Store Manager Designate

Bournemouth

Retail Management

38.75 hours per week

Permanent

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Join Vision Express as a Store Manager Designate and take the next step in your leadership career. This is a fantastic opportunity for a strong people leader who thrives on developing others, building high‑performing teams and delivering brilliant customer experiences.

As a Store Manager Designate, you’ll work across our Bournemouth and Poole stores, gaining hands-on experience and preparing to step into full store ownership. You’ll be supported through an extensive induction and training programme, so optics experience is not required, we’re more interested in how you lead than what you already know about eye care.

You’ll inspire and engage teams, role‑model exceptional service on the shop floor and play a key part in driving performance, culture and results. If you’re passionate about people, confident leading through change and ready for a future Store Manager role, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading, coaching and developing engaged, customer‑focused teams
• Creating a positive, inclusive culture where colleagues can thrive
• Supporting store performance through effective planning, resource management and commercial acumen
• Being hands‑on in store, delivering outstanding service to every customer
• Building your optical knowledge through our structured induction and ongoing development

Skills and experience we value

• Proven experience as a people leader in a customer‑focused retail environment
• A track record of coaching, developing and motivating teams to perform at their best
• Experience creating and delivering store improvement or people development plans
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the confidence to make decisions
• A customer‑obsessed mindset with high emotional intelligence
• Resilience, positivity and the ability to stay delivery‑focused during change
• Experience managing rota planning, performance and colleague development
• Optical experience not required (full training provided)

Benefits

• Free eyewear annually with immediate eligibility
• Monthly bonus potential up to £1,030
• Family & friends discount up to 75%, plus free eye tests
• 33 days annual leave, with the option to buy or sell holiday
• Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential wellbeing support
• Opportunities to get involved in the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation

Why Vision Express?

At Vision Express, you’ll be part of something bigger. With over 550 stores across the UK and Ireland, we offer genuine career pathways, industry‑leading training and the chance to make a real difference, not just to our customers, but to the people you lead.

We believe we’re stronger because of our differences. Diversity, inclusion and mutual trust sit at the heart of everything we do, creating a culture where everyone can reach their full potential.

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Where you'll be working

232 High Street, Exeter, Devon, EX43NE, United Kingdom

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Why Join Us

We are Pioneers bringing heritage into the future

We’re deeply rooted in our legacy – proud of where we came from, yet always innovating and improving the rules of the eyewear and eyecare game. We never stop learning, nor would we want to. We see our search for innovative solutions as an ongoing journey, not a destination. We’re curious – keeping up with trends, gathering insight, and thinking about where we can go next.

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Application Process

APPLICATION PROCESS

We’re thrilled that you’re considering applying to work with us. As a first step, you’ll need to submit your online application via our careers site. That’s when we review your application against role requirements. Unsuccessful applications will be informed by email.

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