Retail supervisor vs assistant shift supervisor

The differences between retail supervisors and assistant shift supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a retail supervisor and an assistant shift supervisor. Additionally, an assistant shift supervisor has an average salary of $41,133, which is higher than the $34,740 average annual salary of a retail supervisor.

The top three skills for a retail supervisor include POS, cash handling and product knowledge. The most important skills for an assistant shift supervisor are customer service, safety procedures, and food safety.

Retail supervisor vs assistant shift supervisor overview

	Retail Supervisor	Assistant Shift Supervisor
Yearly salary	$34,740	$41,133
Hourly rate	$16.70	$19.78
Growth rate	6%	10%
Number of jobs	240,666	231,282
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	6	6

What does a retail supervisor do?

The retail supervisor's main job responsibility is to oversee the work of retail staff in a physical store environment. They check and monitor employee activity, coordinate the receiving and shipping of merchandise, and assist customers in their purchases, ensuring smooth day-to-day overall operation. They work for any type of retail store, whether it is clothing, home goods, or an electronics store. In addition, they typically work in a mixed environment that consists of both an office and a sales floor.

What does an assistant shift supervisor do?

An assistant shift supervisor helps shift supervisors maintain smooth operations and provide optimal services to clients. Their tasks often include handling calls and correspondence, preparing documentation and presentations, conducting reviews and assessments, coordinating with different teams, managing staff, and overseeing schedules. There are also times when they participate in setting goals, establishing timelines and guidelines, liaising with external business partners, and addressing issues and concerns. Moreover, in the absence of the shift supervisor, an assistant shift supervisor may assume their duties to maintain the smooth workflow of the establishment.

Retail supervisor vs assistant shift supervisor salary

Retail supervisors and assistant shift supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Retail Supervisor	Assistant Shift Supervisor
Average salary	$34,740	$41,133
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $43,000	Between $32,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	Peabody, MA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Washington
Best paying company	Live Nation Entertainment	University of Rochester
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Government

Differences between retail supervisor and assistant shift supervisor education

There are a few differences between a retail supervisor and an assistant shift supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Retail Supervisor	Assistant Shift Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	SUNY Farmingdale

Retail supervisor vs assistant shift supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between retail supervisors' and assistant shift supervisors' demographics:

	Retail Supervisor	Assistant Shift Supervisor
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0%	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 7.1% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between retail supervisor and assistant shift supervisor duties and responsibilities

Retail supervisor example responsibilities.

Assist store leadership in effectively leading, managing and developing store and/or department operations and associates to maximize sales and profitability.
Prepare food and ensure cleanliness of work area as well as served as a retail sales associate in the gift shop.
Prepare receipts for food using cash registers, computers, calculators, POS systems and other acceptable payment methods.
Maintain restaurant cleanliness, and delegate restaurant duties as necessary.
Monitor and submit weekly payroll and expense reports with modifications when need.
Perform management operations flawlessly and economically schedule employees, while maintaining weekly payroll.

Assistant shift supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage store upkeep, handle customer support, train new employees, and frequently complete nightly payroll.
Carry out administrative functions including tracking ordering and managing inventory, and support the manager in monitoring store security and cleanliness.
Perform access control and monitor CCTV cameras at the lobby command center.
Patrol designate areas, enforce state and local laws, issue violations; direct investigations as necessary.
Prepare and submit reports for direct patrol activities.
Assist with payroll administration, department correspondence and other management activities as directed.

Retail supervisor vs assistant shift supervisor skills

Common retail supervisor skills

POS, 8%
Cash Handling, 8%
Product Knowledge, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%
Sales Floor, 5%
Wine, 5%

Common assistant shift supervisor skills

Customer Service, 16%
Safety Procedures, 12%
Food Safety, 9%
CPR, 9%
Direct Supervision, 7%
Legal Rights, 6%

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Retail Supervisor
Retail Supervisor vs Assistant Shift Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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