Merchandise manager

The Bike Drop Cirencester – Bike Shop merchandise manager 

About The Bike Drop CIC

We are a Community Interest Company opening our second venue in the heart of Cirencester.

The Bike Drop CIC is a local bike shop like no other! We specialize in offering the highest quality servicing and repairs on any bike or e-bike, a bike shop providing lovingly refurbished used bikes, new bikes and new accessories alongside running our - Bike Drop Academy - cycle mechanic training centre.

• Our workshop caters for any bike, and we pride ourselves on our expert knowledge and exceptional service provided.
• We refurbish bikes donated to us to bring unused bikes back to life and create a reliable source of lower-cost bikes - our mechanics are given full creative license resulting in modernising older bikes that each ride like a dream.
• We also have a full shop selling new bikes, e-bikes and accessories, with our staff ensuring every customer gets exceptional service and finds exactly what they are looking for.
• Our purpose-built Bike Drop Academy workshop runs 18-month cycle mechanic training programs. We take people with no previous bike mechanics skills and pay them properly to learn, providing training and Cytech level 1,2 & 3 qualifications. Creating career pathways in the cycle industry and removing the economic barriers to becoming a skilled cycle mechanic.

What makes working for the Bike Drop different from all the other bike shops in town?

Working for The Bike Drop CIC means being part of a bigger family of other small community-minded businesses, all under one roof. The Long Table provides lunch for us every day (and for lots of paying customers), Home Remedy and Kids Stuff are also based here. It means you get to small organisation vibes but have lots of indirect colleagues and a bigger team buzz. There’s also awesome barista coffee and cakes for sale at a staff discount along with staff discounts across all the businesses – and even a table tennis table and air hockey that is very popular with staff!

Our workshop is a haven for bike enthusiasts as we get an exciting range of new and old, road and MTB, E- bikes and everything in between. We strive for mechanical excellence and value a thirst for knowledge so if you know a lot about bikes, keen to continually expand what you know and want to share some of your knowledge – then our workshop is a space for you!

The Bike Drop is a CIC - Community Interest Company, which is different from a ‘normal’ company, in that we run a business, aiming to make a profit, like any other business, however, we re-invest the money into our local community. This is called our community investment and more information on this can be found on our website – www.thebikedrop.co.uk

About the role

We are about to open a second premises with a shop and workshop in the Old House Of Fraser building in the heart of Cirencester town center and are looking for a driven merchandise manager to support the workshop manager and showcase the amazing kit we have on offer to our customers. You will be required to liaise continually with customers and suppliers alike, continuing to build on our existing customer and supplier base. You will be at the forefront of the business welcoming people into the shop, advising products and bikes and facilitating drop off or pick up from the workshop, along with the workshop staff.

Supporting the workshop manager and reporting to the managing director, your job will be developing the performance and presentation of the shop, leading a small retail team once hired (this role is hired before a retail team is developed), and monitoring the financial performance of retail sales of refurbished bike, new bikes and shop stock.

The ideal candidate will ideally have experience within the bike industry, show excellent attention to detail, strong initiative, and work well in a fast-paced environment.

Role and responsibilities:

• Ensure the highest-level shopping experience for our customers, showcasing our range of products that aims to have a product for everyone. We aim to create a ‘pay it forward mindset’ within our shop. Full range of new quality products and accessories that customers can buy, knowing that by using us, they benefit people within the community, not just shareholders.
• Have a keen interest in learning new and innovative bike products to enable you to provide up to date information to our customers.
• Be an ambassador of The Bike Drop ethos. Getting more people on bikes anyway we can! Our customers can feel we are passionate about the benefits of cycling and that comes from genuine love for the sport. We promote the use of cycling within three core pillars: Commuting, Commercial and Leisure and aim to develop local cycling opportunities within Cirencester. Changing our community, one bike ride at a time. 
• Effectively support leading a small team to ensure a positive flow between the shop and workshop to maximise bike sales, stocking and donations, identifying and resolving bottle necks and inefficiencies within this process.
• Maximising profitability by working with the Workshop manager and Managing Director to set sales targets to enable maximum investment back into the community.
• Monitor the overall performance and KPI’s set by mutual agreement with the Workshop Manager and Managing Director.
• Assist the facilitation of training and development within the team in conjunction with a continual review of processes to increase knowledge and efficiencies within the business where possible.
• Stock management is essential with continual oversight to ensure appropriate levels of stock are always maintained. The majority of our shop is refurbished bikes, so clear communication with the workshop around which stock needs topping up is essential.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation.
• Build relationships with current and new suppliers, along with the ability to understand current trends and introduce new lines of business.
• Deal with and manage customer queries, warranty (with support from workshop manager) and complaints.

About You:

• Previous management/supervisory & retail experience is preferable.
• An enthusiastic individual with a strong desire to provide great customer experience.
• A broad knowledge of bikes.
• A knowledge of Citrus Lime (till & stock management system) is preferable but not essential.
• Outstanding interpersonal, communication and leadership skills.
• Ability to work independently and on your own initiative.
• Good organisational and innovation skills.
• A confident and resourceful individual who also has good commercial awareness.
• A willingness to take on responsibility and have a positive ‘can do’ attitude.

Benefits

• Freshly cooked hot meal from The Long Table provided every day free to the staff!
• Staff access to trade account prices for bikes, parts and accessories.
• On-site barista café / evening restaurant / bar – often running cool events.
• Staff discount from Home Remedy, Kids Stuff.
• Joining a community focussed business that is making a difference to cycling within the District.

Salary & Hours

• £ 27,000
• Working hours: 9:00am - 5:30pm Tuesday – Saturday

How to apply

If working for The Bike Drop and the job role described sounds like what you have been looking for, then we would love to hear from you! To apply, please email with your CV and a cover letter that answers these 4 questions:

1. What makes you the right person for the job?
2. Why do you work in the cycle industry?
3. Do you have some examples of managing a team?

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £ 27,000

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