Retail Partnership
Your next business adventure starts right here
Bring your whole self to the business
So, you've always wanted to run your own business but don't know where to start? Well, our Retail Partnerships mean you can own and run your own Specsavers store. You’ll work closely with your optometrist and audiology partner to ensure your team can deliver the best possible customer outcomes. It’s down to you to decide how to grow your business and help colleagues develop alongside. And we’re here to help you achieve it all with our support teams in HR and recruitment, marketing, finance and more.
View OpportunitiesHow it works
Typically, when you invest in a store, you take on joint ownership with an optometry partner. Together, you both hold shares in the business, your partner leads the clinical side and you're responsible for the retail business. If you have the ambition, there is plenty of opportunity here. As a partner, you’ll also receive a salary as an employee as well as your share of profits. Working closely with your partner, you’ll be in charge of running the day-to-day business, developing your teams and growing the store. And if the time comes and you’re ready to sell, we’ll help you find a buyer.
Pathways to partnership
Not sure if you’re ready yet? Or if it’s the right choice for you? Pathway might be the perfect next step. It’s our six-month development program designed for experienced optometry and retail team members already working in our Specsavers stores. The program is a 6-month end-to-end course, which equips aspiring business owners with the knowledge and development they need to play a lead role in the future of Specsavers as Joint Venture Partners. We’re always happy to have a chat about how we can help you get to where you want to be.
Contact us to find out moreWe love a good question!
Want to know more about the support on offer? Curious about who can become a partner? Check out our FAQs to find out more.
If you're considering your next step and wondering whether Pathway is right for you, you're in the right place. The Pathway program is designed for team members who are ready to explore the journey toward becoming a Joint Venture Partner.
To be eligible, candidates typically meet the following criteria:
- You’re working full-time in a Specsavers store in a leadership position.
- You’ve ideally completed both the Supervisor Program and MAP training.
- You’ve received a nomination from your Store Partner and Regional Relationship Manager.
- You’ve successfully completed the Pathway Pre-Assessment.
- You’re beginning to demonstrate early-stage leadership and commercial acumen.
If you're currently working in-store, speak with your store partner to express your interest in joining the Pathway program. If you're not currently part of Specsavers, that's absolutely fine. You can reach out to our SRS team to learn more about available in-store roles and how you can begin your journey.
To be eligible for a Joint Venture Partnership opportunity at Specsavers, candidates must be currently working in one of our stores and have successfully completed the Pathway program.
The cost of becoming a partner varies, as each store’s shares are valued differently. These details are only disclosed once you’ve been identified as the preferred candidate for the opportunity. To support aspiring partners, Specsavers offers accessible financial assistance through a dedicated Specsavers loan, helping to make ownership more achievable.
Specsavers operates under a unique Joint Venture Partnership model, where ownership is split between A and B shares. A shareholders, who are optometrists or retail professionals, are the partners in the business. B shares are held by Specsavers, which provides the brand, supply chain and business support.
Partners enter into a Shareholders Agreement with Specsavers that outlines their responsibilities. As A shareholders, they are entitled to receive dividends. They also take on multiple roles as shareholders, directors and employees of the store, with an employment contract that defines their day-to-day obligations.
This model has been successfully implemented across the globe and continues to offer partners the opportunity to run their own business with the backing of a trusted brand.
Becoming an Retail partner with Specsavers is simple, and you’re never on your own.
The back-office service provided from our Port Melbourne Support Office is the unsung hero of the Specsavers partnership model. Saving our store partners untold time, effort and headaches, we take a mountain of day-to-day administration work off their hands.
We have a collective support team of over 500 talented people who support our partners with an array of services, from recruitment, local area marketing and store design, retail consulting, training and development, back-office accounting – the list goes on.
We manage each business’s accounts payable and quarterly BAS; produce easy to read monthly P&L accounts and end of year financial statements which detail how each individual business is tracking. We manage the payment of all taxes and paydown of any business loans; and we also make a regular distribution of profits to all partners – while making sure there is a sensible buffer of cash left in the business to cover next month’s expenditure.
This support structure is what makes our partnership model truly unique, freeing our partners to focus on delivering exceptional care while we take care of the rest.
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Salary
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Store ID
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Contract Duration
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Area of Interest
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Location
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Description
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Reference
sf-88364-1
Expiry Date
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Author
Gabby BlairAuthor
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Expiry Date
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Salary
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Location
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Description
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Reference
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Expiry Date
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