Current Jobs at Ares Holdings

Responsibilities:

Customer Service & Sales

• Acknowledge every customer within 30 seconds.
• Deliver excellent customer service to every customer following the Birkenstock customer service procedures.
• Establish your customer’s needs and use your technical knowledge to demonstrate benefits to meet those needs.
• Close the sale & secure add on sales.
• Invite your customer to back & turn them into Birkenstock fans.
• Monitor your daily sales against your individual budget every few hours.

Inventory

• Replenish footwear, apparel and accessories from the storeroom daily.
• Minimizing shrinkage by zoning the store, acknowledge customers, and following the Birkenstock changing room policy.
• Ensure stock entries in the POS systems are accurate.
• Process deliveries by checking quantities, invoices, tagging, hanging and pricing product, and recording in the POS System
• Process customer orders.

Daily Operations

• Ensure store housekeeping is maintained daily including dusting, cleaning mirrors, vacuuming, emptying bins, clearing counter area and tidying change rooms.
• Assist the manager with open and closing the store.

Training

• Your training is your responsibility.
• Ensure you are allocated a buddy initially & that you learn from them.
• You must attend quarterly training sessions & complete the assessments.
• Ensure you receive monthly feedback from your manager.
• Set up monthly meeting with your store manager to discuss your progress through the Birkenstock rookie pack.
• These are essential as they will determine your eligible for promotions.

Merchandising

• Observe the store & maintain stock presentation in accordance to the Birkenstock standards.
• Ensure sizes are replenished.
• Assist the team to change the windows/ Mannequins fortnightly.
• Ensure POS materials are stored in the area to avoid damage.
• Grade 12 or Equivalent
• Min. 6 months customers services experience
• Birkenstock knowledge advantageous
• Able to work flexible shifts.

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Responsibilities:

Customer Service & Sales

• Acknowledge every customer within 30 seconds.
• Deliver excellent customer service to every customer following the Birkenstock customer service procedures.
• Establish your customer’s needs and use your technical knowledge to demonstrate benefits to meet those needs.
• Close the sale & secure add on sales.
• Invite your customer to back & turn them into Birkenstock fans.
• Monitor your daily sales against your individual budget every few hours.

Inventory

• Replenish footwear, apparel and accessories from the storeroom daily.
• Minimizing shrinkage by zoning the store, acknowledge customers, and following the Birkenstock changing room policy.
• Ensure stock entries in the POS systems are accurate.
• Process deliveries by checking quantities, invoices, tagging, hanging and pricing product, and recording in the POS System
• Process customer orders.

Daily Operations

• Ensure store housekeeping is maintained daily including dusting, cleaning mirrors, vacuuming, emptying bins, clearing counter area and tidying change rooms.
• Assist the manager with open and closing the store.

Training

• Your training is your responsibility.
• Ensure you are allocated a buddy initially & that you learn from them.
• You must attend quarterly training sessions & complete the assessments.
• Ensure you receive monthly feedback from your manager.
• Set up monthly meeting with your store manager to discuss your progress through the Birkenstock rookie pack.
• These are essential as they will determine your eligible for promotions.

Merchandising

• Observe the store & maintain stock presentation in accordance to the Birkenstock standards.
• Ensure sizes are replenished.
• Assist the team to change the windows/ Mannequins fortnightly.
• Ensure POS materials are stored in the area to avoid damage.
• Grade 12 or Equivalent
• Min. 6 months customers services experience
• Birkenstock knowledge advantageous
• Able to work flexible shifts.

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Key Responsibilities

Planning Strategy:

• Understand the business strategy and assist in developing product strategies by channel, as well as range building in line with the business vision.
• Develop an integrated planning process that deals with customer demand, upselling opportunities in high demand end uses, EOL & stock to management in accordance with budgeted guidance (OTB), to consume against future seasons.
• Evaluate customer sell through data for forecasting purposes and to support recommendations for range decisions.
• Formulate a forward-looking sales plan by account.

Operational Partnerships (Retail, marketing, ecommerce, Logistics, IT):

• Assist buying department with information needed for the buying process.
• Ensure that buy-plans are well detailed and clearly understood by team members and relevant stakeholders.
• Build relationships with the stores to ensure regular sell through feedback and in turn help them manage optimum stock levels in store to maximise sales.
• Manage merchandise, supply chain and logistics aspects.

Reporting and Analytics

• Assist in the mapping and architecture of the IT system for order management, logistical support, planning, point of sale, order tracking and Bl tools etc.
• Develop and continually evaluate all reports in order to establish sales history, seasonal sales analysis, aged inventory & liquidation plans etc.
• Develop management reports indicating attainment to target, margins and EOL status
• Develop an accurate ATS document to be refreshed on a weekly basis.
• Create business dashboards highlighting business opportunities as well as risks.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Degree in Retail, Business or any other related field
• 3+ years’ experience in merchandise planning in a retail environment
• Strategic agility and able to articulate a vision and purpose.
• Advanced Excel skills

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National Sales & Account Management

• Responsible for the creation of budgets and forecasts for the Wholesale business within territory and by Key Accounts, SIS, elite accounts, speciality and independent
• Constant input of sales pipeline (Matrix) document to be constantly reviewed to ascertain market potential
• Along with merchandising, keep product line tight and efficient, ensuring responsible segmentation by end-use and G.B.B tiering with full head to toe + accessories buy-in per account
• Support trade marketing with a collaborative effort and effective communication of vision and strategies always to drive VM excellence, training, in-stock guidance per customer, potential up selling and relationship development
• Conduct store visits - own, customer and competitor - to review trends, customer specific issues and competitor activities to help formulate strategic plans and be proactive in reacting to market conditions
• Responsible for building key account plans for all major accounts
• Foster good relationships with all customers, assisting them with growth strategies and suggestions for expansion, planning and in stock programs within their business
• Foster on-going professional relationships with existing customers and sales force, creating a culture of consultative selling, monitoring sell through data, replenishment suggestions to maximise sales, promotion suggestions, seasonal planning
• Ensure customers meet order commitments
• Deal promptly and creatively with escalated queries and complaints from customers
• Attend international and National sales conferences and product meetings

Brand Management

• Together with marketing, ensure the brand is positioned in accordance with global strategies
• Seek out and manage marketing opportunities within the region
• Ensure the successful implementation of the national campaigns
• Work with marketing to maximise and leverage brand opportunities
• With the assistance of VANS visual merchandising, ensure the brand is presented efficiently and in an appealing way throughout the country

Requirements

• Tertiary qualification in Sales and Marketing
• Minimum 8 years' working experience within a South African Retail business or similar sales environment
• MS Office proficiency
• Ability to travel as and when necessary (local and international)
• Valid driver's license and own car essential
• Strong customer first centric focus and flexibility in approach
• Ability to work under pressure
• Driven to set and achieve ambitious KPIs
• A strong understanding of brands and the sports apparel and footwear industry
• Good time management and reliable
• Proven ability to maintain tight budget controls
• Resilience, astuteness and exceptional negotiation skills
• Ability and experience in managing a dynamic, diverse and decentralised team
• Proactive

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Responsibilities:

Sales

• Maximise Sales by driving conversion
• Set & communicate daily sales targets to everyone on the team including casuals. Report actual v target results three times during each day to all staff.
• Focus the team on cross & up selling
• Create relationships with podiatrists, running clubs & gyms in the area to generate sales
• Grow Rewards program data base
• Ensure all customer orders are accurately processed with one working day
• Achieve gross margin targets

Team Management

• Build a team environment through daily team meetings. Allocate tasks.
• Recruit, lead and motivate the store team to maximise sales and provide exceptional customer service in line with Crocs standards
• Drive conversion through traffic analysis & rostering
• Master feedback process & provide monthly feedback to all team members
• Develop the team through regular Tech, Customer Service, Loss Prevention, Podiatry and Sales training.
• Develop the team by ensuring they complete the Rookie Pack in the prescribed time frame.
• Follow up with all customers queries or requests within 24 hours always
• Execute the months Mystery Shopping action items
• Manage the induction process
• Complete rosters and adhere to the staffing template
• Ensure all staff wear lanyards & the correct uniform/tech apparel

Inventory

• Minimise shrinkage & maintain accurate stock records in the POS system
• Complete quarterly stock counts
• Execute mark downs as directed
• Run daily negative stock report and request relevant adjustments
• Process all deliveries on the same day as receipt, including checking quantities to invoices, tagging, hanging and pricing product, and recording in the POS system
• Ensure storeroom is maintained with the top ten sellers at the front, & all product stored by line of business, gender & category to expedite floor replenishment
• Run & action the daily inventory reports
• Review the store sell through report. Remerchandise or adjust replenishment levels as required
• Quarterly stock takes: This includes the planning of stock take and making sure all preparation is completed, signed off and filed.
• Make sure all necessary paperwork for stock take is printed off, filed and sent through to the Regional Brand Manager.
• Review the stock status and pending transfers report that gets sent out weekly. Follow up that appropriate investigation are getting done.
• Complete OTB process weekly and order the relevant product to optimise stock levels
• Maintain inventory at target levels for all categories & price points every week
• Minimise shrinkage & maintain accurate stock records in the POS system
• Process deliveries including checking quantities to invoices, tagging, hanging and pricing product, and recording in the POS system.

Operations

• Ensure VM and windows comply with Store standards
• Ensure the store is clean, no lights are out, change rooms are clear of product & that the music is appropriate
• Open and close the store
• Reconcile cash to end of day tender report & complete & sign the end of day banking book
• Complete month end Stock Receipt report and Sales reports
• Proactively manage controllable store expenses; discounts given, petty cash, stationery, phone, cleaning etc.
• Ensure compliance with the operational health and safety policy.

 Month End

• Prepare month end reports
• Complete Return to Supplier report
• Prepare sales report with budget variance explanations

Requirements

• Grade 12 or Equivalent
• 2 years’ experience in a similar capacity
• Willing to work shifts
• Valid Drivers’ Licence
• Own Vehicle advantageous

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Key Accountabilities 

The outputs/results/outcomes you are accountable for delivering:

Brand Communications

• Develop brand communication strategies that align with the brand vision, merchandising plan, and business objectives across various channels. 
• Ensure that brand activities are coordinated across all platforms, including PR, OOH advertising, digital, and social media. 
• Create an annual social media communication strategy and develop monthly content plans. 
• Manage the social media budget and oversee effective community management across owned social media channels. 
• Develop and implement a seasonal content creation strategy. 
• Prepare briefs for and oversee local brand photoshoots as part of the content strategy. 

 Media and Public Relations 

• Develop and implement PR strategies that align with business goals and brand positioning. 
• Collaborate with PR and brand agencies to execute effective media plans. 
• Secure media coverage through press releases, events and partnerships. 
• Approve and edit press releases, media kits, and other written materials for media distribution. 
• Maintain positive relationships with external PR agencies, influencers and media contacts. 
• Manage and oversee giftings, paid seedings, and product sourcings with key media and influencers.  
• Identify and pursue strategic partnerships with key influencers, organisations, and brands. 
• Explore partnership opportunities to broaden the brand's impact. 
• Leverage partnerships and collaborations for enhanced media exposure. 

 Event Planning and Execution

• Conceptualise, plan, and execute brand events, media events, product launches, and brand activations to maximise media coverage. 
• Manage relationships with key event management suppliers. 
• Co-ordinate logistics, setup, budgets, and partnerships for seamless event execution. 
• Create memorable consumer experiences that align with the brand’s image and values. 

Budget Management

• Manage the PR, brand communications and events budget, ensuring efficient resource allocation. 
• Monitor budget performance and adjust maximise ROI. 
• Report on budget utilisation and outcomes to ensure financial transparency and accountability

Measurement and Analysis

• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of brand initiatives. 
• Analyse and report on the effectiveness of PR campaigns. 
• Conduct and share PR reports with internal & global teams. 
• Conduct and share social media reports with internal & global teams. 
• Use data to assess campaign impact and measure KPIs. 
• Monitor media coverage and industry trends to identify opportunities and potential risks. 

Requirements

• Grade 12 
• 3 – 5 Years of experience in brand communications, social media management, public relations, event management, or a similar role, preferably within the fashion or lifestyle industry. 
• Strong understanding of brand positioning, storytelling, and communication strategies. 
• Proven experience in planning and executing events, product launches, and brand activations. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives and adapt messages for different channels and audiences. 
• Experience in media relations, including building relationships with journalists, influencers, and industry partners. 
• Familiarity with strategic partnerships and collaborations, and the ability to identify and pursue opportunities. 
• Knowledge of traditional and digital media platforms and the ability to develop integrated communication plans. 
• Analytical mindset with the ability to measure and analyse data to drive insights and make data-driven recommendations. 
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines. 
• Budget management experience, with the ability to efficiently allocate resources and maximize ROI. 
• Leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate a team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing work environment. 
• Passion for the BIRKENSTOCK brand and an understanding of its target audience and culture. 
• Valid driver's license 

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• Grade 12 or equivalent
• 1 – 2 years management experience
• 3 – 4 years retail experience
• Sports knowledge advantageous