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Discover exciting retail opportunities

Forget off-the-shelf retail careers, if you’re shopping for a challenging new role in the fast-paced retail sector, our specialist consultants are ready to hand-pick a role that will serve you well!

We’re connected with some of the UK’s leading retailers, and constantly network to match the very best talent with businesses who want to take the market by storm.

The world of retail is constantly evolving and there are so many retail jobs out there. Consumer tastes are becoming much more finely tuned and the digital arena has become the playground of purchasing; a shop window for the competitive service sector. Great products just aren’t enough these days. We want exceptional customer experiences, fuss-free transactions and to understand the fine detail of our purchases for ourselves.

The average retail salary in the UK is roughly £22,000 per annum or £11.28 per hour to date.

To ensure a perfect pairing of high calibre retail talent and customer-fanatical culture, we focus on innovative selection rather than the usual outdated recruitment techniques. If you’re looking for forward-thinking retail leaders, or a career that will keep you progressing, we must be forward-thinking and progressive in our approach too.

It’s this bespoke way of working that has helped us build one heck of a reputation amongst leading retail brands who love a fresh way of thinking. After all, they’re not shopping for someone to serve, they’re placing orders for high quality, customer experience gamechangers, and you won’t find those on the shelf!

To speak to our friendly team about how we can help you find your next retail innovator, contact us today.


Or if you’re ready to make your mark in the ever-evolving retail sector, browse and save our current opportunities to date, posted regularly on our latest jobs page, or upload your CV . We’ll take care of the rest.


we are hiring post

Our Experience

What makes us the perfect retail recruitment partner for you? Good question!

Our consultants have years of professional experience working in these sectors, so we understand the recruitment market inside out.

For companies, this means the following:

  • We understand the characteristics and skills required for retail roles at all levels, so we can identify the best candidates for you.
  • We understand the unique challenges faced by companies in these sectors. With expertise helping high-growth organisations find their next set of leaders, we understand how to meet your ambitions through recruitment and overcome your obstacles. Here's what some of our clients say about working with us.

For candidates, this means the following:

  • We understand how to help you take the next step on your chosen career path.
  • We understand the best working environments for you depending on your skills and personality.
  • We have links to some of the biggest employers in the industry, opening up a whole host of vacancies to you.

Retail Roles We’ve Placed

The People Pod is a specialist recruitment firm based in Bolton, helping businesses across the UK to find the best candidates and talent.

Our recruitment offices are based in Bolton, Manchester and London.

We have recruited ideal candidates for a wide range of retail positions.


Retail Operations

  • Retail Director
  • Head of Retail
  • Regional Manager
  • Area Manager
  • Commercial Manager
  • General Manager
  • Flagship Store Manager
  • Visual Merchandising Manager
  • Visual Merchandiser
  • Design Consultant
  • Showroom Manager
  • Store Manager
  • Deputy Store Manager
  • Branch Manager
  • Assistant Manager
  • Deputy Manager
  • Department Manager
  • Sales Manager
  • Section Manager
  • Multisite Manager
  • Floor Manager
  • Site Manager
  • Team Leader
  • Supervisor
  • Profit Protection Manager

New Stores

  • Flagship Store Manager
  • Showroom Manager
  • Store Manager
  • Deputy Store Manager
  • Assistant Manager
  • Department Manager
  • Section Manager
  • Visual Merchandiser
  • Team Leader/Supervisor
  • Customer Service Advisor
  • Sales Assistants (Full and Part time)

Head Office

  • Buying Director
  • Head of Buying
  • Senior Buyer
  • Buyer
  • Merchandise Director
  • Head of Merchandising
  • Senior Merchandiser
  • Merchandiser
  • Retail Director
  • Head of Retail
  • Category Manager
  • Allocator
  • Head of Property
  • Estates Manager
  • Marketing Director
  • Head of Marketing
  • Marketing Manager
  • Online Marketing Manager
  • Head of PR
  • PR Manager
  • Social & Content Manager
  • Demand Planner
  • Finance Director
  • Finance Manager
  • IT Director
  • Head of IT

HR, Learning & Development

  • HR Director
  • Head of HR / People
  • HR / People Manager
  • HR Business Partner
  • HR Advisor / HR Officer
  • of Learning & Development
  • L&D Partner
  • Trainer
  • L&D Co-ordinator
  • Head of Talent Acquisition
  • Head of Resourcing
  • Resourcing Managers
  • Recruitment Partner
  • Recruitment Co-ordinator
  • Reward Specialist
  • OD Professionals
  • Employee Relations Consultant

Latest Retail Jobs

Retail Sector Insights

The state of play in the retail sector

Despite the recent slump, the UK retail sector is worth more than a whopping £350 billion to the economy every year, with an estimated 2.9 million people employed by the industry in this country alone.

As large chain shopping centres continue to expand, not only is there a need for expert recruitment services to hand pick high volumes of staff, there’s also the constant challenge of high employee turnover and fierce competition to deal with. Retail brands don’t just want people. They want career-driven talent that will grow with them, and they’ll be well rewarded for it in terms of progression and perks.

The high street, once the top spot for fast fashion and must-have media, began a tough battle against high rents and online competition. We are now seeing those sky high rents becoming much more affordable for small businesses, exciting opportunities emerge for independent or own brand retailers, meaning retail operations careers will begin to flourish.

What are the biggest things impacting recruitment in the retail sector at the moment?

Retail takes one of the top spots for high employee turnover. We’ve seen many reasons for this whilst working with retail brands to replace the talent that has taken a new path. Often, we find that candidates just aren’t the right fit, experientially or culturally. This is why we take the time to fully immerse ourselves in the culture of a business before we even put pen to paper on that job ad. Poorly fitting candidates not only make a large hole in recruitment budgets; they also can affect productivity and team morale. A great recruitment consultant will ensure a new recruit fits the business perfectly and plan a retention strategy to keep everyone happy.

Being predominantly customer-facing, retail jobs need great customer service skills. No brainer. Yet, many businesses find that whilst a candidate ticks all the boxes on paper, when it comes to customer excellence, they suddenly lose their bottle. Retail leaders come from a diverse selection of backgrounds though they have one thing in common. The customer service awesomeness. Which is why we meet every candidate in person, and even include role play in our interview prep, to ensure they cut the mustard in front of the customer.

As the world of retail joins the technological revolution, brands need tech savvy minds and skilled multi channel marketers to keep them ahead of the game. It’s no longer just about customer care. It’s about moving with the times, keeping up to speed with technological advances and continually developing skill sets to ensure retailers stay on the map. We’re seeing many more specialist skills come to light, with retail jobseekers completing advanced online learning in their own time, to cut above the candidate competition.

Seasonality affects retail businesses who haven’t thought far enough ahead to plan for busy purchasing periods. Christmas happens every year, on the same date, yet it’s surprising how many brands wait until the very last minute to recruit the teams they need to cover the mad rush. Having a recruitment partner that is always ready to jump onto a high-volume recruitment drive is key to ensuring a store is never left understaffed.

What skills are in demand?

With many years of experience working in this sector, we know the skill sets that organisations need to crank their operations up a notch.

There are certain characteristics that we look for in the candidates who have what it takes to succeed:

  • A customer obsessed ethos
  • A product orientated approach
  • An understanding of Multi-Channel marketing
  • Meticulous attention to detail
  • HR principles, proven leadership and change management
  • Slick business awareness
  • An air of flexibility and a ‘can do’ attitude
  • A collaborative approach to teamwork
  • First class communication

From postgraduates, to those already in the industry and looking for something new, rest assured that whatever your skill set, there is a retail role with your name on it!

The E-commerce boom

So, let’s move on to the elephant in the room: the ‘digital revolution’. We’ve seen some of the biggest shifts in the retail landscape since the e-commerce boom, many of which will continue to change the face of retail for the next generation.

The ongoing digital retail revolution is a game changer and will certainly put several retail jobs at risk. However, we believe the changes will provide the retail sector with an opportunity to reshape and refine a lot of the traditional retail roles. These exciting new roles will focus on skills you can’t learn in the classroom. Creativity, flair, fresh thinking and adaptability to name a few.

The vision is to make the retail sector more connected with a more motivated workforce and multichannel offering. To get there, brands will look for less traditional skill sets and more ‘people’ focussed, head-smart recruits.

How is recruitment for the retail sector likely to change in the future?

The recruitment arena is continually evolving, as businesses grow and require a more finely tuned skillset from the team that drives them forwards.

The retail sector is up there amongst the most rapidly advancing industries, thanks to the emergence of new technology, more selective customer preferences and globalisation.

Employers are now seeking those with the specialist skills needed to move with the times.

What advice would you give to those looking for a role in these sectors?

Contact the People Pod today and speak with one of our retail consultants. We’d love to talk to you!

What Our Retail Clients Say

Sector: RetailSales
Services: Campaign ManagementHead huntingSearch & Selection

Carphone Warehouse

European market leading high street retailer Carphone Warehouse were looking for the best retail talent in the market to fuel huge expansion.
Sector: Head OfficeRetail & Hospitality
Services: Brand ManagementSearch & SelectionTargeted Headhunt

Alshaya

Alshaya Group is a world class international franchise operator, with dozens of the world’s most recognised brands in retail, leisure and hospitality across the Middle East & North Africa, Russia, Turkey, Europe and beyond.
Sector: Head OfficeRetailSales
Services: Head huntingRetained Recruitment ServicesSearch & SelectionVolume Campaign Management

AO

AO is a major UK supplier of household appliances with a modern and exciting approach to the market. When it comes to cutting-edge appliances without the premium price tag, these guys certainly know their stuff.

Candidate Testimonials

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