Cape Union Mart International Vacancies 2026 | Assistant Store Manager Jobs | Old Khaki Dihlabeng Mall | Bethlehem, Free State | Mid-Senior Retail Management Career | Turnover Optimization & Shrinkage Control | Closing Date: 08 July 2026

The Cape Union Mart Group has announced a strategic mid-senior management vacancy for an ambitious, retail-driven Assistant Leader to co-pilot operations at the Old Khaki store in Dihlabeng Mall, Bethlehem (Free State). This pivotal role is engineered for an energetic, fashion-fluent supervisor or assistant manager who possesses a minimum of 3 years of referenceable retail leadership experience. Working in direct alignment with the Store Leader, the successful candidate will assume full accountability for maximizing shop turnover, implementing creative visual merchandising designs, coaching frontline staff, and proactively neutralizing inventory shrinkage risks. If you are a target-oriented professional looking to escalate your career within a prestigious, values-led South African retail group, this permanent placement offers immense growth potential. Review the complete operational layout below and secure your application before the closing threshold on 08 July 2026.

Job Specification Overview

Job Specification Element	Position Details
Job Title	Assistant Leader (Assistant Store Manager)
Brand Division	Old Khaki (Cape Union Mart International)
Business Unit Portfolio	Stores Central
Geographic Location	Dihlabeng Mall, Bethlehem, Free State, South Africa
Employment Framework	Permanent / Full-Time
Experience Parameter	Minimum 3 Years of Retail Management/Supervisory Experience
Academic Benchmark	Matric / Grade 12 Certificate or equivalent NQF Level
Functional Focus Area	Turnaround Metrics, Floor Leadership, Talent Coaching & Risk Control
Posted Date	10 June 2026
Closing Date	08 July 2026

Strategic Role Context & Management Framework

In the modern multi-channel retail environment of 2026, an Assistant Leader at Old Khaki functions as the operational heartbeat of the storefront. Dihlabeng Mall stands as the commercial crown jewel of the eastern Free State, attracting an expansive demographic ranging from local urban professionals to agricultural sector patrons and seasonal holiday travelers. To captivate this diverse audience, Old Khaki relies on an store environment that perfectly mirrors its brand statement: authentic, unrestricted, and durable casual lifestyle fashion.

As the Assistant Leader, you do not simply monitor operations from a back office; you are a dynamic force on the sales floor. Your mandate requires balancing high-level commercial strategy—such as analyzing daily conversion metrics and running P&L efficiency protocols—with real-time human interaction. You will step into the shoes of the Store Leader during their absence, ensuring that the brand’s elite customer experience standards are executed flawlessly across every shift.

Cultural Integration Notice: Cape Union Mart International prides itself on an organizational culture that rejects rigid, cold corporate management. This role requires an inspiring manager who can intentionally weave elements of fun, recognition, and collective celebration into daily shift routines, transforming aggressive sales budgets into engaging, high-energy challenges for the whole consulting team.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Commercial Leadership & Turnover Maximization

• Co-manage all daily operational aspects of the Dihlabeng Mall branch, ensuring complete operational readiness, strict policy implementation, and high energy.

• Analyze point-of-sale reporting metrics to identify hidden sales opportunities, designing active floor-coaching interventions to maximize average basket size and regional store profitability.

• Oversee the implementation of the corporate customer experience strategy, ensuring team members greet, consult, and upsell according to world-class retail standards.

2. Advanced Shrinkage Control & Inventory Risk Mitigation

• Safeguard the branch’s bottom-line profitability by identifying, monitoring, and eliminating stock-related vulnerabilities and administrative errors.

• Conduct continuous micro-cycle counts, manage structured inventory intake procedures, and ensure all incoming fashion garments are correctly processed and security-tagged.

• Enforce institutional cash-wrap controls, auditing POS register floats, gift card reconciliations, and daily banking drop files to guarantee complete transparency.

3. Talent Architecture, Coaching & Performance Management

• Guide localized talent selection and recruitment initiatives, identifying energetic, brand-aligned individuals who match the Old Khaki aesthetic.

• Conduct interactive training modules and real-time shop floor coaching sessions to improve staff product knowledge, communication eloquence, and styling capabilities.

• Manage employee attendance logs, evaluate individual sales target tracking, and hold team members appropriately accountable to corporate performance indicators.

4. Innovative Visual Merchandising & Floor Alignment

• Transform corporate layout guidelines into creative, highly effective visual displays that match the localized buying behavior of Bethlehem consumers.

• Manage floor stock levels meticulously, coordinating swift stock rotation from the back storeroom to active presentation zones to optimize sizes availability.

• Maintain rigorous housekeeping, health, safety, and fire-safety practices across the front store layout and stockroom infrastructure.

Minimum Requirements & Behavioral Profile

Experience Parameters & Statutory Credentials

• A minimum of 3 years of consecutive, referenceable retail management or supervisory experience within an apparel, footwear, or lifestyle retail boutique setup.

• Must hold a valid Grade 12 / Matric Certificate or recognized equivalent qualification.

• Must present a completely Clear Criminal Record (subject to strict statutory verification checks during the initial shortlisting phase).

Technical Skills & Linguistic Mastery

• Computer Proficiency: Intermediate to advanced mastery of the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) along with high comfort navigating modern enterprise ERP networks and digital POS software.

• Linguistic Aptitude: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, featuring the ability to interact comfortably and negotiate solutions with corporate stakeholders, suppliers, and diverse consumers.

Core Behavioral Expectations

• Inspirational Leadership: A natural ability to project passion, motivate teams during peak trading seasons, and lead by example on the floor.

• Thinking Adaptability: The cognitive dexterity to maintain absolute composure and pivot smoothly when managing difficult consumers, complex logistics updates, or operational changes.

• Taking Ownership: An autonomous mindset that treats the store as an independent business unit, accepting complete accountability for profit, loss, and team harmony.

How to Apply

To formalize your application for this mid-senior retail management vacancy (Store: Old Khaki Dihlabeng), please compile your complete digital application portfolio immediately. Your electronic submission dossier must feature an updated CV detailing your 3+ years of management achievements and turnover metrics, a clean copy of your Matric certificate, a certified copy of your South African ID, and contactable professional references.

👉 Apply Online via Corporate Recruitment Portal: Go to Old Khaki Careers Application Gateway

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Post last updated: June 2026 | Keywords: Old Khaki Assistant Leader Dihlabeng, Cape Union Mart International Management Jobs 2026, Bethlehem Assistant Store Manager Vacancies, Free State Fashion Supervisor Careers, Retail Shrinkage Mitigation Strategies, Visual Merchandising Governance, Staff Coaching and Performance Management, Dihlabeng Mall Store Openings.