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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and shape the retail strategy for a nationwide showroom portfolio.
- Company: Join a dynamic company focused on growth and customer experience.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus potential, and a company car.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in retail leadership and drive transformation.
- Qualifications: Significant senior retail leadership experience and strong commercial skills.
- Other info: Opportunity to inspire teams and influence company culture.
The predicted salary is between 52000 - 78000 ÂŁ per year.
Simon Acres Recruitment are looking for a Head of Retail who will take overall ownership for the performance, profitability, and operational delivery of our client's nationwide showroom portfolio. This senior leadership role is responsible for shaping the direction of the retail estate, setting the strategy, and ensuring showroom sales, customer experience, and brand presentation consistently support long‑term business growth.
Package
- Salary: ÂŁ65,000 (Negotiable DOE)
- Bonus: Up to ÂŁ15,000 (Capped)
- Company car
Key responsibilities of the Head Of Retail
- End‑to‑end responsibility for the retail P&L across all showroom locations
- Ownership of the retail strategy, including sales growth, market expansion, and operational improvement
- Leadership of the senior retail management structure rather than individual store‑level management
- Senior commercial influence, with regular contribution at board level to wider business strategy
Retail Strategy & Growth
- Develop and execute a long‑term retail strategy aligned with our client's goals and market dynamics
- Set, manage, and deliver sales and profit targets across the entire retail estate
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, and capital investment planning, including new store openings and refurbishment projects
- Analyse market conditions and competitor activity to support commercial decision‑making and site acquisition opportunities
Commercial Performance
- Establish clear KPIs for Store and Regional Management teams, ensuring accountability for results
- Review trading performance, addressing underperformance with structured improvement plans
- Drive revenue growth through informed decisions around pricing, promotions, stock mix, and conversion performance
- Implement margin improvement and cost‑control initiatives without compromising customer experience
Retail Operations
- Ensure consistent operational standards, compliance, and best practice across all showroom locations
- Approve and manage major store changes, including openings, relocations, refurbishments, and closures
- Champion brand standards and visual merchandising to deliver a high‑quality, consistent customer journey
- Lead the end‑to‑end process for new store launches, including recruitment and showroom fit‑out
Leadership & People Development
- Inspire, develop, and lead senior retail teams, building strong succession and leadership capability, creating a culture of performance, ownership, and collaboration across the retail function
- Oversee recruitment, development, and performance management for all retail roles
- Act as a visible senior leader, embedding company values and driving cultural and behavioural change
Customer Experience & Brand
- Champion a customer‑first mindset across all showrooms
- Use customer insight and feedback to shape continuous improvement initiatives
- Represent the brand as a senior ambassador internally and externally
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Significant senior retail leadership experience, ideally operating at Head of Retail or Retail Director level, with demonstrable success in driving growth and transformation across a multi‑site retail operation
- Full P&L accountability with a strong track record of delivering profitability
- Advanced commercial and financial capability, including management of large budgets
- Experience presenting to and influencing senior leadership or board‑level stakeholders, and strong understanding of retail operations, merchandising, customer experience, and compliance
Desirable
- Background within furniture or home interiors retail
- Experience supporting digital change or omnichannel retail strategies
- Formal leadership or commercial strategy training
Essential Attributes
- Strategic and visionary, with the ability to translate plans into practical delivery
- Commercially focused and driven by measurable results
- Credible, engaging leader able to influence at senior levels with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Strong analytical and decision‑making capability, and comfortable balancing long‑term strategy with short‑term commercial priorities
- Resilient, adaptable, and confident leading change in a fast‑paced environment
Head Of Retail employer: Simon Acres Group
Contact Detail:
Simon Acres Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Of Retail
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the retail industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its competitors. Understand their retail strategy and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out as someone who’s not just looking for any job, but is genuinely interested in contributing to their success.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! When you get the chance to speak with potential employers, highlight your experience in leading teams and driving performance. Share specific examples of how you've improved sales or customer experience in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of resources to help you land that Head of Retail role. Plus, applying directly shows your enthusiasm and commitment to joining our team. Let’s make it happen!
We think you need these skills to ace Head Of Retail
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Retail role. Highlight your senior retail leadership experience and any achievements that demonstrate your ability to drive growth and transformation across multiple sites.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Use it to showcase your strategic vision and how your past experiences align with our client's goals and market dynamics.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: In your application, emphasise your leadership style and how you've inspired and developed teams in the past. We want to see how you can build a culture of performance and collaboration within the retail function.
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Simon Acres Group
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Head of Retail, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on your P&L management skills and be ready to discuss specific figures from your past roles. Show how you've driven profitability and growth through data-driven decisions.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
Prepare to articulate your vision for the retail strategy. Think about how you would align it with the company's goals and market dynamics. Be ready to discuss examples of how you've successfully executed long-term strategies in previous positions.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership capabilities. Prepare examples of how you've inspired and developed senior teams. Highlight your experience in building a culture of performance and collaboration, and be ready to discuss how you handle underperformance.
✨Customer-Centric Mindset
Since customer experience is key, think about how you've championed a customer-first approach in your previous roles. Be prepared to share insights on how you've used customer feedback to drive improvements and enhance brand presentation.
