Sales Group Leader - Kitchens | Retail | IKEA Jebel Ali

Job Requisition ID: 170745 

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United A”rab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate. 

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Overview of the role

To achieve an enjoyable, convenient and successful shopping and buying experience that leads to increased sales and sustained long-term profitability. Create satisfied customers in an efficient and effective way by using all media and sales channels available in order to attract and encourage more customers to visit more often and buy more by optimising the sales priorities using commercial activities and securing the right forecasts for the total IKEA offer. The main responsibilities are to ensure satisfied customers, develop and execute sales steering and selling the IKEA way.

What you will do

OPERATIONS

• Optimize the IKEA shopping experience in the store to secure satisfied customers and increase sales by motivating and inspiring department team using knowledge of the IKEA product range and services, the local market and IKEA customers.
• Optimize sales and profitability of the department through following up, conducting analysis and taking actions.
• Define the range in assigned sales area to be sold by all stores and collaborate with other sales group leaders to drive the process of selecting the suppliers and managing all the contracts to achieve economies of scale in the purchasing by generating large volumes
• Enhance the competitive strength of the IKEA product range by ensuring the implementation of all range issues related to systems and methods stated in IKEA Concept Documentation and by keeping yourself updated about the local market conditions
• Strive to reach the IKEA positioning objectives and use IKEA tools and the expertise of your team and colleagues to support you.
• Steer the performance in Sales area operations towards maximized sales and optimized long-term profit
• Stay in contact with IKEA of Sweden and the distributor to select, price, phase in and phase out the range for the market
• Perform all range administration in the sales IT-system for products belonging to your Business Area
• Work closely with the Logistics team to secure that the sales forecasts are adapted to the sales patterns in order to achieve an optimal goods flow
• Choose products of the IKEA Extra range in accordance with the Choosing from the IKEA product range manual
• Set prices on the IKEA range and you work closely with the shopkeepers in the stores to track competitors’ price levels in order to secure the IKEA low-price leadership. In this work, you use systems and methods described in the IKEA genuinely low prices manual and Setting prices the IKEA way manual
• Strive to achieve sales budgets for the IKEA range in assigned Business Area

COMMERCIAL

• contribute actively in the development and implementation of a clear IKEA Sales & Range action plan for the store using the store business plan and country business plan.
• Develop and execute an annual action plan for his area based on agreed goals.
• Choose products from the IKEA Extra range in accordance with the Choosing from the IKEA product range manual
• Select and ensure availability of products for all the marketing activities in the commercial calendar, in close partnership with the Logistics department
• Support the stores by producing buying guides for complex product series
• Maintain ongoing communication with the IKEA range distributor regarding all issues related to the range and the annual IKEA range cycle
• Ensure the shop is in excellent shape as new and fully and efficiently stocked with the four merchandising basics in place at all times and that the IKEA product range is presented in ways that inspire and satisfy customers.
• Coordinate all issues with regard to the IKEA range between the stores and the central retail management and between the central retail management and the IKEA distributor
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of the local home furnishings market (e.g. customers, trends and competitors)
• Ensure that systems and methods stated in IKEA Concept Documentation are implemented in regard to your areas of responsibility
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of the local home furnishings market (e.g. customers, trends and competitors)
• Passionate about the products and actively learn about their content, origins and other benefits.
• Ensure to know the top-selling products, 3 Aces and 1 King, and that they are available and clearly communicated and displayed at all times and to promote alternative products when these are unavailable.
• Contribute to the planning, execution and follow-up of the store’s commercial calendars
• Understand the different IKEA sales and communication channels and IKEA know-how in order to make the best commercial use of this information for different customers.
• Take responsibility for the department goals and secure that team’s action plan ensures the country priorities for Home Furnishing Business (HFB) are implemented in the store; follow up and take action accordingly by using proven solutions and good examples.
• Act quickly on commercial opportunities, changing availability of products (overstock and out of stock) and customer feedback (10 most asked questions).
• Keep an active eye on the competition and take appropriate action when necessary which you communicate to the matrix partner in the Service Office.
• Actively sales steer department’s top-selling products, prioritized products (e.g. overstock/övertag) and IKEA service products in order to maximise sales and long-term profitability

PEOPLE

• Committed to the development of Sales team and secure their training to ensure all co-workers understand the IKEA Concept and other key guidelines; and how they have an impact on their specific roles.
• Empower, support and coach Sales co-workers on the job to help them perform better and grow.
• Work actively to create an environment where the IKEA culture is a strong and living reality and diversity is valued, to ensure the IKEA store is regarded as a great place to work.
• Ensure the team has all the correct knowledge about the product range in your department and the IKEA services so that they can share this with IKEA customers to improve their overall shopping experience.
• Develop the team and its individual members and ensure to have a succession in place.
• Actively promote the IKEA social and environmental commitment and work with your team to understand how, together, you can contribute to sustainability.

Required skills to be successful

• Must have strategic, analytical and tactical abilities
• Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Must be able to build working relationships
• Must be able to speak and understand English & Arabic
• Commercial awareness
• Strong customer service skills with a friendly approach
• A decision-maker.

What equips you for the role

• Ideally several years of IKEA shopkeeper experience in one or several business areas
• Must have a minimum 2-5 years retail experience
• Interest and knowledge of home furnishings
• Good Knowledge in the IKEA range

We’re here to provide excellent service but a little help from you can ensure a five-star candidate experience from start to finish.

Before you click “apply”: Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.

As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.