How to hire a retail business manager

How to hire a retail business manager, step by step

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

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your retail business manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a retail business manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a retail business manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a retail business manager that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of retail business managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Retail Business Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Retail Business 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.	$23-62
   Group Manager	Group Managers are employees who oversee a specific department, team, or any group in the company. They are usually tenured employees or industry experts... Show more	$37-85
   Manager Of Business Services	Business Service Managers are administrative professionals who oversee different service-related functions in the company. They manage the teams involved in serving various functions... Show more	$32-67

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Quality Customer Service
   • Pricing Strategy
   • Cash Handling
   • Cash Management
   • Business Development
   • Retail Business
   • Cash Flow
   • Business Operations
   • Financial Management
   • Retail Store
   • Product Knowledge
   • Inventory Management
   • Human Resources
   • CPG

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Streamline the company's proposal preparation team are and routinely manage the logistics of preparation of multiple complex government contracting proposals.
   • Help design user interfaces and management reporting for a propose POS system.
   • Ensure POS material are displayed to maximize information for the retail customer.
   • Streamline the company's proposal preparation team are and routinely manage the logistics of preparation of multiple complex government contracting proposals.
   • Deliver evaluations with feedback base onobservations, KPI's and reporting.
   • Create an application that automate RFP data entry done by 10 agents, an annual productivity gain of $550K.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your retail business manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A retail business manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, retail business managers' average salary in wyoming is 59% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level retail business managers earn 63% less than senior-level retail business managers.
   • Certifications. A retail business manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a retail business manager's salary.

   Average retail business manager salary

   $80,435yearly

   $38.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level retail business manager salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

4. Writing a retail business manager job description

   A retail business manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a retail business manager job description:

   Retail business manager job description example

   Current Living Spaces Employees: Please apply via your internal Workday Account.
   
   At Living Spaces, we take pride in being an environment that cultivates the best in our Team Members. From our corporate office in La Mirada, to our Distribution Centers, Manufacturing, Guest Services, Transportation, to any of our retail stores in the United States, you'll find Team Members who have started and grown their careers at Living Spaces. We are a company driven by our core values of humility & respect, passion, innovation, speed & simplicity, fanatic discipline, social responsibility, coupled with the desire to provide our guests with the best possible experience they can have while furnishing their space.
   
   We continuously strive to find dedicated, innovative, driven, enterprising Team Members to help drive our corporate vision - to be the best furniture retailer in the country. If you possess these skills, we invite you to join the journey at Living Spaces.
   
   Position Summary
   
   The primary role of the Business Manager is to teach, train, and develop the store teams in their understanding and application of Foundational Excellence (Standard work, Talent, and Leadership), warehouse logistics, floor merchandising and operational guest execution. Enable the store and the business segments within to exceed targeted revenue budget while maintaining the highest levels of guest satisfaction as measured by guest surveys. Success in the role of Business manager requires having a 4-wall holistic approach to business operations.
   
   Position Description
   
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
   
   * Develop and support the supervisor team to ensure the sales team understands their individual role and contribution as it relates to all components of the store operating procedure
   * Facilitate ownership over staffing, scheduling, Retail store presentation and maintain a high level of guest satisfaction
   * Partner with HR Business Partner on store level HR related issues
   * Ensure that the retail store team is fully staffed with the right number of people with the right talent to meet standard work expectations. Ensure that coverage is scheduled to optimize productivity and efficiency
   * Ensure all team members have completed training and demonstrate the ability to effectively execute to company expectations and ongoing training modules
   * Validates execution of style guide directives by overseeing all aspects of merchandising, visual, labeling and janitorial
   * Support Logistics team in managing product flow both inbound/outbound accurately according to status
   * Support Logistic team in managing inventory accuracy according to company asset protection standard work
   * Greet and engage guests on sales floor and pick up locations
   * Drive proficiency using Living Spaces Guest Engagement Model and supporting behaviors
   * Lead and develop team of Supervisors to execute the Guest Engagement Model proficiency through culture of coaching store teams daily
   * Take ownership of the sales floor and of financial outcomes through execution of the Sales and Operations standard work
   * Actively engage both team members and guests to assess execution of Living Spaces Guest Engagement Model
   * Handle escalated guest situations and resolution
   * Change current reality through gap management and by creating business plans for people and process
   * Recruit, lead and develop all team members and develop a culture of passionate, high performance teams
   * Host ongoing talent conversations that develop leadership skills to build store "bench"
   * Inspire and guide through coaching, mentoring and leading by example
   * Set clear expectations and hold teams accountable for performance results
   * Ensure brand presentation is executed in the store as defined by the Style Guides
   * Driving for results by developing dedicated focus around SOP's, retail processes and procedures
   * Able to build a culture throughout store that drives the following positive company expected outcomes
   * Build and inspire store teams to achieve goals and complete standard work
   * Generate energy within the store through recognition and transparent in the moment conversations
   * Open and close the store as needed, including securing the building, enabling and disabling the alarms
   * Support Operations Team in managing cash and Vault Management procedures
   
   Qualifications
   
   Education/Experience: Bachelor's degree (B. A. or B. S.) or equivalent from four-year college in business, design, retail management, sales, merchandising, or related field preferred. 5 years experience in Big Box direct customer interactive environment required; high volume. 3 years of management experience required. Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
   
   Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be proficient in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
   
   Supervisory Responsibilities: This position will manage the sales supervisor team within the store. Develop and execute the company's business strategies in order to attain the goals of the board and shareholders. Provide strategic advice so direct reports will have accurate view of the market and the company's future. Prepare and implement comprehensive business plans to facilitate. Ensure company policies and legal guidelines are communicated all the way from the top down in the company and that they are followed at all times. Communicate and maintain trust relationships with shareholders, business partners, and authorities. Able to delegate responsibilities and supervise the work of direct reports providing guidance and motivation to drive maximum performance.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer
   
   It is our policy to abide by all federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination based solely on a person's race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, physical disability, mental disability, age, military status, or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including but not limited to, cancer related or HIV/AIDS related), sexual orientation, or any other protected status except where a reasonable, bona fide occupational qualification exists.
   
   E-Verify
   
   Living Spaces participates in E-Verify. All newly-hired team members are queried through this electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify their identity and employment eligibility.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find retail business managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with retail business manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 retail business manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the retail business 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new retail business manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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