Head of Retail

AL813: Head of Retail
Salary: £45,000 - £50,000
Location: Covent Garden, London

Overview: First Military Recruitment are currently seeking a Head of Retail on behalf of one of our clients. We require a person who has proven experience in handling all the aspects of managing and operating a small retail business from stock replenishment, merchandising and invoicing through to the creative side of product development and visual merchandising.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead merchandise planning and buying, product development, sourcing, supplier negotiations and pricing for both online and in-store.
• Supervise stock control through forecast sales and appropriate stock cover. Implement a replenishment process to ensure orders are placed in a timely manner and core items are stocked at all times.
• Manage the visual merchandising, with clear direction on standards for visually appealing and commercially driven retail layouts and displays.
• Direct the development and delivery of an eCommerce strategy which grows revenue and profitability through increasing traffic, conversion rate and average order value.
• Manage the Shopify account effectively and efficiently, supported by the eCommerce executive, maximise the appeal of the online product range and ensure accurate stock control across the EPoS and Shopify platforms.
• Oversee day-to-day website performance identifying potential issues and viable solutions in relation to trading performance, analyse and interpret sales data, market trends, and competitor activity to inform strategic decisions.
• Lead, inspire and motivate the Retail and Visitor Services Team to optimise profitability, encouraging them to achieve and exceed budgeted targets.
• Oversee the smooth and safe running of daily operations to include health and safety issues, annual performance development, staff rotas, cash handling, banking and EPoS reporting.
• Audit review of current systems and processes to improve profitability, activity management, reporting and operations.
• Collaborate with Communications Department to develop and implement a marketing strategy for Retail, eCommerce and public tours.
• Implement strategies and external partnerships to enhance the visitor experience and develop the guided tours programs.
• Ensure a communication structure is in place between Visitor Services and Room Bookings department, to maximise public guided and group tour potential.
• Implement a new program of customer feedback surveys; identify key trends through analysing data, reports and customer feedback to make continuous improvements.
• Oversee volunteer recruitment and retention.
• Agree strategies with the Director of Commercial and Finance Director. Ensuring that the shop achieves its financial budgets from a sales and cost point of view.
• Responsible for implementing all financial procedures within the shop (Shopify) and visitor services online ticketing platform (Eventbrite). Ensuring that all financial transactions are accurately recorded, and procedures adhered to by all staff.
• Contribute to monthly and year end reporting requirements including data analysis of online sales, stock provision and stock on hand reports.
• Working in collaboration with other departments identify revenue generating and cross promotional opportunities.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Proven track record in retail management with specific profit and loss responsibility.
• Solid knowledge of Ecommerce, particularly use of Shopify.
• Senior management experience.
• Operational and customer service experience of producing management information, strategy documents and operational procedures.
• Excellent financial, business management and planning skills with proven budget management responsibility.
• Strong supplier management and negotiation skills.
• Brilliant communication and interpersonal skills gained through experience of managing multi-disciplinary teams, plus the ability to demonstrate this with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to think creatively and pragmatically, whilst driving improvement and change in a busy environment.
• Collaborative approach to problem solving.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Computer literate with good word processing and Excel skills and experience of using databases, EPOS and stock control systems.

Benefits:

• BUPA private medical cover.
• Pension (3.5% employee & 9% employer contributions – increasing to 12%).
• Free life assurance.
• Holiday (25 days increasing to 30 days).
• Interest free season ticket loan.
• Gym membership (subsidised).
• Employee assistance programme.
• Flexible working.