Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

As a Retail Training Manager, you will play a crucial role in developing and implementing training programs to enhance the knowledge and skills of retail employees within a defined geographical area. Your primary responsibility will be to deliver and implement effective learning initiatives that align with the organization's goals and objectives. As part of our retail field organisation you will have the opportunity to directly shape the learning and development initiatives through instore application. Your efforts will contribute to enhancing employee performance, improving customer satisfaction, and driving overall business success.
 

Responsibilities:

Learning Needs Assessment: Collaborate with stakeholders to identify learning gaps and conduct comprehensive learning needs assessments. Analyse performance data and employee feedback to determine areas for improvement.

Learning Delivery: Conduct engaging and interactive learning sessions for retail employees, utilizing a variety of learning methods and techniques. Ensure that learning programs are accessible, practical, and aligned with adult learning principles.

Learning Program Implementation: Oversee the implementation of learning programs, ensuring they are delivered effectively and consistently across all retail locations. Coordinate learning logistics, resources, and schedules to ensure seamless execution.

Learning Content Development: Design, deliver, and implement learning content that address the specific needs of the retail organization. This includes creating learning materials, manuals, presentations, and e-learning modules.

Employee Onboarding: Develop and deliver onboarding programs for new retail employees, covering essential skills, brand knowledge, customer service standards, and product knowledge. Facilitate a smooth transition for new hires into their roles.

Ongoing Learning: Continuously assess learning needs and develop ongoing learning programs to enhance the knowledge and skills of retail employees. Stay updated on industry trends and best practices to incorporate into learning initiatives.

Professional Development: Stay updated on the latest learning techniques, tools, and technologies in the retail industry. Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars to enhance your own knowledge and skills as a commercial learning professional.

Learning Evaluation: Implement evaluation methods to measure the effectiveness of learning programs, gather feedback from participants, and make necessary adjustments to enhance program outcomes.

Learning Documentation: Maintain accurate records of learning activities, attendance, and evaluation results. Prepare reports and communicate learning progress and outcomes to relevant stakeholders.

Learning Compliance: Ensure that all learning programs comply with legal and regulatory requirements, diversity and inclusion principles, and ethical business practices.

Collaboration: Work closely with subject matter experts, department heads, district and store managers to ensure learning programs align with organizational objectives and meet the needs of different departments.

Mentorship and Feedback: Mentor and provide feedback to store based retail trainers within the organization. You will provide guidance, support, and professional development opportunities to help them grow in their roles and contribute to the overall success of the commercial learning function.

Customer Service Evaluation: Assess the quality of customer service provided by store based employees through weekly direct observation including their knowledge, attentiveness, and willingness to assist customers, to identify opportunities for training and improvement.

Employee Engagement: Engage with store leaders and teams in-store to build rapport, provide support, gather feedback, and recognize exemplary performance, fostering a positive work environment and motivating employees to deliver their best.

Key Relationships:

• Europe Retail Training Academy, Local Retail Training Managers and Store Trainers
• Local Retail team including Retail Director, District Managers, Retail Back Office (RBO) team, Retail HR Manager and Franchise Manager (if applicable)
• Store Managers and their Store teams
• Global Retail Training community.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills with the ability to engage and motivate learners.
• Proficient in designing and delivering training materials using various formats (e.g., presentations, e-learning modules, manuals).
  Experience in retail learning and development, including leadership roles
• Strong knowledge of retail operations, sales techniques, customer service best practices, and employee development strategies
• Ability to assess training needs, design effective programs, and evaluate their impact on employee performance.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels of the organization
• Excellent communication skills in English and German
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple learning initiatives simultaneously and meet deadlines
• Familiarity with instructional design methodologies, adult learning principles, and evaluation techniques
• Familiarity with learning management systems (LMS) and other training software is preferred
• Flexibility to travel to various retail locations as needed
• Ability to think both strategically and tactically.

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in the retail industry ideally in apparel/fashion/footwear or FMCG, with demonstrated exposure to developing others/training background
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Training and Development, Business Administration, or a related field OR equivalent experience
• ICF, CIPD or equivalent (or working towards it) is preferable yet not essential.