TypesofJobinRetail

Thereareninejobareasthatcoverthemultitudeofcareeroptionsintheretailsector:

StoreOperations
HumanResources/Training
FinanceandAdministration
Buying
CustomerContactCentres
Marketing
Logistics
InformationTechnology(IT)
AutomotiveSkills

Thesenineareasarecommoninallcategoriesofretail,fromgrocerystorestofashionoutlets.

StoreOperations

ThemajorityofjobsinretailfallundertheheadingofStoreOperationsthesearejobswhichdealwith
thesmoothrunningofthestoreandthephysicalsellingofmerchandise.PositionsincludeManagement
andworkontheshopfloorsuchasaSalesAssistantorDepartment
Manager.OneofthetopjobsinthisareawouldbeDirectorofOperations.

JobsthatfallwithinStoreOperationsinclude:

- DirectorofOperations
- RegionalManager
- AreaManager
- StoreManager
- AssistantStoreManager
- FloorManager
- DepartmentManager
- AssistantDepartmentManager
- Supervisor
- SeniorSalesAssistant

SalesAssistantgeneral,beautyconsultancy,lingeriefitting,visualmerchandising,bakery,
butchery,fishmongering,freshproduce
StyleAdvisor/PersonalShopper
TrolleyPusher/ShelfFiller/Cleaner/

PossibleCareerpathinRetailOperations:

SaturdayJobAssistantSalesPersonSalesAssistantSupervisorDepartmentManagerDeputyStore
ManagerStoreManagerAreaManagerRegionalSalesManagerRegionalDirector

HumanResourcesandTraining

HumanResourcesandTraininginvolvesthedevelopmentandimplementationofpoliciesrelatingtothe
effectiveuseofhumanresourceswithinanorganisation.Whateverthesizeortypeofbusiness,all
organisationsarerequiredtohavepoliciesinplacethatcoverareassuchasworkingpractices,
recruitment,pay,conditionsofemploymentanddiversity.
TheHRfunctionshouldhelptoensurethattheorganisationemploystherightbalanceofstaffinterms
ofskillsandexperience,andthattraininganddevelopmentopportunitiesareavailabletoemployeesto
enhancetheirperformanceinordertoachievetheorganisation'sobjectives.

JobsthatfallwithinHumanResourcesandTraininginclude:

- HRDirector
- HRManager
- PersonnelManager
- HRAssistant
- TrainingDirector
- TrainingManager
- TrainingOfficer
- RecruitmentOfficer

Jobvacanciesappearinanumberofplaces,includingseveralpersonnelandtrainingjournals.People
Management,publishedfortnightly,issenttoallthoseprofessionallyqualifiedinthefieldofpeople
managementanddevelopment.Althoughmanyofthejobsadvertisedinitareatmiddleandsenior
levelsofresponsibility,itgivesagoodindicationofcurrentjobsandsalaries.

Also,you'llgetanideaofwhatemployersarelookingforandwhatcareerprogressionispossible.

FinanceandAdministration

Acareerincorporatefinancemeansthatyoumayworkforacompanytohelpitfindmoneytorunthe
business,growthebusiness,makeacquisitions,planforitsfinancialfutureandmanagecashonhand.
Youmightworkforalargemultinationalcompanyorasmallerplayerwithhighgrowthprospects.
Responsibilitycancomefastandyourattentiontodetailandproblemsolvingskillswillgetputtowork
quicklyincorporatefinance.Jobsincorporatefinancearerelativelystableprovidingthatyoumaintain
anexcellentstandardofworkattentiontodetailisvital.Thekeytoperformingwellincorporate
financeistoworkwithalongviewofwhatisgoingtomakeyourcompanysuccessful.Manywould
arguethatcorporatefinancejobsarethemostdesirableintheentirefieldoffinance.

JobsthatfallwithinFinanceandAdministrationinclude:

- FinanceDirector
- FinanceController
- FinancialAnalyst
- CreditManager
- ChiefAccountant
- Accountant
- Clerks
- AuditManager
- ProcurementManager
- TaxandTreasuryManager

Buying

Themainroleofaretailbuyeristosuccessfullypurchaseattractivemerchandiseensuringtheprice,
qualityandavailabilityareabletomeetcustomerneeds.Byfullyunderstandingthecustomers'wants
andneeds,buyersareabletomaximizeprofitsandprovideacommerciallyviablerangeofmerchandise
atcompetitiveprices.

Theroleofthebuyerisdemandingyetrewarding.Althoughsupportisprovideditdoesinvolve
considerableresponsibilityandautonomy.Theabilitytomultitask,prioritiseworkandmeetstrict
deadlinesarekeyrequirementsofarolethatrequirescompetencyinawiderangeofotheranalytical,
motivationalandleadershipskills.

JobsthatfallwithinBuyinginclude:

- Merchandiser
- AssistantBuyer
- Buyer
- SeniorBuyer
- HeadofBuying

CustomerContactCentres

Callcentreoperators,alsoknownascontactcentreoperators,normallyworkinthecustomerservices
departmentofanorganisationmaintainingregularcontactwithcustomersbytelephone,email,SMS
messaging,faxandpost.Theworknormallyinvolvessellinggoodsandservices,orprovidinginformation
andadvice.Muchofitisdonebyaccessingandupdatingcustomers'recordsviaacomputerdatabase.
Contactcentresrespondtoandsolveproblemswhichtheircustomershaveencounteredinboth
productsandserviceswhilstshoppingfromtheirstoresorwebsites.Theymayreplaceproductsand/or
refundthecustomerwheretheproductorservicedidnotmeetthecustomersexpectationsor
compensatetheminsomewaywithinthescopeoftheircustomerservicepolicy.

Marketing

MarketingExecutivesinthisfieldareinvolvedinpromotingandsellingfastmovingconsumergoods
(FMCGs)andproductstothepublic,usuallyviatheretailtrade.FMCGsaretypicallyhighvolume,low
valueitemswithhighpublicvisibilityandshortlifespan,suchasfood,drink,confectionery,toiletries,
andhouseholdgoods.

MarketingExecutivesworkonvariousprojectstosupportthebrand/marketingmanagerindeveloping
brandsandpromotingexistingproducts,raisingpublicawarenessoftheclient'sproductsthrough
advertisingcampaignsandinstorepromotionsandbuildingbrandloyalty.

Alternativejobtitlesarefrequentlyused,e.g.AssistantBrandManagerorAssistant
ProductManager.

JobsthatfallwithinMarketinginclude:

- Marketer
- InformationAnalyst
- LoyaltyCampaignManager
- BrandManager
- EventsPlanner
- PackagingDesigners
- MarketingPlanPlanner
- DesignPlanner
- CustomerInsightManager
- MarketingManager
- MarketingDirector
- HeadofPR

PRAssistant
FairtradeRangingStrategist

Logistics

LogisticsistheUKsfifthbiggestindustryemploying1.7millionpeopleacross65,000organisations.The
industryisessentialtotheefficientperformanceoftheUK,touchingeverybusinessandhousehold.It
involvesthemovement,handlingandstoringofgoodsthroughavarietyofmodesoftransportincluding
rail,road,air,deepsea,shortseaandwaterwaysacross11differentsupplychains.

Thesesupplychainsare:
Automotive,Chemical&Petroleum,Clothing&Footwear,Construction,Electronics&Electrical,
Food&Drink,Furniture&Furnishings,Paper&Printing,Pharmaceutical&Healthcare,Utilitiesand
ThirdPartyLogistics.

Keybenefitsofworkinginlogisticsinclude:

- Youworkindependentlyandasakeymemberofateam
- Youworkinanindustrythatiscrucialtousall
- Thisisacareerthatgivesyourealresponsibility
- Gainarangeofskillsandqualificationsasyourcareerprogresses
- Logisticsgivesyoutheopportunitytotravelevenglobally
- Youcanstartatanylevelandworkyourwayup
- YoucanworkinLogisticswhetheryouareaschoolleaver,agraduate,unemployed
oracareerchanger
- Jobsecurityworkinanindustrythatneedsmorepeoplenotless
- Theworkiswellpaidcomparedtosimilarjobsinothersectors
- Aflexiblecareerwithparttimeorfulltimeopportunities

JobsthatfallwithinLogisticsinclude:

- LargeGoodsVehicle(LGV)Driver
- VanDriver
- Warehouse/DistributionManager
- Warehousesupervisor/operative
- AdministrativeAssistant
- TransportSupervisor
- SupplyChainManager
- HumanResourcesOfficer
- Health&SafetyOfficer
- ContractManager

ShippingClerk
Mechanic/Technician
MotorcycleDespatchRider
MarketingandCommunicationsManager
Packer
Porter
TransportClerk
LogisticsDirector
Courier
Accountant
DistributionManager
RemovalsClerk

ThesearejustaselectionofthemanyvariedrolesavailableinLogistics.Forfurtherinformationvisit
www.careersinlogistics.co.ukorwww.skillsforlogistics.org

InformationTechnology

Informationsystemsmanagersinstallcomputersystems,ensurethatbackupsystemsoperate
effectively,buyhardwareandsoftware,providetheICTtechnologyinfrastructuresforanorganisation,
andcontributetoorganisationalpolicywithregardtoqualitystandardsandstrategicplanning.

Informationsystemsmanagersworkineverysizeoforganisationineveryindustryandservicesector,
usuallywithastaffoftechnicians,programmersanddatabaseadministratorsreportingtothem.

WithintheICTsectoractualjobtitlesaredependentontheemployingorganisation.
Youmight,forexample,beaservicedeliverymanagerinasoftwarehouseoradataprocessingmanager
inanenduserorganisation.

AdayworkinginITcouldinclude:

- Evaluatinguserneedsandsystemfunctionality;
- EnsuringthatICTfacilitiesmeettheneedsofindividualsandprojects;
- Planning,developingandimplementingtheICTbudget,obtainingcompetitive
- pricesfromsuppliers,whereappropriate,toensurecosteffectiveness;
- Schedulingupgradesandsecuritybackupsofhardwareandsoftware
- systems;
- Researchingandinstallingnewsystems;
- EnsuringthesmoothrunningofallICTsystems,includingantivirussoftware,
- printservicesandemailprovision;
- Ensuringthatsoftwarelicensinglawsareadheredto;

Providingsecureaccesstothenetworkforremoteusers;
Ensuringthesecurityofdatafrominternalandexternalattack;
Providinguserswithappropriatesupportandadvice
Managingcrisissituations,whichmayinvolvecomplextechnicalhardwareor
softwareproblems;
MentoringandtrainingnewICTsupportstaff;
Keepinguptodatewiththelatesttechnologies.

AutomotiveSkills

Theautomotivesectorismadeupofnearly600,000employeesUKwideandover50%ofthese
employeesareemployedinVehicleSales,PartsDistributionandSupplyandMotorcycleSales.

Approximately a quarter of all employees in the sector work as technicians, with a total of a third in
skilledoccupations.Salesandadministrationstaffaccountfortwofifthsofthetotal,witharound10%
being owners or senior managers. The remaining 1015% includes professional and elementary
occupations.

Fourteen industrydefined activities cover all types of vehicle, with businesses typically carrying out
morethanoneactivity.

JobsthatfallwithinAutomotiveRetailinclude:

- Fastfitoperations(tyres,exhausts,batteries,etc.)
- Partsdistributionandsupply
- Vehiclesales
- Vehiclerentalandleasing(selfdriveorwithdriver)

ThesearejustaselectionofthemanyvariedrolesavailableinAutomotiveSkills.Forfurtherinformation
fromtheInstituteoftheMotorIndustry,visitwww.motor.org.uk

Forfurtherinformationpleasecontactanne.richardson@skillsmartretail.com
SkillsmartRetailLtd,93NewmanStreet,London,W1T3EZ,Tel02074625060,Fax02074625061,
contactus@skillsmartretail.com,www.skillsmartretail.com