Head of Retail

Head of Retail

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Retail Director to lead our European store portfolio of 10+ locations. This executive leader will be responsible for driving revenue, profitability, and market expansion while ensuring alignment with our brand identity, team leadership, cross-functional alignment, and customer experience. This is a pivotal role based in our Paris corporate office, focused on elevating our retail presence through exceptional operational execution, talent development, and strategic innovation. We are looking for a very hands on leader who is passionate about spending time in stores is able to work in an entrepreneurial environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Growth

• Develop and execute a multi-year retail growth strategy for Europe, including new store openings, existing market development, and performance optimization.
• Participate and work closely with Managing Director to identify and evaluate new market opportunities and lead the brand’s entry into targeted geographies, aligning with broader brand and business goals.
• Partner with executive leadership on long-term business planning, organizational structure, and investment priorities for the retail channel.

Operational Excellence

• Own full P&L responsibility for the European retail business; ensure financial targets are met or exceeded.
• Drive consistent in-store execution standards, customer service excellence, and operational efficiency across all locations.
• Establish and oversee KPIs to measure success across sales, conversion, traffic, clienteling, and profitability.
• Maintain and elevate innovative service models and experiential retail strategies to enhance brand connection.
• Lead store openings execution to the highest standards

Clienteling & Events

• Drive the strategic vision and execution of personalized engagement initiatives to build lasting client relationships and maximize lifetime value.
• Champion a client-first culture across all locations, aligning teams around brand values to elevate customer experience, deepen engagement, and boost revenue.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Events to deliver immersive, community-driven brand experiences that strengthen client connections and enhance retention.
• Lead the rollout of innovative service models and experiential retail tactics that enhance in-store connection.

Brand Alignment & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Ensure retail initiatives are aligned with the brand’s overall messaging and positioning across all touchpoints.
• Collaborate closely with Planning & Allocation, Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, and Events to ensure optimal product flow, brand storytelling, and marketing synergy.

People Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and inspire a high-performing field leadership team, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and results.
• Drive succession planning, talent development, and training programs that enhance store leadership capabilities and elevate the customer experience.
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in team building and talent strategy.
• Collaborate with HR to attract, onboard, and retain top talent across all retail functions.

Qualifications:

• Minimum [12] years of progressive leadership experience in retail, ideally within the fashion, lifestyle, or luxury sectors.
• Proven success in leading multi-store operations, driving revenue, managing large P&Ls, and expanding into new markets.
• Deep understanding of retail metrics, customer behaviors, and omnichannel dynamics.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills with a collaborative and results-driven approach.
• Executive presence, strategic agility, and exceptional communication skills.
• Willingness to travel approximately 50% across Europe.