Extract from IDS Executive Compensation Review 326

Retail managers

Often the first few months at the start of a new year is when recruitment activity is at a peak with many people looking for new roles. Retail is no exception, so in this article we take a look at the job market for retail managers, analysing current trends and salary levels as well as drawing on the views of recruitment consultants and employers’ bodies.

So far, current concerns about the strength of retail sales has not had a major impact on the job prospects of managers in the sector, but recruitment specialists in the field say they are detecting signs of an increasingly cautious approach. Talk of economic instability is making some candidates and employers more wary of their competitiveness, although certain sectors are remaining buoyant such as telecoms, budget fashion stores and the luxury sector. In these sectors managers are still confident they can find new roles and employers are happy to advertise vacancies.

To gain an indication of current recruitment salaries for retail managers we collected data from around 530 job advertisements appearing on the Internet in February and March 2008. Tables provide detail on advertised salaries for selected managerial roles, as well as by region and outlet type. A detailed table shows advertised vacancies by named company.