GIBSON Inc
General Manager - Retail
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Gibson Inc., the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sound of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for over 130 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, Gibson Amps, the home of tone, KRK, behind great music for over 30 years, and Maestro, the founder of effect pedals.
Job Summary
The General Manager of the Gibson Garage London is responsible for full operational, financial, and personnel oversight of Gibson’s flagship retail experience. This role leads all Garage team members, ensuring Gibson and Garage standards are upheld, customers receive exceptional service, and sales and profitability targets are consistently achieved. The General Manager partners closely with the DTC Director and cross-functional teams to drive performance, plan strategically for business seasonality and market trends, and develop a high-performing, inspired team. This leader must embody and champion Gibson’s mission, vision, and values daily while fostering an environment of enthusiasm, ownership, and excellence.
Essential Functions
- Lead all daily operations of the Gibson Garage London, ensuring team performance aligns with corporate standards, KPIs, and business objectives.
- Hire, develop, train, and coach Garage employees to deliver industry-leading customer experiences and uphold Gibson’s mission, vision, and values.
- Maintain a strong understanding of the business, including market trends, seasonal influences, product launches, event traffic, and retail industry dynamics.
- Drive sales performance and ensure the Garage meets or exceeds revenue targets and KPI metrics.
- Maintain a healthy and accurate P&L, ensuring expense management, margin optimization, and financial accountability.
- Partner closely with the DTC Director and cross-functional teams—including Marketing, Finance, Operations, HR, Artist Relations, and Supply Chain—on project execution, promotions, events, and strategic initiatives.
- Ensure consistent execution of visual merchandising standards, inventory accuracy, and operational excellence.
- Champion and enforce Gibson and Garage brand standards, including store cleanliness, organization, customer engagement, and product presentation.
- Resolve escalated customer issues professionally, ensuring customer satisfaction and maintaining brand integrity.
- Promote a strong safety culture and ensure adherence to all Gibson Cardinal Safety Rules and the Safety Management System (SMS).
- Submit safety observations for identified hazards using required safety tools and processes.
- Develop and execute commercial strategies to maximize sales performance, customer acquisition, conversion, and average transaction value.
- Oversee promotional and trading strategy, inventory planning and stock optimization, and staffing levels and workforce planning across the Garage.
- Identify and pursue growth opportunities across retail, repairs, events, experiences, and premium services.
- Oversee the Parts & Service team, ensuring all instruments meet Gibson's standards for quality, playability, and customer satisfaction, and drive commercial opportunities within repair, restoration, and technical service offerings.
- Manage staff scheduling to ensure optimal coverage aligned with business demand and trading patterns.
- Partner closely with Entertainment Relations and broader business teams to plan and execute in-store promotions and artist appearances, private events and commercial venue hire, community and customer engagement events, and trade shows and external promotional activities.
- Produce and present high-quality commercial reporting, including daily sales analysis, weekly trading updates, monthly business reviews, and ad-hoc executive presentations, translating performance data into actionable insights and recommendations for leadership.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
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Required Skills/Abilities
- Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to inspire, coach, and develop high-performing teams.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to interpret financial data, drive profitability, and manage a P&L.
- Operational excellence, including experience with scheduling, inventory management, merchandising, and retail systems.
- Ability to analyze and adapt to market trends, customer behaviors, and seasonal changes.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions in high-pressure situations.
- Outstanding time-management skills with the ability to prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build credibility, trust, and collaboration across teams.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
- Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with Shopify POS or similar retail point-of-sale systems desirable but not essential.
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Required Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Retail Management, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience.
- 5–7+ years of retail management experience, preferably in specialty retail, experiential retail, or consumer lifestyle brands.
- Experience managing a large staff and high-volume retail environment.
- Proven success in delivering sales to target, managing KPIs, and driving operational excellence.
- Musical instrument sales experience desirable but not essential.
- Experienced in the promotion and activation of events, artist appearances, and trade shows.
Essential Knowledge
- Strong understanding of retail operations, sales performance drivers, and customer experience principles.
- Knowledge of project management, including cross-functional coordination and execution.
- Familiarity with industry trends in music retail, consumer experiences, and premium product environments.
Personal Qualities
- Passionate about working and winning in a team environment.
- Inspiring, charismatic leader who naturally motivates others.
- Results-oriented and driven, with a strong track record of delivering to plan.
- Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to navigate ever-changing business needs.
- Clear and logical thinker with strong decision-making skills.
- Thrives in a diverse, challenging, fast-paced environment.
- Deep alignment with Gibson’s mission, vision, and values, and a commitment to bringing them to life through daily leadership.
- Charismatic storyteller who can engage with fans to bring the Gibson brands to life.
- Knowledgeable, confident salesperson able to put the right instrument in the hands of players of every skill level.
- Comfortable engaging with artists ranging from up-and-coming musicians to music icons.
- Creative and idea-oriented, with the ability to bring fleshed-out ideas from concept through to completion.
- Critical thinker with confidence engaging senior leadership, able to problem-solve and stay composed under pressure.
Travel Requirements
- This position is primarily based at the Gibson Garage in London, but may require occasional travel for training, events, leadership meetings, retail initiatives, trade shows, or visits to other potential store locations.
Physical Demands
- Must be able to have a flexible schedule and work mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
- Must be able to work in a loud environment for 8+ hours.
- Standing and walking required 90% of the time.
- Lifting required 20% of the time with a max weight of 50lbs.
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