Retail Area Manager - Galway & Limerick

Location: On site / Galway City, Co. Galway, Ireland
job type: Permanent / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Retail Food
Annual Salary range:from € 42,000.00 to € 45,000.00

Sheridans Cheesemongers is one of Ireland's leading specialist food retailers, renowned for exceptional farmhouse cheeses, artisan produce and outstanding customer service.

Founded in Galway in 1995, we have grown from a stall at the Galway Saturday Market into a nationally recognised business with shops across Ireland and an extensive wholesale and retail presence.

Our people, product knowledge and passion for great food are at the heart of everything we do.

We are seeking an experienced, commercially minded and highly hands-on Retail Area Manager to oversee five diverse retail and hospitality locations across Galway and Limerick, spanning specialist food shop, cheese counters, a dedicated cheese wall and a wine bar.

This is a key leadership role for someone who enjoys being on the shop floor, working directly with teams and leading from the front, while taking real ownership of commercial performance.

You will drive sales, improve profitability and ensure each location operates as efficiently and successfully as possible. Working closely with Team Leaders and Cheesemongers, you will deliver agreed KPIs across sales, gross margin, labour costs, wage ratios, stock control and overall business performance.

This is not a role for someone who wants to manage from a distance. You will maintain a regular and visible presence across all locations, working alongside teams, understanding the different operational and commercial challenges of each shop, counter and hospitality location and taking practical action to improve performance.

We are looking for someone who can see the bigger picture while remaining close to the detail - someone who identifies opportunities, challenges existing ways of working and introduces improvements that make a genuine difference to sales, profitability, efficiency and customer experience.

Based in Galway City, you will spend significant time working across each Galway location every week, with regular travel to Limerick. A full, clean driving licence and access to a car are essential. Travel expenses will be covered in line with company policy.

Reporting to the Head of Retail, you will play a central role in developing our people, improving operations and driving the continued growth of the retail business.

Commercial Performance & Business Improvement

• Take ownership of the commercial performance of all locations across Galway and Limerick.
• Drive sales growth, profitability and delivery of agreed KPIs across sales, gross margin, labour costs, wage ratios and stock control.
• Review performance data, identify trends and take proactive action where targets are not being achieved.
• Work with Team Leaders to increase sales, improve customer spend and maximise profitability.
• Optimise staffing and labour deployment while maintaining strong wage ratios.
• Identify opportunities to improve sales, margin and profitability across retail and hospitality operations through product mix, pricing, merchandising, average transaction value, labour deployment, beverage sales, waste reduction and effective stock management
• Challenge existing ways of working and implement practical improvements that increase efficiency and profitability.
• Build a strong culture of commercial awareness and accountability across all retail teams.

Hands-On Store Leadership

• Maintain a regular and highly visible presence across all locations.
• Work alongside teams on the shop floor, leading by example and supporting stores during busy periods.
• Understand the strengths, challenges and opportunities within each location.
• Identify problems quickly and take ownership of practical solutions.
• Ensure every location consistently delivers the high standards expected of the Sheridans brand.
• Provide management cover and operational support where required.
• Lead, motivate and develop Team Leaders and Cheesemongers across the region.
• Set clear expectations and create accountability for operational and commercial performance.
• Provide regular coaching, feedback and hands-on training.
• Develop teams' understanding of sales, product knowledge, customer service and commercial performance.
• Support Team Leaders to manage their stores effectively and confidently.
• Identify and develop future talent while building a positive, high-performing team culture.

Customer Experience & Store Standards

• Ensure consistently high standards of visual merchandising, product availability and presentation.
• Work with teams to create engaging and commercially effective displays.
• Drive exceptional customer service and product knowledge across every location.
• Ensure a consistent and high-quality Sheridans experience for every customer.

Operations & Compliance

• Oversee the day-to-day operational performance of all five locations.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, health and safety regulations, HACCP requirements and relevant legal standards.
• Monitor stock management, cash handling, inventory control, waste and loss prevention.
• Introduce best practices and practical solutions that improve consistency and efficiency.
• Use operational data and customer feedback to continuously improve performance.
• Act as a key link between retail teams and the Head of Retail.
• Clearly communicate company goals, expectations and commercial priorities.
• Work closely with colleagues across Operations, Marketing, HR and other departments.
• Share best practices and encourage consistency and collaboration between stores.

We are looking for a commercially driven retail leader who is equally comfortable analysing business performance and rolling up their sleeves to work alongside their team.

You will have:

• Proven experience managing multiple retail, hospitality or food & beverage locations, ideally as an Area Manager, Cluster Manager or senior multi-site manager
• A strong track record of driving sales growth and improving business performance.
• Experience delivering commercial KPIs including sales, gross margin, labour costs, wage ratios and profitability.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, with the ability to understand data and turn insight into action.
• A genuine ability to identify opportunities and implement changes that improve efficiency and profitability.
• A highly hands-on approach to leadership and a willingness to work alongside teams on the shop floor.
• Excellent leadership, coaching and people management skills, with the ability to create accountability and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong retail operational experience, including stock management, waste control, cash handling and loss prevention.
• Excellent organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• The confidence to challenge existing ways of working and drive positive change.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and locations effectively.
• A genuine passion for food, artisan produce, wine and hospitality, with the curiosity and enthusiasm to develop strong product knowledge and share that passion with teams and customers.
• Based in Galway City or the immediate surrounding area.
• Full, clean driving licence and access to a car.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly between locations in Galway and Limerick.
• Comfortable working hands-on across the Galway locations each week.
• Travel expenses for business-related travel to Limerick will be covered in line with company policy.

What We Offer

• A key leadership role within one of Ireland's most respected artisan food businesses.
• The opportunity to make a real impact on the performance and growth of a key retail region.
• The opportunity to develop teams and help shape the future of the Sheridans retail business.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Bike to Work Scheme.
• The chance to work with a passionate and knowledgeable team.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced retail professional who enjoys leading from the front while taking real ownership of business performance.

If you are a commercially focused, hands-on leader who knows how to drive sales, improve margins, manage labour costs, develop great teams and continuously improve a business, we'd love to hear from you.