Retail Area Manager

We are looking for a Retail Area Manager (12 months fixed term contract) to help deliver results and drive teams and sites forward across an amazing set of locations in the UK. Moleskine is seeking a proven multi-site manager who has demonstrable experience of managing businesses across a diverse geographical area. You will lead a high performing team but will be able to focus on what’s needed to keep the business growing and delivering results.

The role of Area Manager will maximise sales performance for all stores of the Area of competence (Direct Stores, Concessions, Co-retailing and Pop Ups), by monitoring business performance, being constantly up to date on market changes and client needs, developing commercial actions accordingly to client needs, ensuring high quality and efficiency standards, guaranteeing regular field presence, supporting events and in-store activations.

Responsible for Direct Stores, Concessions, Co-retailing and Pop Ups for the following activities:

• Own and continuously refine the sales strategy to deliver against ambitious retail monthly growth targets.
• Lead forecasting, sales performance analysis and full P&L management for all retail activity.
• Act as a strategic lead for all retail stores, nurturing strong, trust-based relationships with landlords and stakeholders.
• Ensure excellent customer experience and consistent brand standards across all stores.
• Liaising and networking with head office, ensuring relationships are established with all key stakeholders.
• Constantly monitor local stores’ KPIs (such as average ticket, traffic through the stores, conversion rate, UPT, CRM Registration) and provide guidance and support to stores in carrying out their activities in order to maximise sales results, as well as helping them solve issues.
• Prepare weekly and monthly reports and analysis with Country Director.
• Monthly allocate store budgets, in agreement with Country Director, and constantly monitor related store costs.
• Motivate, train and coach store staff on new product launches, visual merchandising guidelines, selling techniques, selling ceremony, store procedures, in collaboration with other departments.
• Assist Global Team with Retail Manager Meetings both in UK and abroad.
• Guarantee the right profiles in the store teams, directly or through supervising management company in activities such as recruiting, job rotation, planning, stock assortment, etc.
• Collaborate with VM to ensure relevant exposure of products accordingly with the product assortment/collection, store capacity and different client needs.
• Visit stores to coach in-store visual merchandising or sales teams to interpret the guidelines and train them in the execution of the visual concept.
• Coordinate store repairs, improvements and/or new VM solutions with its correlating teams, in order to minimise any negative outcomes.
• Work in conjunction with Marketing team to bring in-store activities and develop local magic.
• Support new store opening & closing, guaranteeing the respect of the original P&L, staff recruiting & onboarding, store set up.
• Build a solid Corporate and clientele relationship with support of Store Managers, in order to grow the business and nurture special partnerships.

Skills Requirements:

• Analytical, data-driven, and confident in navigating P&L’s, forecasts, and category performance.
• Exceptional communicator and negotiator, collaborative and solutions focused.
• A hands-on, people-first leadership style.
• A deep understanding of retail, KPIs, compliance and the customer journey.
• Strongly client oriented.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Able to coordinate a team of store managers/sales assistants.
• Flexibility and ability to work autonomously and to be effective in Start Up environment.
• Strongly proactive approach and goal oriented.
• Ability to follow multiple projects simultaneously.
• Experience as a Retail Area Manager, Retail Sales & Operations Manager or Account Manager, preferably in luxury/lifestyle brands with hard reporting.
• Fluent in English.