Aidan McIvor

Describe what a typical day looks like for you.

A typical day of Area Manager starts early morning with checking in with the store managers of the stores I look after to see if any issues needing addressed followed by checking if any emails require immediate attention.

Any issues which can be resolved instantly are completed there and then to allow you to start your store visits.

In a day I would try to visit 2 stores for a comprehensive sales and standards check which involves a performance check of all depts. throughout the shop, action planning and a standards check. This also allows you to get speaking to all the members of the team within the stores which is always insightful.
Before leaving a store i will usually call all the relevant support team in head office to help complete any actions raised from your store visit.

More often than not there will be an ad hoc issue arise as the day progresses like a customer issue or a staffing issue which requires your attention elsewhere so your plans will change to include a different store to help with the issues or to our head office to help resolve.

Once the visits are completed I take an hour to two hours in the evening to finalise the day’s workload – complete outstanding tasks and email the relevant team members.

Who and what are you responsible for?

Ultimately an area manager is responsible for the morale, staffing, service, sales, standards and nett profit from your particular set of stores to ensure our stores are the stores of choice for our customers.

Area managers facilitate the communication between actions dictated from head office and the stores. You are responsible for all the staff in the stores you look after but your direct reports are the store management within a particular store.

Your extended team includes appointed personnel within our head office Support team – e.g. HR advisors, data analysers, FTG business support managers, Health and safety, Food safety to name a few.

How does your team fit in to the Henderson Group?

Area Managers are the link between head office and the store teams.

We digest the information and requirements from all of the Henderson group relevant parties – Marketing, Transport, Finance, etc and give guidance on how practical this is at store level.

We then communicate to our teams and decisions made and work with the teams to ensure a smooth and successful day to day implementation.

Any store related issues are usually filtered through the Area Manager to ensure an appropriate action at store level to resolve the issue.

What are the best bits about your job?

Everyday is different – there is no such thing as “hum drum”.

You are in a different place from the day before each week and you meet new members of your team in stores and within Henderson’s constantly who will offer you insightful information.

Being an area manager is very fast paced and your day constantly changes.

What are the best bits about your company (Henderson Retail)?

“One big team” ethos. Your friendship with the whole company also allows you to learn all aspects of the company you are close to. This in turn means there are endless opportunities for promotions or sidesteps. Everybody in every role has experience and value which would be useful in any of Henderson Group divisions.

What is the best thing about your team?

We all want to do our best. Everybody has the same aspiration to deliver the best we can for our customers. I love our “anything is possible” way of thinking.

This makes the day to day job enjoyable.

What attracted you to the Henderson Group?

Working for a company which gives so much back to staff and community. It makes it a lot more rewarding when you work for a company which genuinely wants to improve our marketplace and communities.

When not working what can you be found doing?

Travelling, socialising with friends and family and running with my dog.