Senior Store Manager (3-Months Contract)

Since 1760, Hamleys has been the home of wonder: the place where children meet their favorite toys for the very first time, where parents rediscover their own childhood, and where a family day out becomes a story told for years to come. In the UAE, that magic comes to life in some of the region’s most celebrated destinations.We are looking for an exceptional Store Manager to lead our UAE stores through the most exciting season of the retail year. Joining us on a three-month contract, you will take the lead across our key stores, owning everything from the day’s numbers to the energy on the shop floor, and making sure every family leaves already planning their next visit.You are a commercial leader who thrives on pace and precision. You read a trading day through its numbers, run a tight and disciplined operation, and consistently deliver. You also know that at Hamleys the experience is the product, so you lead from the floor with warmth, presence and energy, building teams who deliver outstanding service and bring the theatre of Hamleys to every guest, every day.This is a chance to make your mark on one of the world’s most iconic toy brands, with strong performance opening the door to a permanent Store Manager role with Hamleys.Contract & Career OpportunityContract: Three-month fixed-term contract, starting immediately.Where you’ll lead: Across our UAE stores, as the business requires.Working pattern: Retail hours, including weekends, public holidays and peak trading days.Your future with Hamleys: Strong performance opens the door to a permanent Store Manager position, with a formal review at the mid-point and end of the contract.Job ResponsibilitiesLead from Day OneStep in with confidence and take full ownership of the store from the first day, keeping trading momentum, standards and team morale at their best.Get under the skin of each store quickly: its trading rhythm, its people, its KPIs and its priorities.Adapt your leadership to each setting, from the scale and energy of our largest stores to the pace of our smaller ones.Hand over and hand back seamlessly, keeping the Head of Hamleys and store teams fully in the loop.Create Unforgettable Guest ExperiencesBring the Hamleys magic to life every day through product demonstrations, in-store theatre, events and activations that make every visit feel like an occasion.Set the standard for service that is warm, knowledgeable and genuinely engaging, delivered consistently to every guest, from first-time visitors to loyal local families.Create a store people love to spend time in, with immaculate visual merchandising, compelling presentation and an atmosphere full of energy and discovery.Turn great service into great sales through confident product storytelling, upselling and cross-selling.Take personal ownership of guest feedback, resolving issues quickly and turning them into loyalty.Inspire an Outstanding TeamLead from the front on the shop floor: visible, energetic and setting the tone for the day.Build a team that lives the Hamleys spirit: playful, polished, proud of the brand and brilliant with guests.Deploy the team smartly, with rotas built around footfall and trading peaks so the floor is covered when it matters most.Coach constantly, recognise great work and address underperformance directly, developing talent and keeping your best people.Build a culture of ownership, accountability and pride, upholding company policies and standards.Drive the BusinessDeliver sales and budget targets, owning the store KPIs every day: sales vs target, conversion, average transaction value, units per transaction and payroll cost.Read the numbers and act fast, turning daily data into clear decisions on the shop floor.Run a tight, well-controlled operation across the store P&L, costs, cash, stock loss, health and safety, and company and mall standards.Keep the bestsellers flowing, managing stock and replenishment so availability is strong and ageing stock is actively cleared.Be the voice of the shop floor to the senior and buying teams, sharing insight on product performance, customer trends and new opportunities.Deliver accurate, timely reporting on performance, customers and operations.Key Performance IndicatorsSales and profitability against target.Conversion, average transaction value and units per transaction.Guest satisfaction, feedback, online reviews and repeat visits.Payroll productivity and effective deployment of the team.Stock availability, stock loss and store presentation standards.Team engagement, performance and retention.Accuracy and timeliness of reporting and operational processes.Every store covered left stronger than it was found.Job Specifications5+ years managing a high-profile, high-performing store, ideally in luxury, premium or experiential retail; toy or family entertainment experience a bonus.An outstanding operator with a proven commercial track record: you know your KPIs, you control the detail and you deliver.Confident with data and reporting, turning numbers into action.A people leader who builds winning teams, with experience leading in a service-led environment where the guest experience drives the sale.Able to take charge of an established store quickly and earn a team’s trust fast; interim or cover experience an advantage.Polished, presentable and at ease with an international clientele.Resilient, adaptable and at your best when the pressure is on.Energy, warmth and a genuine love of creating moments that make families smile.UAE-based and available to start immediately; UAE mall retail experience preferred.