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ANZSCO 1421Skill level 2Business and finance

Retail manager

Oversee the day-to-day operations of a retail store, from staffing and roster through to stock and merchandising.

Salary

Cited figures from Job Outlook and QILT. ExamExplained does not publish predictive earnings or projections.

FigureAUDSource
Full-time weekly earnings$1400Job Outlook (2025-06-01)

How far does this stretch in each city?

What a retail manager actually does

Retail managers run the day-to-day of a store or store-cluster. A typical day starts with opening checks, cash float, and a quick team brief on targets and any new product or promotion. The middle of the day is mostly on the floor: serving customers when it's busy, coaching staff on selling and merchandising, and resolving complaints or returns. Afternoons go to stock counts, rostering, head-office reporting, and supplier or visual-merchandising changes. Most roles are 38-45 hours a week including a mix of weekends, late-night trading, and public holidays. Workload spikes through November and December peak retail, school-holiday windows, EOFY and stocktake. This is a physical role - on your feet most of the day - and a visible one, with constant customer contact.

Typical tasks

  • Lead store teams across shifts.
  • Manage stock, pricing and visual merchandising.
  • Achieve sales, GP and labour-cost targets.

Skills you'll use

  • Visual merchandising and stock control
  • Point-of-sale and inventory systems
  • Rostering to award and meal-break compliance
  • Cash handling and shrinkage management
  • Coaching and developing frontline staff
  • Customer-service recovery in tough moments
  • Reading sales, GP and labour-cost reports

How to become one

  1. 1Finish Year 10 at minimum; Year 12 is preferred by most national retailers
  2. 2Build experience through casual or part-time retail roles while studying or starting out
  3. 3Step into 2IC, department manager or assistant store manager roles after 1-3 years on the floor
  4. 4Complete a Certificate IV or Diploma in Retail Management, Business, or Leadership and Management through TAFE or a registered training organisation
  5. 5Apply for store manager roles; large retailers run structured store-manager development programs once you're in the assistant manager seat

Where you can work

  • Supermarkets and convenience chains
  • Apparel, footwear and accessories retailers
  • Department and discount department stores
  • Bunnings-style hardware and home retailers
  • Specialty electronics and appliance retailers
  • Quick-service restaurant chains
  • Service-station and convenience networks

Career progression

Typical stages and salary bands. Salary figures are sourced from Job Outlook, QILT or industry bodies; brackets are 25th-75th percentile not absolute floors or ceilings.

  1. Floor or department supervisor
    0-3 years
    Typical roles: Department supervisor, 2IC / assistant store manager, Shift manager
    Salary band: $55,000 - $70,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  2. Store manager
    3-7 years
    Typical roles: Store manager, Restaurant manager, Branch manager
    Salary band: $75,000 - $100,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  3. Multi-site / regional manager
    7+ years
    Typical roles: Area manager, Regional manager, State manager

Is this for you?

You might love this if

  • You like being on your feet and serving customers all day
  • You can coach and motivate a young, casual workforce
  • You can stay calm with a difficult customer in front of your team
  • You're comfortable with weekend, evening and public-holiday work
  • You enjoy hitting clear daily and weekly sales targets

This might not suit you if

  • You want a Monday-to-Friday 9-to-5 office role
  • You hate weekends, evenings or public-holiday rosters
  • You can't stand being on your feet for long shifts
  • You dislike chasing daily sales and labour-cost targets

Three ways in

Uni, TAFE and trade routes for retail manager. Not every career has all three; we only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.

University

Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.

No direct undergraduate pathway. Consider postgraduate study after a related bachelor degree.

TAFE / VET

Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.

Apprenticeship trade

Earn while you learn through an Australian Apprenticeship.

Not an apprenticeship trade.

Sources

ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Job Outlook directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.