How to hire an assistant retail store manager

How to hire an assistant retail store manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant retail store manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assistant retail store manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant retail store manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an assistant retail store manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the assistant retail store manager you need to hire. Certain assistant retail store manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An assistant retail store manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, assistant retail store managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of assistant retail store manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Assistant Retail Store Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant Retail Store Manager	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$14-22
   Co-Manager	A co-manager's role is to supervise business operations and perform administrative tasks as support to a manager. One of the primary functions of a co-manager is to delegate tasks of team members and arrange schedules... Show more	$16-57
   Store Manager And Buyer	A store manager is responsible for selecting and purchasing goods. They provide information on products, including prices and promotions... Show more	$20-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Store Operations
   • Sales Floor
   • Cash Handling
   • Inventory Control
   • Payroll
   • Customer Service
   • Product Knowledge
   • Retail Sales
   • Retail Store
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • POS
   • Cash Management
   • Sales
   • Loss Prevention

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Ensure maintenance of store including cleanliness and overall aesthetics and manage the load process and backroom activities/organization.
   • Create implementation plans to support execution of Starbucks initiatives to achieve both operational excellence and business results.
   • Stock shelves and maintain the cleanliness of the store.
   • Hire, train and schedule the staff to serve the customers and operate the POS system.
   • Prepare weekly payroll; keep accurate records of merchandise check in on purchase orders & match up with invoices.
   • Assist manager in scheduling and budgeting of the entire staff's hours to stay within company's expectations for payroll expenditures.

   More assistant retail store manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your assistant retail store manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An assistant retail store manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an assistant retail store manager in Utah may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level assistant retail store manager usually earns less than a senior-level assistant retail store manager. Additionally, an assistant retail store manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average assistant retail store manager salary

   $38,615yearly

   $18.56 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level assistant retail store manager salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average assistant retail store manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$45,762	$22
   2	New Jersey	$45,676	$22
   3	Massachusetts	$45,133	$22
   4	Colorado	$43,167	$21
   5	Washington	$42,579	$20
   6	California	$42,171	$20
   7	Virginia	$42,053	$20
   8	North Carolina	$41,591	$20
   9	Maryland	$39,367	$19
   10	Delaware	$39,287	$19
   11	Illinois	$38,546	$19
   12	New Hampshire	$38,214	$18
   13	Texas	$37,692	$18
   14	North Dakota	$37,542	$18
   15	Pennsylvania	$37,186	$18
   16	Georgia	$36,589	$18
   17	Florida	$36,398	$18
   18	Indiana	$35,325	$17
   19	Ohio	$35,042	$17
   20	Nevada	$34,680	$17

   Average assistant retail store manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Nestlé	$45,621	$21.93	25
   2	Ghirardelli Chocolate	$42,585	$20.47	4
   3	Xanterra	$41,785	$20.09	7
   4	L.L.Bean	$41,674	$20.04	16
   5	Dollar General	$41,596	$20.00	3,735
   6	L'Oréal	$41,273	$19.84	66
   7	Belle Tire	$40,500	$19.47	51
   8	Levi Strauss & Co.	$40,429	$19.44	224
   9	Five Below	$40,181	$19.32	376
   10	Highmark	$40,007	$19.23	2
   11	Polaris	$39,288	$18.89	2
   12	4 Wheel Parts	$39,179	$18.84
   13	Tecovas	$38,992	$18.75	8
   14	Goodwill Northern Michigan	$38,982	$18.74	4
   15	Rainbow Shops	$38,663	$18.59	244
   16	GoWireless	$38,624	$18.57
   17	Adidas North America Inc	$38,466	$18.49	96
   18	Kelly-Moore Paints	$38,307	$18.42
   19	imobile	$38,019	$18.28	203
   20	Adecco	$37,889	$18.22	17

4. Writing an assistant retail store manager job description

   A good assistant retail store manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an assistant retail store manager job description:

   Assistant retail store manager job description example

   Hire Rate: $13.75 an hour

   NOW TRENDING: Careers at SKECHERS.

   Join the thousands of innovators, advocates and forces who are making an impact every day at one of the biggest footwear brands in the world. Whether you love to connect with consumers on the retail floor or want to drive our award-winning powerhouse in new directions, the SKECHERS team is the place to be. Learn more about our brand at about.skechers.com.

   #LI-JC1

   DOWN TO BUSINESS:

   Our Assistant Store Managers make an incredible impact everyday - on our customers, our teams and our company. They lead, guide, teach, merchandise, process shipment, inspire, manage product, replenish, problem solve and more - in short, they truly are the heartbeat of Skechers Retail.

   WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE:

   First, leading a team to win big makes your heart beat faster! You are a sales-driver and you know how to help ensure your store crushes sales plan! Your team is critical to your business and your customers, so your talent assessment and development skills are solid and youre always working hard to get even better. Youre an expert at the stock function and always know how to manage shipment and replenishment, no matter the season. You still function effectively and even thrive in times of change and shifting priorities and have a strong ability to stay flexible to the unforeseen. Communication could be your middle name, with your highly developed ability to convey information and set direction with your team in writing or verbally. Colleagues might also call you a task-master, as you utilize time and resources extremely well to meet deadlines, stay efficient and manage operational priorities. Your retail/restaurant leadership experience makes you immediately credible in our business and a major source of support to your Store Manager. Finally, you have so much fun doing and being all of the above and share that excitement with those around you everyday!

   All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

   THE FUNDAMENTALS:

   SALES CHAMPION
   Leads the team in meeting and exceeding sales plan. Drives high unit velocity through an impeccably presented sales floor and outstanding customer service. Coaches and mentors the team in multiple retail skill-sets to elevate the store's performance. In short, hits sales out of the park!

   PRODUCT EXPERT
   Lives, breathes and loves our footwear and ensures the store is a showpiece for our customers. Impeccable merchandising, on-point signage & pricing and beautiful visual presentation are led and supported by this critical leader. Lastly, serves as a true brand ambassador for Skechers, showing off our product and educating our customers about our incredible shoes, accessories and apparel.

   PEOPLE COACH
   Recruiter, Trainer, Teacher and COACH! Supports the Store Manager in leading outstanding people processes, team development and ensures an amazing applicant and employee experience.

   OPERATIONS GURU
   Acts like an owner, assisting the Store Manager in leading strong operational processes and routines that minimize shrink and drive profitability. Understands and insists on a clean, pretty store and a team that follows best practices for a healthy, profitable store.

   RequiredPreferredJob Industries

   • Retail

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right assistant retail store manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with assistant retail store managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit assistant retail store managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assistant retail store manager job on Zippia to find and recruit assistant retail store manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit assistant retail store managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant retail store manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the assistant retail store manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new assistant retail store manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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