Best Retail Management Jobs in 2021

Are you interested in entering the retail industry? We discuss what’s going on with the best retail management jobs, and also who is offering them. As you may know, the retail industry has one of the largest job arenas in the U.S. but the whole industry is in transition. Since the introduction to e-commerce, there is a shift affecting, what was considered just a few years ago, store leaders in the retail market. E-commerce trade has built so rapidly that brick and mortar company giants are scrambling to adjust. Online sales are growing at a staggering rate. Most retail brick and mortar stores now have an online presence with their inventory for purchase to keep up with the changes.

Oddly enough, some companies with their roots in e-commerce sales are now acquiring brick and mortar stores to use as pick-up locations for the products that sold on their site online. A swing back to catalog type sales are being discussed. Smaller storefronts with a sample of the product may be the future with sales being made online in the store. The customer will go to the store, examine or try on the item, purchase it online in the store, and it will be delivered to the customers home or to the store for pick-up.

These changes may affect the number and type of personnel jobs descriptions that the store is going to offer in the future. Whether the retail industry is going to downsize retail management positions and redefine their job descriptions is currently being determined.

Levels of the Best Retail Management Jobs

Entry Level Management

Entry level management, often known as assistant managers, are hired to oversee certain areas of the store and the functions and duties that are required to keep that part of the store running smoothly. This can involve working with personnel, making sure that area is clean and stocked, scheduling, and dealing with customers concerns and complaints. Most companies require at least bachelor degree for any management position and entry salaries are around $50,000 a year including benefits. These positions often require more than 40 hours and are salaried positions.

Other entry-level management positions can be administrative such as a buyer, human resources consultant, and new-hire personnel trainers. Head of security, art director, and warehouse manager are behind-the-scene management that keeps the store running smoothly and the customers coming through the door.

Upper Management

Upper management requires a good amount of experience in the retail field. This level of management begins with the position of store manager. This job requires that there is a full understanding of the daily routines and how the store operates as a whole. They are the liaison between the store and regional management or the company headquarters. This jobs requires full knowledge of all of the employee’s duties, store policies, community relationships, and building upkeep. Upper management is responsible for making sure the duties that were delegated to lower management have been carried out. This job is salaried, has extended work hours, and may require travel.

Regional Managers

Regional Managers are in charge of several stores clustered in a certain area of the country. Depending on the size of the store chain, this could be a small or large territory and may require quite a bit of travel. They often visit the stores to audit the sales growth of the store, determine store strengths and weaknesses, and suggest areas of improvement. Regional managers report to headquarters after their evaluations and recommendations have been made to each store in their area.

Executive Management

Executive management is the highest tier. These positions are located within the company’s headquarters and it’s divisions. People in these positions are the decision makers for the current and future running of the company. They are leaders in the field of retail commerce. Often, they have a title of Vice President or Head Of a certain division within the company. The CEO (Chief Executive Officer) or President is the highest position that can be achieved within the workings of a companies management.

Salaries and company perks are a big motivator when it comes to looking for a company that you want to work for. Retail management can be a fast-paced, time demanding job, and the people that work in these positions deserve proper compensation. Working conditions are also high on the list concerning employment.

Companies and Areas that Offer The Best Retail Management Jobs

Some retail companies are more personnel-minded than others. Costco comes in high on the list for great training and promotions within the company. CVS Caremark, General Family Stores, Walgreens, and Sears Holding Corporation offer highly competitive pay that is often way above the national average median salary for regional management positions. Median Annual Salary is $72,402. These companies can pay up to $88,000-$114,000 for the right person.

If you are looking for a Human Resources management position, both The Walt Disney Company and Comcast Cable, Inc. pay around 20% higher than the national average as well as companies found in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City areas. An advanced college degree and often field experience are required to make a top salary of $75,000-$88,000 while the national average salary is around $60,000.

With 10-20 years retail experience, a general managers position may be the right choice for a retail management position. Best Buy rates high in salary for this job. Looking at the national average at around $54,000, Best Buy has salaries for the position at around 100K putting them as a front-runner for employment. The higher paying salaries in this area are looking for managers that also have people/personnel management skills. Once again, look to areas in the country that pay higher such as New York City at 43%, San Francisco at 31% and Los Angeles at 29% above the national average.

The management entry level position of Assistant Manager or Supervisors salary begins at a national average of between 35K-45K. Leaders in offering higher pay for these positions include Lowes Home Improvement, Target, The Home Depot and Walgreens. These corporations can offer as much as $50,000-$60,000 for this position and this does not include bonuses or benefits. The Boston area can offer as much as a 51% increase over the national average with Las Vegas and New York coming in at around 20%.

Uncertain of what the future management requirements may be, those involved in running store operations will still be needed. Requirements may shift to include more IT skills focusing on inventory and online sales. The shift may go from Retail Manager to being an Operations or Warehouse Manager depending on what the future holds.