International. Sport-passionate. Collaborative team members. Stronger together through our driving force to bring people together through sports to make wellbeing accessible for all.
At Decathlon UK, we offer Careers That Let You Play. As part of the DECATHLON Group, one of the world's largest sports retailers headquartered in France, we specialise in creating and distributing sports products through online and physical stores across 56 countries with over 1,700 locations. With over 40+ stores in the UK, our mission is to be the spirited champion of sports and healthier living in the nation!
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Located in Northamptonshire, our store is situated in Rushden Lakes — a revolutionary retail and leisure destination unlike anywhere else. Set directly alongside 200 acres of protected Nene Wetlands and stunning lakes, this unique location blends shopping and dining with the great outdoors. It is a massive draw for active families, nature lovers, and sports enthusiasts from across the region who come to shop, walk the trails, and kayak on the water.
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At Decathlon Rushden Lakes, our mission is to make sport accessible to the many. Situated in a premier shopping hub, our store serves a highly active and passionate local community. Whether our customers are complete beginners or seasoned athletes, our dedicated team provides the expert advice and high-quality gear they need to get the most out of their sport. Because we are located right on the edge of a nature reserve, we have the unique advantage of seeing our customers put our outdoor equipment to use just steps away from our front doors.
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As the Department Manager for Hiking, Fitness, and Running, you will be at the very heart of the Rushden Lakes store's success. Given our incredible location next to the Nene Wetlands, this department is one of our most active and vital areas. You will lead a passionate team to inspire and equip customers who are stepping right outside to run the local trails, explore the wetland paths, or push their limits in the gym. You will be responsible for driving commercial performance, managing a diverse product range—from technical running shoes to heavy-duty hiking boots—and ensuring your team delivers unbeatable, expert advice to our active community.
THE JOB
As a Department Manager, you'll combine your love for sports with your leadership skills to create a thriving environment for both your team and our customers. You'll be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to enhance the customer experience, drive sales performance, and foster a passionate and collaborative team environment within your sport department.
What You'll Do:
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Develop a Winning Strategy: Create and implement a localised omnichannel strategy that aligns with overall store goals and maximises sales performance across all channels (in-store, online, and beyond).
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Build Customer Loyalty: Provide exceptional customer experiences at every touchpoint to foster long-term relationships and encourage repeat business.
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Optimise Retail Spaces: Continuously improve the physical and digital store layouts to enhance customer experience and product discovery, and drive sales conversions.
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Champion Safety and Circularity: Lead the implementation of safety and circularity initiatives, ensuring compliance with company standards and promoting sustainability practices.
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Achieve Performance Targets: Set, monitor, and achieve commercial objectives and profitability targets across all sales channels.
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Build a High-Performing Team: Develop and manage a skilled and adaptable team to support business needs, drive growth, and achieve efficiency targets.
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Foster a Positive Work Environment: Cultivate a positive and engaging workplace where Decathlon's values and culture are embraced and celebrated.
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Empower Teammates: Inspire, mentor, and empower team members to develop their skills, autonomy, and entrepreneurial spirit through personalised development plans and regular feedback.
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Drive Customer Excellence: Ensure all team members are equipped with the knowledge and skills to exceed customer expectations and contribute to strategic goals.
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Ensure a Fair and Inclusive Workplace: Uphold and enforce company policies and legal regulations to create a fair, inclusive, and respectful work environment for all team members.
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Plan for Future Success: Design and implement staffing plans that align with current and future commercial objectives, economic activities, and organisational changes.
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Maintain Store Security: Ensure a safe and secure environment for both customers and teammates by implementing and upholding security measures.
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Optimise Team Availability: Manage team schedules and resources to effectively meet customer demands and provide exceptional service throughout the day.
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Ensure Product Availability: Manage inventory levels, coordinate supply chain operations, and ensure seamless product availability to meet customer needs.
Who You Are:
We're seeking a passionate and driven leader who embodies our values and is excited to inspire their team to achieve outstanding results. You are:
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A Sports Enthusiast and Leader: You're passionate about sports and dedicated to fostering a thriving team environment. You prioritise tasks effectively, are organised, and excel at collaboration and knowledge sharing. You actively listen, communicate persuasively, adapt to challenges, and demonstrate efficiency and emotional intelligence.
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Customer-Centric: You're dedicated to providing exceptional customer experiences and building strong relationships with the community.
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A Strategic Thinker: You possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills, enabling you to develop and implement effective strategies to drive business growth and achieve key performance indicators.
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An Effective Communicator: You communicate clearly and persuasively, actively listen to understand diverse perspectives, and provide constructive feedback to foster growth and development.
Key Skills and Abilities:
In addition to the above qualities, you possess the following skills and abilities or demonstrate the capacity to quickly learn and effectively apply them:
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Planning & Forecasting: Develop and implement action plans to ensure your team is prepared for key periods throughout the year, promoting relevant products and services to meet customer needs.
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Performance Management: Manage the performance of your department, including layout optimisation, product promotion, and stock availability, to maximise sales and profitability.
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Sales Force Management: Lead and motivate your team to achieve sales targets and develop business opportunities.
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Stock Management: Ensure stock reliability, optimise stock performance, and maintain profitability through effective inventory management practices.
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Commercial Strategy: Analyse market trends, define target audiences, and develop and implement commercial strategies to achieve business objectives.
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Product Range Selection: Curate a product range that meets the needs of your customers and aligns with seasonal demands.
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Financial Management: Understand and manage the department's profit and loss statement (P&L), ensuring economic viability and profitability.
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Activity Management: Lead and debrief team activities, implement action plans, and monitor progress towards objectives.
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Circular Economy Promotion: Promote and encourage the use of circular services, such as product trade-ins, second-life options, repairs, and rentals, to support sustainability initiatives.
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Safety & Security: Ensure a safe and secure environment for customers, teammates, and products, upholding safety regulations and protecting customer data.
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Team Development: Foster team cohesion, collective intelligence, and a shared vision to achieve common goals.
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Staff Management: Develop and mentor teammates through performance reviews, identify individual needs, and provide opportunities for growth and development.
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Recruitment & Onboarding: Define recruitment needs, attract and recruit talented individuals, and ensure smooth onboarding and integration of new teammates.
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Human Resources Management: Oversee the legal framework for staff management, define organisational structure, and coordinate team flexibility to meet business needs.
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Scheduling & Operations: Manage daily store operations, including scheduling, task allocation, and resource management, to ensure efficient and effective workflow.
In addition to these skills and abilities, you're comfortable working in a dynamic retail environment, including weekends and holidays, and are excited to contribute to the success of our team.
If you’re someone who thrives in a dynamic environment, a career at Decathlon could be a great fit. Our welcoming culture, rooted in values of vitality, responsibility, generosity, and authenticity—and brought together by a shared passion for sports—offers a truly enriching experience for everyone.
Get to enjoy the following benefits and perks:
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Get to enjoy the following benefits and perks:
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Healthy discounts on all Decathlon goodies
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Fun weekly Staff Sports/Activities
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Pedal your way to work with the Cycle-to-Work Scheme
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Dive into top-notch training at Decathlon Academy
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Dive into hundreds of discount vouchers (think groceries, travel, shopping, and more!) with our discount hub developed by SmartSpending!
… and many more
