Occupational Summary
A Level 4 apprenticeship prepares apprentices working as Sales Manager, Commercial Manager, Retail Store Manager or Store Manager to deliver sales targets and create positive customer experiences that encourage repeat custom and brand loyalty. The apprentice leads and develops teams to achieve business objectives, communicates with a broad range of stakeholders and applies business and people management principles to maximise income and minimise wastage. They also champion personal development, training and continuous improvement, supporting their team to develop skills and behaviours that enhance performance and productivity.
This programme covers 47 knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs), typically takes 12 months to complete and has a maximum funding allocation of £5,000. End-point assessment comprises professional discussion, portfolio of evidence, observation, presentation with questioning and a project report.
View official Skills England source text
Retail managers are responsible for delivering sales targets and a positive experience to customers that will encourage repeat custom and loyalty to the brand / business. It is a diverse role that includes leading and developing a team to achieve business objectives and work with a wide range of people, requiring excellent communication skills. Maximising income and minimising wastage are essential to the job and therefore individuals must develop a sound understanding of business and people management principles to support the achievement of the vision and objectives of the business. Retail managers champion the way for personal development, training and continuous improvement, encouraging their team to develop their own skills and abilities to enhance business performance and productivity.
What's in the Delivery Pack?
Every section is tailored specifically to the ST0325 standard, using official KSB data, the published assessment plan, and sector-specific context.
KSB Interpretations
Plain-English interpretation of every Knowledge, Skill and Behaviour
EPA Preparation
End-point assessment readiness, gateway checklist and method guidance
Delivery Risks
Occupation-specific risks, mitigations and early warning signs
Delivery Model Options
Model-selection guide comparing day release, block release and front-loaded approaches
On/Off-the-Job Mapping
Which KSBs are best taught by the provider vs developed in the workplace
Initial Assessment & RPL
Starting points, prior learning recognition and programme adaptation
English, Maths & Digital
Where functional skills embed naturally and standalone qualification guidance
Employer Engagement Guide
Employer commitments, progress reviews and workplace engagement guidance
Get the ST0325 Delivery Guide
Unlock all 8 AI-powered sections — KSB interpretations, EPA preparation, delivery risks, employer engagement, and more. Tailored to Retail manager.
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Typical Job Titles
Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours
Knowledge
15- K1: Customer: Understand key drivers of customer journeys and how managing positive customer experiences increases sales, cu...
- K2: Business: Understand the vision of the business, its competitive position and own role and responsibility in the deliver...
- K3: Financial: Understand the key drivers of profitable retail performance and the relationship of forecasting to the retail...
- K4: Leadership: Understand different leadership styles used in retail businesses and when to use them effectively to motivat...
- K5: Marketing: Know the key factors influencing a marketing plan such as product launch and life cycle, pricing, discount an...
- + 10 more items
Skills
16- S1: Customer: Manage the customer experience, including remotely e.g. on- line, through ensuring the team deliver to custome...
- S2: Business: Lead the team to achieve and exceed business objectives through forward planning, analysis and evaluation of o...
- S3: Financial: Manage the overall performance of the team to achieve financial targets taking into account the retail calend...
- S4: Leadership: Provide clear direction and leadership to the team, giving open and honest feedback. Apply and adapt own lea...
- S5: Marketing: Communicate marketing objectives to team members and drive results. Analyse and evaluate the impact of market...
- + 11 more items
Behaviours
16- B1: Customer: Take overall accountability and responsibility for the customers’ experience. Make effective decisions by bala...
- B2: Business: Demonstrate personal responsibility for the strategic direction and objectives for own area of the business
- B3: Financial: Demonstrate commercial acumen and confidence to initiate change to improve the financial performance and prof...
- B4: Leadership: Influence, challenge and involve others, aligning personal values with those of the company to instil a high...
- B5: Marketing: Proactively seek to understand the marketing strategy of the business, gain knowledge of local area and compe...
- + 11 more items
End-Point Assessment
Assessment Plan
Type: PDF
Version & Source
- Version
- 1.2
- End-point assessment plan revised
- Last changed
- 16 May 2023
- Earliest start
- 16 May 2023
- Approved for delivery
- 7 Oct 2016
- EQA Provider
- Ofqual
- Sector Subject Area
- 7.1 Retailing and wholesaling
- Trailblazer
- TB0588
- Last checked
- 11 Mar 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What knowledge, skills and behaviours are in the ST0325 standard?▼
The Retail manager apprenticeship has 15 knowledge items, 16 skills, and 16 behaviours that apprentices must demonstrate.
How long is the Retail manager apprenticeship?▼
The typical duration is 12 months, with a maximum funding band of £5,000.
What does a delivery guide for ST0325 include?▼
The KSB Planner delivery guide includes plain-English KSB interpretations, EPA preparation guidance, delivery risk analysis, on/off-the-job mapping, employer engagement strategies, and more — all tailored to ST0325.
Data sourced from Skills England. KSB Planner delivery guides are an interpretation and planning aid based on official published source material — not an official regulator-issued document.