My Job: Explained (Duty Manager)

Name: Georgia Jackson

Age: 23

Job Title: Duty Manager

Describe your role:

My role as a Duty manager involves running 8 hour shifts day to day, making sure that my team and I are keeping customers happy while they shop with us and that we are conducting the days tasks safely whilst ensuring everything is compliant to the company’s policies and procedures.

How long have you worked in the industry?

Collectively I have been working in the business for 2 and a half years but this was split up between home and university. From that I have been part of the management team for a year and 4 months.

How did you get into this role/industry?

I originally got a job as a customer sales assistant when I came back home from my first year of uni, as a member of my family worked at a different store within the business and recommended me for the job. I then finished university and came back to the same position. While I was back I showed an interest in moving up and taking on more responsibility, this is what led me to being asked to go on the programme designed to train people for management in the business.

What's the best part of your job?

The best part of the job is how well the team work together. We enjoy each others company and are able to have a laugh while working which creates a great atmosphere! But on the other side we understand the importance of getting our work done and we have found a great balance of being able to do the two.

What's the hardest part of your job?

The hardest part of my job is resolving complaints made by customers, especially under circumstances that are out of my control. Some customers are able to understand that in a big business, we do not make the “rules” and we have to also follow the policy that the company sets for us. But occasionally we get customers who cannot appreciate this and on many occasions can become agitated and unpleasant.

What skills would you say are necessary for this role?

Problem solving, and being able to think on your feet is something up at the top of the list. Not every day is the same, and there is a long list of things that could go wrong on a daily basis, you have to be prepared to deal with any of them. Along with that, having confidence, people skills and patience is important.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of entering this industry?

My advice would be to just go for it and believe in yourself. I doubted my skills when I first started and did not realise how many transferable skills I gained through other part time jobs from a young age.

What surprised you most when taking on this role?

Dealing with fuel is probably the part that surprised me, not the fact that I would have to, as I already knew that, but I do not think I appreciated what went in to this area. To the extent of making sure deliveries were done safely, the maths that went in to pricing and volume control. Took me a very long time to get my head around this area!!

Are there any things that you didn't expect to be doing that has been asked of you?

I am sure there will be something I have been asked to do and was little confused by, but I really am struggling to think. I was made very aware of what the job was going to consist of and I think that being on the same site in the business beforehand helped to!

If you weren't in this job, what else would you want to be doing?

I would like to be in the design/graphics industry, it was what I did while at university and something I carry on sharing an interest in now.

(Georgia is actually the one who designed my blog logo, check out her other designs https://www.instagram.com/g.illustrate__/)

The My Job series was created to help those unsure on the industry they want to go in, so this is an insight on the day to day life of different people in different industries. If you would like more details on working in this industry please drop me a message and I'll direct you to the interviewee! If you would like to get involved, please let me know.