Area Operations Manager

Company Description
- Make your mark within a leading global fashion company
- A place where you can express yourself & feel like you truly belong
- Fun, collaborative and inclusive team environment
- Flexible working arrangements and competitive benefits

**We currently have a fantastic opportunity to join the H&M New Zealand team. We are looking for an analytical thinker & an action-oriented Area Operations Manager who has a passion for commercial analysis to help drive our business forward.**

**This role is a full-time role based in our Auckland Area Office. Together with the Area Team **(Area Manager, Area visual, Area HR and YOU)**,** you are responsible for our 9 stores across New Zealand.**

At H&M we believe it’s possible for you to find what you love. We offer you space to create and room to grow — a place where you can belong and truly be yourself. You’ll join a team that is full of life in a company that feels as good as it looks. At H&M, we believe it’s possible because together we make it possible.

**Be yourself & more at H&M**

As one of the world’s largest fashion retailers, H&M offers endless career opportunities. A fast-paced, buzzing environment with great diversity - a place where the customer is always the center of attention.

But what truly makes us stand out are our remarkable employees. From stylish Sales Advisors and Visual Merchandisers to computer whizzes and business aware planners - all our team share a great ambition and an anything-is-possible attitude. Not to mention an excellent eye for fashion. It is thanks to them that we have grown - with over 4000 stores in more than 78 markets worldwide. H&M AUNZ has 45 stores across Australia & New Zealand and its support office in Sydney.

**Job Description**:
**As an Area Operations Manager, you work close to the core of our business - **Our Stores**. Your main objective is to drive sales and profitability growth in the area. You do this by securing hours planning, ensuring that our stores can execute on the commercial agenda as well as securing store operations, and making sure our customers are always top of mind in all we do.

In your role, you lead with vision and develop the salesmanship and profitability mindset of our store managers, area team and support functions located in Australia.

**Some of the key responsibilities of this role**:
Drive Selling:

- With your Area Team you ensure strong Commercial Execution in stores.
- You identify and act on business opportunities to improve the performance of your area.
- You follow up on your actions by using commercial KPIs.

Planning and Scheduling:

- You are responsible for securing the scheduling and best practice processes that influence customer experience.
- With store managers you define the staff level per task, day, and hour to secure the right amount of resources at the right time, aligning this with contract structure.

Securing Operations:

- Together with the area manager you coach store teams on operational best practices to ensure that the setup of the store is optimized to deliver great customer experience and high task efficiency.

Resource Management:

- You budget and plan for resources wisely and invest where you see potential.
- You follow up and act on Salary Cost development in your area.
- You monitor Shop Costs together with relevant functions & you initiate actions when needed.

Garment availability:

- Together with Merchandising and Store Management review concept selling performance and ensure right stock levels and garment availability to maximize selling and limit reduction cost.

Leadership:

- You coach our colleagues on how to identify selling opportunities and take actions to improve the customer experience.
- You are the profit coach within your area and secure the knowledge among all stakeholders.
- You identify, develop, recruit and train controlling talents to support business needs within the market.
- You define and communicate the strategy to reach the country goals together with the Area Team.

**Qualifications**:

- Strong business mindset, excellent communication skills and a true team player.
- Commercial - a genuine interest in the business and an understanding of the environment our business operates in.
- Passionate about driving sales and a result-oriented personality.
- Clear logical thinking and well-developed analytical skills - You turn analysis into action
- Detail oriented while being able to see the big picture and keep things simple.
- Strong organizational, time-management and interpersonal skills.
- Natural leader with an ability to inspire others to perform at their absolute best.
- An interest in working in a dynamic team and fast paced environment.
- A university or master's degree within business or another academic field is an advantage.
- Two or more years' working experience in a similar position.
- Flexible to work & travel within New Zealand and occasionally to Sydney, Australia.

This role is based