Samuel Mugo Waweru
Department Manager - Decathlon Kenya
Westlands
Summary
Decathlon professional with 6+ years of progressive experience since 2020, building expertise across e-commerce, cash and reconciliation, whole-store operations, sport leadership, events, people development and department management. Currently a Department Manager at Decathlon Westgate, with previous experience as a Business Captain, Reconciliation Referent, Human Organiser Assistant Referent, E-commerce Assistant Referent and contributor to Operations Manager development during the Mombasa expansion. Seeking an internal transition into Store Operations / Store Leadership anywhere in the world where English can be used as a main language, bringing established Decathlon knowledge while expanding into a larger and different operating environment.
Overview
3
3
Languages
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Department Manager
Decathlon Kenya
09.2026 - Current
- Lead the Ball Sports, Target Sports and Collective department, covering football, basketball, tennis, darts, archery, beach volleyball and related categories. Total team of 8.
- Manage daily department operations, ensuring product availability, customer experience and commercial execution
- Monitor stock levels and coordinate replenishment to maintain availability and reduce inventory gaps.
- Drive department performance through sales targets, merchandising, product placement and commercial priorities
- Lead and support the team in delivering daily objectives, maintaining operational standards and developing individual performance.
- Apply previous whole-store operational experience to daily decision making, problem solving and department performance
RECONCILIATION / TILLS REFERENT
Decathlon Kenya
07.2025 - 08.2026
- Investigated financial discrepancies involving receipts, cash, exchanges, gift cards, event activations, donations and till errors.
- Developed practical understanding of financial controls, exception management and transaction accuracy* beyond basic customer-service operations.
- Maintained reconciliation responsibilities while progressing into wider leadership and operational roles.
EVENTS & TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Decathlon Kenya
01.2023 - 08.2026
- Became a country-level reference for team building and bonding, introducing outdoor activities including mountain and camping experiences for Sport Leaders
- Coordinated the Decathlon Sports Festival 2026, bringing together 24 partner organizations and 9,000+ sport users over three days.
- Contributed to store results of approximately +38.8% customer traffic, +41.2% quantities sold and +48% GMV, reaching approximately KES 6.17M GMV during the activation.
- Managed external partners and internal stakeholders while connecting event execution, customer experience and commercial performance.
BUSINESS CAPTAIN / WHOLE-STORE OPERATIONS
Decathlon Kenya
01.2021 - 08.2026
- Led the store during assigned shifts with responsibility for opening readiness, team briefings, daily targets, alarms, cleaning, customer issues, permits, contractors, maintenance and operational incidents.
- Took ownership of emergency situations, including containment and evacuation procedures, ensuring safety and business continuity.
- Managed operational decisions with significant autonomy, becoming a reference point for other Business Captains when complex situations required escalation or judgement.
- Identified behavioural productivity leakage, including excessive phone use and extended breaks, and worked with Store Leadership and Wellbeing to address performance and improve operational discipline.
OPERATIONS MANAGER DEVELOPMENT
Decathlon Kenya
07.2025 - 01.2026
- Nominated for Operations Manager development during the Mombasa store expansion.
- Developed exposure to stock and inventory management, shrinkage, operational supplies, requisitions, invoices, contractors, store efficiency and collaboration with Department Managers
- Although the expansion structure changed and the formal Operations Manager appointment did not materialise, the development broadened operational capability and prepared the foundation for subsequent leadership roles.
Education
Bachelors Degree - Sustainable Tourism And Hospitality Management
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
Nyeri Kenya 04.2001 -
Skills
Customer service
Staff management
Team leadership
Safety and security
Problem-solving
Operations management
Time management
Team building
Performance evaluation
Managing operations and efficiency
Timeline
Department Manager
Decathlon Kenya
09.2026 - Current
RECONCILIATION / TILLS REFERENT
Decathlon Kenya
07.2025 - 08.2026
OPERATIONS MANAGER DEVELOPMENT
Decathlon Kenya
07.2025 - 01.2026
EVENTS & TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Decathlon Kenya
01.2023 - 08.2026
BUSINESS CAPTAIN / WHOLE-STORE OPERATIONS
Decathlon Kenya
01.2021 - 08.2026
Bachelors Degree - Sustainable Tourism And Hospitality Management
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
04.2001 -