Likith J.R

Assistant Store Manager at New World Shore City Retail Operations Leader | Store Performance | Compliance | People Leadership | Commercial Focus

Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

About

Retail operations and commercial leader with proven experience driving performance, customer experience, and team growth across high-volume supermarket environments within Foodstuffs North Island and New World. Passionate about building high-performing retail teams, creating operational excellence, and delivering strong commercial outcomes in fast-paced FMCG environments. Strong background across retail leadership, store operations, team development, customer engagement, merchandising, and execution excellence. Experienced in leading large frontline teams, coaching emerging leaders, and creating a culture built on accountability, energy, and continuous improvement. Commercially focused with hands-on expertise in inventory management, sales growth, labour optimisation, shrink control, promotional execution, and driving customer-first outcomes. Recognised for combining operational discipline with people leadership to improve productivity, strengthen store culture, and elevate overall performance. Skilled at identifying talent, mentoring future leaders, and supporting career progression through structured coaching and development. Experienced working across cross-functional retail operations while maintaining strong standards in compliance, presentation, and customer satisfaction. Known for bringing resilience, adaptability, and a modern leadership mindset to retail — balancing commercial performance with genuine people connection. Passionate about the future of FMCG retail, innovation in customer experience, and building teams that consistently deliver results under pressure.

Experience

  • Assistant Store Manager Shore city Takapuna NW at New World NZ
    Jun 2025 - Present · 1 yr 1 mo

    -Support the Store Manager with the day-to-day running of a busy metro supermarket across grocery, chilled, frozen, liquor and fresh foods to deliver strong customer experiences and commercial results. -Take ownership of buying and ranging across the store, using sales data, customer feedback and local insight to shape the offer and improve sales, margin and stock flow. -Work closely with the Owner/Store Manager on store budgets, sales targets, labour discipline and profit management, helping track daily trade against plan and taking action when results are off target.

  • PAK'nSAVE (Full-time · 6 yrs 8 mos)
    • Service Delicatessen Manager
      Jan 2023 - Jul 2025 · 2 yrs 7 mos

      Led a team of 12+ within a wider store team of 100+ to 100% staff retention over two years and a 100% engagement score, as measured by Foodstuffs engagement surveys and turnover reports, by focusing on coaching, clear progression, and a hands‑on, visible leadership style.

    • Seafood Assistant Manager
      Jan 2021 - Dec 2023 · 3 yrs

      -Helped lift the Seafood Department to Top 3 in the Upper North Island, as measured by Foodstuffs regional performance rankings, by redesigning displays, improving freshness, and positioning seafood as a destination department that attracted customers from beyond the immediate area. -Compliance & Standards: 100% Pass Rate on all MPI/Food Safety audits (2019 2021). Implemented daily freshness checklists to the Seafood Dept, reducing customer complaints by 40%~

    • Online Shopping Assistant Manager
      Aug 2019 - Jan 2021 · 1 yr 6 mos

      -Maintained 98% on‑time dispatch performance, as measured by fulfilment KPIs and customer feedback, by streamlining picking and packing processes and aligning online operations with in‑store workflows. -Reduced processing time per order by 25%, as measured by time‑and‑motion and productivity reports, by redesigning pick paths, clarifying roles, and using store data to schedule labour for peak demand.

  • Research Internship at Whitireia Community Polytechnic
    Jun 2018 - Nov 2018 · 6 mos

    ICT Cloud Infrastructure Project

  • SHASHWATI PLASTICS - India (Full-time · 11 mos)
    • Junior Analyst
      Aug 2017 - Jan 2018 · 6 mos

      Cloud Architect and Customer Support

    • Enterprise Resource Planning - Engineer
      Mar 2017 - Jul 2017 · 5 mos

      Enterprise Suite and Inventory Management

  • Project Trainee - Engineer at ISRO Satellite Centre
    Jan 2016 - Apr 2016 · 4 mos

    BPSK Modulator