About Us
Flues & Fires is a well-established, family-owned business that has been serving Victoria since 1977. Specialising in heating and outdoor living solutions, we have built a reputation for expertise, quality products, and exceptional customer service over more than four decades.
Located in Thomastown, our showroom is one of Melbourne's leading destinations for wood heaters, gas log fires, electric fireplaces, outdoor heating products, cooking appliances, ethanol fires, flue systems, and accessories. We showcase over 100 products from some of the industry's most respected brands and support customers across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Complementing our retail operation, our affiliated manufacturing business produces specialised flue components for wood heating systems, providing us with unique industry knowledge and capabilities.
The Opportunity
We are seeking a motivated and capable Retail Manager to lead our showroom operations, support our team, and deliver an outstanding customer experience.
This is a unique opportunity to join a highly specialised industry. While prior experience in heating and fireplaces is advantageous, we are equally interested in candidates with strong leadership skills, management experience, and the ability to quickly learn technical products and industry requirements.
Comprehensive training will be provided to the right candidate.
We are a small family business that values every member of our team. We are looking for someone who will be a great fit for our workplace culture and who can contribute positively to our team environment.
Key ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Team Management
- Lead, coach, and develop showroom staff.
- Foster a positive, high-performance team culture.
- Delegate tasks effectively and ensure accountability.
- Assist with recruitment, onboarding, and staff training.
- Conduct ongoing product and sales training.
Retail Operations
- Oversee day-to-day showroom operations.
- Manage inventory levels, stock ordering, and stock accuracy.
- Monitor workflow and ensure customer orders are completed efficiently.
- Coordinate multiple priorities while maintaining operational excellence.
- Maintain showroom presentation, merchandising, and promotional displays.
Customer Experience
- Deliver exceptional customer service standards.
- Handle customer enquiries and complex escalations professionally.
- Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and installers.
- Ensure customers receive accurate advice and product recommendations.
Business Performance
- Monitor sales performance and key business metrics.
- Analyse retail software data to support inventory and staffing decisions.
- Assist with reporting, budgeting, and profit and loss analysis.
- Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and profitability.
Technical Knowledge & Industry Compliance
- Develop and maintain strong product knowledge across:
- Wood heaters and wood-burning appliances
- Gas log fires
- Electric fireplaces
- Ethanol fireplaces
- Outdoor heating and cooking products
- Flue systems, components, and replacement parts
- Understand relevant Victorian installation requirements, building regulations, safety standards, and emissions compliance.
- Work closely with certified installers to ensure customer projects meet applicable standards.
About You
You are a confident leader who enjoys taking ownership, developing people, and delivering results.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Strong leadership and team development skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
- Strong organisational and time management skills.
- Ability to multitask and manage competing priorities.
- High attention to detail and problem-solving capability.
- Experience handling customer escalations professionally.
- Competent computer and retail software skills.
Highly Regarded
- Experience within heating, fireplaces, home improvement, or outdoor living products.
- Inventory management and purchasing experience.
- Understanding of Victorian building regulations or installation compliance.
- Experience analysing sales, inventory, and profit & loss data.
What We Offer
- Long-term career opportunity with an established family business.
- Comprehensive product and industry training.
- Supportive and collaborative team environment.
- Opportunity to work with premium industry-leading brands.
- A diverse and interesting role where no two days are the same.
- The chance to become a key leader within a respected and growing business.
If you are an experienced retail leader who enjoys developing teams, managing operations, and learning highly specialised products, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply now and become part of the Flues & Fires team.
Pay: $70,000.00 – $80,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
