Head of Retail
Competitive Salary plus performance bonus and fantastic benefits
Our of Head of Retail
We are seeking a dynamic and motivated retail professional to lead The Newt’s 3 shops - The Farm Shop, The Home and Garden Shop and The Creamery Shop. As Head of Retail, you will be responsible for the seamless end-to-end operation of our stores, overseeing customer service, sales, visual merchandising, and day-to-day operations. A natural leader, you’ll foster a positive, driven environment for our team and inspire them to achieve their goals. You should have a genuine passion for food, homeware, clothing, and design, and consistently represent The Newt brand with pride. Reporting into the CEO-Commerce, this role is based on-site across our retail stores and is supported by Store Managers, Supervisors, and a Visual Merchandiser.
Key Responsibilities
- Drive sales performance across all three retail locations, ensuring financial targets are met or exceeded.
- Lead by example on the shop floor, delivering exceptional customer service and creating memorable experiences.
- Ensure stores are consistently well-stocked through close collaboration with the Merchandising team.
- Partner with the Visual Merchandising team to maintain high visual standards, promote seasonal ranges, and optimise layouts and point-of-sale displays.
- Inspire and motivate the retail team, fostering a positive, professional, and customer-focused environment.
- Deliver ongoing training in product knowledge, systems, sales techniques, and company policies to support team development.
- Support seamless collaboration between front-of-house and back-of-house operations.
- Oversee all retail operational procedures, including scheduling, appraisals, recruitment, and appearance standards. Manage stock rotation, stock counts, waste reduction, sampling processes, and till discrepancies.
- Proactively handle customer complaints, focusing on improving service and operational efficiency.
- Ensure compliance with HACCP, Food Safety, and Health & Safety standards.
- Stay informed on industry trends and competitor activity to support product positioning and commercial decision-making.
- Contribute to long-term retail strategy and expansion planning in line with brand vision.
- Monitor and manage retail budgets, including staffing, supplies, and operational costs.
- Promote and implement environmentally responsible retail practices in alignment with The Newt’s values.
What we're looking for
- Proven retail leadership experience within premium, customer-focused environments – ideally across food, homeware or lifestyle retail.
- A strong appreciation for quality and provenance with an intuitive understanding of what makes a considered and elevated retail experience.
- Demonstrated ability to drive commercial performance while upholding brand values and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
- Natural leader with the ability to inspire, develop, and retain a high-performing team, with a hands-on, shopfloor presence.
- Strong understanding of visual merchandising principles, stock flow, and customer journey design.
- Comfortable with data and systems – able to use sales analytics and digital tools to make informed decisions.
- Impeccable standards in presentation, product care, and operational efficiency.
- Excellent communicator – both with customers and internal teams – with a calm, confident, and warm presence.
- Organised and proactive, with the ability to manage multiple priorities across locations without compromising on detail.
- A genuine and personal interest in food, homeware and design.
What we can offer
- A positive workplace environment with opportunities to develop both personally and professionally.
- Stay in shape with our complimentary use of our gym and wellbeing classes.
- Look after your wellbeing with complimentary access to our Spa and swimming pools and our exclusive benefit of 50% off Spa Treatments.
- Enjoy shopping in both our shops on estate and online with 30% discount for all our colleagues and free delivery for any online purchases.
- Discover exclusive perks with our Discounted hotel stays for staff, accompanied by a fantastic 30% discount at our restaurants.
- Complimentary garden membership for the Newt and our partner gardens including the Eden Project, Kew Gardens and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
- Complimentary meal whilst on shift, created using fresh produce from our estate by our dedicated staff food chefs.
- We value your hard work and recognise your achievements through our colleague recognition programme “Newt Awards” with the opportunity to achieve a variety of amazing rewards including a complimentary Hotel Stay.
- Support from our Employee Assistance Programme for both yourself and your family.
- A team that knows how to have fun with regular team engagement activities including monthly Gather and Grow Motivational Speakers and our regular fun squad events, which include activities such as Go-Karting and Wine Tasting, to name but a few.
- Up to 30 days annual leave each year for our full-time team.
Where you'll be working - Our Retail Stores
Our shops are an integral part of 'The Newt experience' offering our guests, members and customers a high-end retail experience whether they are visiting our Estate or The Creamery at Castle Cary station.
The Farm Shop specialises in the sales of our own products with a particular focus on cyder, cheese, and bakery items. We also have a walk-in cheese room with the finest British cheeses, a butchery counter with its own Himalayan pink salt wall for ageing meats, and freshly harvested vegetables from our fields.
Our House & Garden Shop boasts produce a wide selection of fine living items from our own scented range, to a wide range of products sourced from local artisan suppliers as well as our friends in Babylonstoren and Vignamaggio.
The Creamery, our newest opening at Castle Cary train station, offers a 'best of both worlds' experience, specialising in the sale of our own Farm Shop products with a few special items from our House and Garden range.
Who are we? - The Newt in Somerset
Nestled within an expanse of rolling fields and steeped in ancient history, our luxury country estate stands as a haven of refined elegance, inviting guests to explore acres of captivating gardens, meandering pathways, and enriching exhibitions - accessible 364 days a year for our members. Our hotel extends a warm welcome, offering a home-away-from-home experience where impeccable service flourishes in an ambiance of unassuming sophistication. Beyond the estate, the Newt's essence remains tangible, with our Ecommerce teams delivering our finest products to homes, while media and membership endeavours keep them informed of our latest developments. Behind the scenes, a tapestry of talented teams - from Housekeeping to HR, Finance to Farming - collaborates harmoniously, crafting an unforgettable journey of growth, development, and innovation, where every contribution creates unparalleled experiences.
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