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About GO Outdoors
At GO Outdoors, our purpose is strong and clear—"to inspire and equip everyone for life outdoors". From the daily dog walk to tackling Ben Nevis, horseback riding, or embracing cold water therapy, we provide the best equipment for all outdoor activities, always at the best price guaranteed.
Our values guide our everyday actions:
- One Team (“we are stronger together”)
- Responsibility (“we take ownership”)
- Passion (“we believe in what we do”)
- Integrity (“we do the right thing”)
We are the nation’s favourite outdoor retailer, helping everyone discover their potential. If you share our passion and want to make a difference, join us. This is GO Outdoors. Made for Exploring. Built for Everyone.
At GO Outdoors, our mission is clear: to inspire and equip everyone for life outdoors. Whether you're a hiker, cyclist, cold-water enthusiast, or weekend camper, we believe the outdoors should be for all—and we’re here to make it accessible through trusted products and unbeatable value.
We pride ourselves on being passionate, practical, and people-focused. Our brand values—welcoming, responsible, authentic, and innovative—shape everything we do as we champion outdoor activities for everyone.
Department Manager (Critical Role)
This is your moment—come and inspire adventures—at GO Outdoors, where we don’t just equip you for life outdoors, we empower it.
As a Department Manager, you’ll play a key role in driving results for one of the UK’s top outdoor retailers. Aligned with the Store Manager, your focus will be on leading your team, delivering exceptional customer service, and ensuring the store thrives every day.
Role Overview
- Lead your department to success by driving results, developing talent, and upholding GO Outdoors’ high standards.
- Motivate your team, amplify sales performance, and champion operational excellence alongside the Store Manager.
- Lowline confidence, drive targeted growth, and foster a high-performing team in a dynamic retail environment.
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This role is about: ✔ Confident leadership with a focus on team growth. ✔ Enhancing commercial performance above sales targets. ✔ Purposeful culture-building rooted in operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Go beyond targets—support the Store Manager in hitting sales figures and core KPIs daily.
- Lead the shop floor by guiding colleagues, coordinating roles, and ensuring top-tier GO Outdoors service standards.
- Unlock your department’s potential—ensure it is commercially thriving, visually engaging, and aligned to store priorities.
- Help colleagues thrive: coach, develop, and provide real-time feedback to reinforce expectations.
- Uphold excellence: maintain high presentation standards, pricing accuracy, tidy displays, and a safe environment.
- Handle critical operational tasks (e.g., cash handling, till checks, delivery processing, stock audits, schedule openings/closing)—escalating issues as necessary.
Required Skills & Experience
- Proven leadership in retail: previous management or supervisory experience (e.g., Department Manager, Assistant Store Manager, Supervisor).
- Strong communication: cultivate a positive culture and support colleagues while ensuring consistent customer service.
- Analytical confidence—use sales data and KPIs to drive informed decision-making.
- Sales savvy: track performance and contribute to KPI achievement effectively.
Desirable Traits
- Enthusiasm for retail and outdoor culture: a natural hallmaker of the GO Outdoors brand.
- Practical and people-first: transparent leader who leads by example.
- Adaptability and resilience: stay composed under pressure while delivering a great in-store experience.
- Commercial mindset: contribute proactively to departmental growth.
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Why Pick GO Outdoors?
As an equal opportunity employer, we foster a values-driven workplace where everyone’s talent is celebrated, and diversity thrives. Our core ethos of people first, customers connected, and excellence driven guides us every day.
Learn, grow, and influence within an evolving retail powerhouse. Here’s your chance to make an impact—both for total sales targets and a stronger team.
What We Offer
- Recognition and rewards: Incremental holiday allowance, financial bonuses tied to performance.
- Exclusive employee perks:
- Buy your gear at a staff discount across all stores and online.
- Access to FREE bike discounts.
- Discounted health & fitness membership.
- Personal growth— Bearer-share of employee quotas and access to apprenticeships/diplomas for career advancement.
- Flexible and supportive management style prioritising your growth while getting results.
This is a career with progression—not just a job.
Next Steps
Our high applicant volume means we review applications quickly, but our process needs time. Two weeks after applying, if you don’t hear from us, kindly assume your application wasn’t successful at this stage.
Shortlisted candidates proceed through two stages:
- Skilled self-assessment → first-stage meeting with the talent team.
- Final interview with the hiring manager.
At GO Outdoors, we don’t manage huge teams—we craft success together. Are you in?
#GO 🚀
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