Job Summary:
The General Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, operational performance and financial success of the retail division for an allocated grouping of regions. This role provides strategic and operational oversight to Regional Managers, ensuring all stores operate efficiently, meet sales and profitability targets, and adhere to company policies, operational standards and employee relations frameworks.

The General Manager plays a key role in driving Group strategy, supporting business growth, maintaining brand consistency, safeguarding company assets, and ensuring an exceptional customer experience through operational excellence across all regions.

Ideal Candidate Profile:
The successful candidate will have extensive multi‑site retail leadership experience and a strong understanding of the South African retail market and labour environment. They will be a commercially driven senior retail leader with proven experience in managing regional or national operations, full profit and loss accountability, and delivering sustained sales growth, margin improvement and operational excellence.

The role requires in‑depth knowledge of South African labour legislation, retail compliance, and consumer behaviour, combined with strong people leadership capability, including coaching, performance management and succession planning.

The ideal candidate is a decisive, hands‑on leader with the ability to execute Group strategy, drive store standards, manage seasonal trading cycles, support new store rollouts and build high‑performing teams. Willingness to travel extensively is essential.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy & Performance

• Translate Group strategy into effective regional execution plans.
• Ensure monthly turnover targets are met or exceeded.
• Monitor profit and loss performance, gross margins and inventory metrics, and implement corrective actions where required

Leadership & Team ManagementMentor

• Motivate and hold Regional Managers accountable for budgets, promotional execution and operational performance.
• Lead recruitment, coaching, disciplinary processes and succession planning across regions.
• Foster a high‑performance culture aligned with Group values.

Day‑to‑Day Store Operations

• Oversee the implementation of promotions, markdowns and add‑on programmes (e.g. seasonal or campaign initiatives).
• Ensure stores maintain safe, clean and customer‑focused environments.
• Conduct regular site visits and operational reviews.

Financial & Asset Control

• Manage inventory loss and shrink through effective loss‑prevention strategies.
• Ensure asset registers are accurate and up to date.
• Review banking processes, inter‑branch transfers, exchanges and stock counts for accuracy and compliance.

Market Intelligence & Growth

• Provide Executive Management with regular insights into customer trends, competitor activity and market opportunities.
• Identify and recommend new store sites.
• Support new store rollouts, lease negotiations and expansion planning.

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure full compliance with Group policies, South African labour legislation, and employee relations frameworks.
• Deliver accurate daily, weekly and monthly management reports on sales, stock, headcount and key performance indicators.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Grade 12 (Matric) is essential.
• A relevant Degree, Diploma or Certificate in Retail, Business or Management will be advantageous.
• Minimum of 5–10 years’ senior retail leadership experience, including multi‑site or regional profit and loss responsibility.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets and driving margin improvement.

Knowledge & Business Understanding Requirements

• Driving growth, profitability and operational excellence across multiple regions.
• Experience in rolling out national promotions, loss‑prevention initiatives and store network expansions.
• Strong understanding of seasonal retail trading cycles (Easter, March/April, November/December).
• Ability to scale operations into new territories while maintaining brand consistency.
• Experience in supporting omnichannel retail initiatives (click‑and‑collect, online‑to‑store).
• Building and sustaining a high‑performance culture in a competitive retail labour market.
• Leveraging market insights to differentiate Studio 88 within the fashion retail sector.

Behavioural Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong commercial and analytical acumen.
• Exceptional people leader with proven coaching, performance management and conflict‑resolution skills.
• Solid knowledge of South African labour law and retail compliance requirements.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder‑management capabilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Willingness to travel extensively.