Retail General Manager at Le Creuset

Location: Bicester, United Kingdom

Employment type: Full time permanent

Weekly hours: 37.5 hours over 5 days per week, Monday to Sunday.

Expectation of 3 in 4 weekends worked

Annual salary: Up to £70,000

About Le Creuset

At Le Creuset, every dish begins with a story - and every story begins with people. Since 1925, we’ve brought generations together around the table, transforming everyday meals into cherished memories. Our legacy is built on colour, craft, and a deep passion for innovation - shaped as much by our iconic products as by the people who bring them to life. We’re not just creating cookware; we’re creating moments that last a lifetime. If you’re inspired by heritage, driven by creativity, and ready to shape the future of the kitchen, we’d love to welcome you into our story.

Ingredients: Key Responsibilities

What’s on your Daily Menu: These are the everyday ingredients you’ll be working with:

Business Leadership

The core ingredients that drive commercial success. Take full ownership of the store's commercial and operational recipe, combining sales growth, profitability, and productivity to deliver exceptional results. Turn company strategy into locally tailored plans that unlock new opportunities and maximise market potential. Keep a close eye on the key measures that matter, carefully balancing sales, labour, conversion, average unit price, units per transaction, stock performance, and customer experience.

Leadership & Talent Development

Creating the perfect blend of talent, ambition and performance. Lead, inspire, and develop a multi-layered leadership team, cultivating a high-performing culture across the entire store. Build a strong talent pipeline by identifying future leaders and nurturing their growth through coaching, mentoring, and meaningful development opportunities. Create an environment where colleagues feel valued, motivated, and empowered to bring their best ingredients to the table every day.

Exceptional Customer Experience

Ensuring every customer leaves with a taste for more. Champion a premium customer experience, making sure every interaction reflects the quality, craftsmanship, and heritage of the Le Creuset brand. Drive client engagement initiatives, local partnerships, events, and community connections that strengthen loyalty and build lasting relationships. Handle escalated customer concerns with professionalism, care, and a commitment to delivering positive outcomes.

Commercial & Financial Performance

Monitoring the recipe to ensure the right results every time. Own sales forecasting, labour planning, and business performance reviews, ensuring commercial targets are consistently achieved. Identify opportunities to increase revenue, improve profitability, and refine operational efficiency without compromising quality. Use data, customer insights, and performance metrics to make informed decisions and continuously improve results. Serve up clear strategic insights and business updates to the Commercial Director and Senior Leadership Team, supporting informed decision‑making and business growth.

Operations & Inventory Management

Keeping the kitchen running smoothly behind the scenes. Oversee all aspects of store operations, ensuring the business runs efficiently, safely, and in line with company standards. Maintain impeccable standards of presentation, merchandising, stock accuracy, and inventory control. Ensure a seamless omni‑channel experience by blending in-store and digital journeys to create a consistent customer experience.

Compliance & Risk Management

Following the recipe to the letter while protecting what matters most. Maintain a safe, secure, and fully compliant operating environment for customers and colleagues alike. Protect company assets through effective stock management, loss prevention, and proactive risk mitigation. Ensure all company policies, operational procedures, and legal requirements are consistently followed and embedded throughout the store.

What’s on your Seasonal Menu

These duties appear when the business recipe calls for something special:

• Strategic Planning: Create and deliver seasonal business recipes that drive sustainable growth, maximise profitability, and keep the store performing at its very best.
• Recruitment & Succession: Source the finest talent, nurturing and developing future leaders to ensure a strong and sustainable leadership pipeline.
• Community & Brand Partnerships: Build meaningful local relationships and partnerships that enhance brand visibility, strengthen community connections, and create new commercial opportunities.
• Reporting & Business Reviews: Regularly take stock of performance, preparing and presenting insightful business reviews, commercial analysis, and updates that help shape future success.
• Project Leadership: Lead and support new initiatives, operational enhancements, and company‑wide projects, ensuring every new ingredient is successfully blended into the business.

Additional Duties

Be ready to add the finishing touches when needed, taking on reasonable ad‑hoc responsibilities that contribute to the overall success of the store and wider business.

The Perfect Blend: What We’re Looking For

We're looking for an inspiring and commercially astute leader who knows how to combine strategic vision with operational excellence to create a recipe for success. You'll have a proven ability to bring together people, performance, and customer experience in the right measure, delivering exceptional results while maintaining strong commercial discipline. You'll be passionate about developing talent, creating high‑performing teams, and fostering a culture where colleagues can thrive and grow. You'll bring the energy, confidence, and credibility to lead a significant retail business, remaining calm under pressure and focused on delivering excellence in a fast‑paced environment. Most importantly, you'll have a genuine passion for creating memorable customer experiences and ensuring every element of the business is served to the highest standard.

Your Flavour Profile (Behaviours & Traits)

• Customer Obsessed: You put customers at the heart of every decision, creating memorable experiences that build lasting loyalty and keep them coming back for more.
• Inspirational Leader: You bring out the best in others, guiding, coaching, and motivating your team with confidence, clarity, and positive influence.
• Commercially Astute: You have a strong appetite for success, understanding how to balance sales, profitability, and business growth to deliver outstanding results.
• Strategic Thinker: You can see the bigger picture while keeping a firm grip on day‑to‑day execution, ensuring every ingredient contributes to the overall recipe for success.
• Great Communicator: You know how to build strong relationships and bring people together, creating meaningful connections with customers, colleagues, and stakeholders alike.
• Adaptable: You stay composed when the heat is on, responding confidently to changing priorities and business demands while maintaining focus on what matters most.
• Talent Developer: You're passionate about nurturing potential, investing in people, and helping future leaders develop the skills they need to flourish.
• Detail Focused: You understand that excellence lies in the finer details, maintaining exceptional standards across every aspect of the business.
• Problem Solver: You approach challenges with confidence and curiosity, using insight and sound judgement to find solutions and take ownership of outcomes.
• Professional & Accountable: You lead with integrity, take responsibility for your actions, and represent the Le Creuset brand with pride, professionalism, and authenticity.

Skills & Qualifications - Essential Ingredients

• Significant senior retail leadership experience, gained in a General Manager, Area Manager, or equivalent role, with responsibility for leading large, high‑performing operations.
• Proven success managing a high‑turnover flagship, destination, or similarly complex retail environment, consistently delivering commercial growth and operational excellence.
• Strong experience leading managers and developing high‑performing teams, creating the right environment for colleagues to grow, thrive, and succeed.
• Well‑developed financial and commercial acumen, with a thorough understanding of productivity, labour planning, profitability, and performance management.
• Exceptional coaching, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, engage, and inspire at every level.
• Experience using retail systems, merchandising principles, inventory management processes, and reporting tools to drive informed decision‑making.
• Previous experience within a premium, luxury, or destination retail environment is highly desirable and would add an extra layer of flavour to your experience.
• A genuine passion for cooking, food, entertaining, or premium cookware would be the perfect finishing touch.
• The ability to regularly lift and move products weighing 25-29 lbs (11-13 kg) as part of day‑to‑day store operations.

Other Requirements

• 18+ Requirement: As you'll be entrusted with keyholding duties, lone working responsibilities, and opening and closing the store, applicants must be aged 18 or over.
• Flexibility: Retail success doesn't always follow a standard recipe. You'll be flexible and able to work across retail trading hours, including weekends, late nights, and bank holidays when required. As a guide, you'll be expected to work three out of every four weekends.
• Mobility: A full UK driving licence is essential. You'll regularly travel to our Andover (Hampshire) Head Office (with expenses paid) and occasionally support meetings, events, and business initiatives across the UK.
• Brand Ambassador: You'll act as the face of Le Creuset within your local market, championing our values, building strong community connections, and representing the brand with pride, professionalism, and authenticity.

Why Join Our Table?

At Le Creuset, you will find your seat at our table, which is as colourful as our cookware and rich in history. Our table is grounded in our values: Passion, Integrity, Excellence, Innovation and Teamwork. Every talent will add flavor. Every idea brings colour. And every day is a chance to create something that lasts. With the passion you bring, you become part of a timeless legacy, one that brings people together around food, stories, and meaningful shared moments.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, race, ethnic or national origin. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.

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