Assistant Store Manager

Mountain Warehouse is expanding its New Zealand retail team and is seeking an Assistant Store Manager to join the Christchurch Homebase store. In this role you’ll work closely with the Store Manager to drive store success, lead daily operations, uphold the brand standards, and nurture a cooperative and high-energy team that delivers great customer experiences. This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who loves retail and wants to shape how customers feel when they walk in the door.

The position is permanent and full-time, onsite in Christchurch. It will suit someone who enjoys coaching others, solving problems on the shop floor, and balancing sales results with excellent service. If you want to be a visible leader who helps a team grow and an area where your energy makes a difference, this could be the right fit.

Leading the day-to-day on the shop floor

You’ll partner with the Store Manager to guide a motivated team, keeping everyone aligned with goals and ensuring the store runs smoothly. You’ll build a culture where collaboration and support come first, and you’ll drive training so your team can grow and excel.

Communication will be clear and frequent, and you’ll keep product knowledge top of mind so customers receive confident, helpful service. On the floor, you’ll help maintain the store’s visual standards and neatness, while prioritising health and safety and ensuring a secure environment for staff and shoppers. You’ll also play a part in attracting and retaining strong talent to keep the team energized and capable.

When it comes to the numbers, you’ll support in hitting sales targets and driving profitability through sound strategies. You’ll monitor KPIs to measure success, manage stock levels with smooth replenishment and accurate deliveries, and put loss-prevention measures in place to protect the store’s profitability. Always leading by example, you’ll deliver standout customer service, act promptly on feedback, and bring a positive, professional approach to the Mountain Warehouse brand. You’ll also find opportunities to build relationships with the local community and make the store a welcoming place to shop.

What we’re looking for in a candidate

• Demonstrated leadership in a retail setting with a track record of guiding teams to deliver excellent customer service
• Clear, confident communication that helps you connect with staff and customers
• Results-driven mindset with a habit of meeting or exceeding targets
• Approachable, supportive leadership that earns trust and encourages teamwork
• Energetic, proactive approach and a commitment to following through on tasks
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills that align with company policies

Nice-to-haves

• Experience running a store or department within a retail environment
• Background in coaching and developing team members to improve performance
• Familiarity with health and safety practices, risk assessments, and securing a safe store
• Knowledge of stock control, replenishment, and basic loss-prevention techniques
• Experience engaging with local communities or representing a brand in public settings

Compensation, perks and practical details

The role offers a monthly performance-based bonus on top of base pay, reflecting both personal and store results. You’ll receive a 50% discount for colleagues across Mountain Warehouse and Animal, plus a twice-yearly allowance to refresh uniforms. You can enjoy up to 20 days of annual leave per year on a five-day work week, and there’s a generous colleague referral incentive and length-of-service awards. The environment is stable, backed by a strong team and ongoing support to help you succeed.

Work is onsite in Christchurch, full-time and permanent. Applicants must have the legal right to work in New Zealand, and the company is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position at this time.

Three tips to help you stand out for this shop

Put leadership and retail management experience up front on your resume. Lead with a concise summary of a time you built a high-performing team, how you partnered with a Store Manager, and the results you delivered together.

In interviews, prove you have the must-have skills with concrete examples, show how you inspired a team, how you trained staff to improve service, and how you kept customers at the heart of every decision while hitting targets.

Be ready to walk through a plan for a typical week on the floor: balancing coaching, operations, stock, and loss prevention. And come with a smart question to show you’re thinking about impact, for example: how are monthly bonus targets set and measured for the store team?

Finally, describe how you’d engage with the local community to create a welcoming shopping experience and reflect Mountain Warehouse in the neighbourhood.