm, helping to deliver strong commercial results, an inclusive team culture and an excellent customer experience. Zara moves fast. Success in this role requires agility, strong visual, commercial and operational execution with visible leadership, supporting the GM to keep standards and customer experience consistently high.

About Zara

Zara is built on creativity, agility and connection to customers, responding quickly to what people want now and bringing newness into store at pace. Our stores are fast-moving and customer-led, where strong visual standards, efficient routines and a positive team culture deliver an outstanding customer experience every day.

What to expect

Thrive in an environment where priorities can change daily (trading patterns, deliveries, operational issues, people challenges).

Are comfortable being hands-on and accountable — noticing issues early and taking action quickly.

Balance customer experience, team wellbeing and performance without losing pace.

Lead through pressure (incidents, staffing gaps, high delivery volume, peak trading) while remaining calm, fair and decisive.

Build routines that support consistency, while adapting continuously — agility is essential.

Key accountabilities

Commercial leadership & agility

Support the GM to deliver sales, productivity and profitability through clear priorities and daily follow-through.

Use KPIs and store insight to identify opportunities and implement actions at pace.

Take ownership of agreed commercial actions (e.g., conversion focus, peak planning, floor deployment) and track progress.

Support commercial launches and ensure merchandising reflects best sellers, trends and customer demand in real time.

Stay close to competitors and trends and share clear insights with the GM and wider team.

Visual standards & brand DNA

Lead by example to deliver strong visual standards and fast floor execution.

Keep areas of ownership customer-ready and aligned to Zara’s fashion storytelling every day.

Support the GM to maintain a high-energy store environment and strong shop floor rhythm.

Help ensure a smooth customer journey (floor flow, fitting rooms, queue management), especially during peak trade.

Stock flow, replenishment & operational excellence

Support daily stock flow and replenishment routines to ensure availability on the floor.

Maintain an organised stockroom and support routines that enable speed, accuracy and efficiency.

Deliver consistent standards across Security and shrinkage; Cash desk procedures and cash management; Health & Safety and compliance.

Maintain high cleaning and presentation standards and act quickly on issues.

Report maintenance issues and follow up consistently, keeping the GM informed on progress.

Inclusive people leadership, performance & development

Lead from the floor, building engagement through visibility, clarity and consistent standards.

Communicate clearly and respectfully, adapting to different communication styles and needs.

Give regular feedback and recognition; address issues early and fairly, escalating appropriately when required.

Support recruitment in an inclusive and consistent way, hiring for behaviours, values and capability.

Coach and develop team members and supervisors through daily routines and in-the-moment feedback.

Support succession planning by identifying potential early and helping people progress through structured development.

Contribute to fair, timely performance conversations and support ER processes in line with policy, partnering with the GM/HR when needed.

Workforce planning & time management

Support the planning and delivery of the hours budget, rotas and productivity targets, taking timely action when anything is off track.

Help build daily plans that reflect trading patterns, deliveries, visuals and operational priorities.

Monitor performance on shift and take corrective action quickly.

Customer experience leadership

Role-model customer service and coach behaviours in the moment.

Support a fast, friendly customer journey during peak and recovery periods.

Use customer feedback and observation to improve experience, not just enforce process.

Skills & behaviours

Ownership: takes responsibility, communicates early, and moves quickly into solutions.

Emotional intelligence: self-aware, approachable, leads with care and clarity.

Calm under pressure: steady, fair, decisive in peak trading and disruption.

Adaptability: responds quickly to change and keeps teams aligned.

People development: coaches, builds capability, creates progression opportunities.

Values & integrity: ethical, respectful, consistent; builds trust through actions.

Commercial and trend awareness: customer-led, curious, and decisive.

Experience & qualifications

Experience in a fast-paced retail environment in a supervisory or management role.

Strong commercial awareness and confidence taking action on the shop floor.

Proven ability to lead teams, coach performance and maintain standards.

Strong operational discipline (stock, shrinkage, cash, compliance).

Passion for fashion and awareness of trends and competitors.

Inclusion & accessibility

We’re committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels they belong. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences. If you need adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, we’ll work with you to support you.

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