Retail Manager - Department Store Boutiques

Job description

Since the legend's reincarnation in 1994, A. Lange & Söhne has been one of the most respected and successful watch brands in the luxury sector. Our whole aim is to continue our tradition with new, outstanding products, very much in keeping with Lange's claim: State-of-the-art tradition. What we expect from our watches, we expect from us: Never stand still.

ABOUT A. LANGE & SÖHNE

Since the legend's reincarnation in 1994, A. Lange & Söhne has been one of the most respected and successful watch brands in the luxury sector. Our whole aim is to continue our tradition with new, outstanding products, very much in keeping with Lange's claim: State-of-the-art tradition. What we expect from our watches, we expect from us: Never stand still.

PURPOSE

As the Retail Manager - department store boutiques of A. Lange & Söhne, you execute the global retail strategy, drive sales, accelerate changes that drive client acquisition and elevate the brand to new heights of excellence.  Leading a team of boutique managers, you cultivate a culture for a collaborative and high performing regional retail community and oversee all facets of internal boutique operations in department store boutiques, from sales leads and client development to operational controls ensuring the brand guidelines are respected. Embodying the brand values, you serve as a passionate Brand Ambassador, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and representing A. Lange & Söhne at various engagements and events. Collaborating cross-functionally with marketing and merchandising as well as retail manager for street boutiques and HQ, you ensure alignment and adherence to overarching regional brand strategic objectives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. RETAIL PERFORMANCE

• In charge of internal boutiques at department stores.

• Collaborate with other Retail manager in charge of ALS street boutiques, where harmonization, optimization bring high added values.

• Identify and maximize turnover opportunities while respecting the brand product and commercial strategies as well as Retail guidelines defined by HQ. Develop and implement action plans to reach boutique teams’ KPIs and productivity.

• Assess sales potential, define targets and motivate boutique teams to achieve sales goals.

• Address low-performance swiftly and through concrete action plans.

• Direct sales leads conversion. Activate product launches, events, walk-ins and CRM campaigns.

• Provide accurate sales forecasts.

• Assign resources, define and control retail budgets (e.g. sales, EBIT, PL, HR, T&E, boutique operations).

• Collaborate effectively across functions, such as Marketing, Operations, HR.

• Identify and negotiate with relevant stakeholders to meet the needs of boutiques (e.g. products, activations, headcount, skills...)

• Participate in monthly boutique meetings and quarterly meetings with HQ. Ensure Retail webinars are understood by all boutique managers and their teams.

• Remain aware of market trends. Provide assessments of Boutique and competitors’ performance (e.g. sales, opening/closing, department store activities) to management and HQ.

• Provide regular feedback to HQ concerning change in customer behavior and comments (e.g. our product prices in relation to other brands or regions, customer service, demands)

B. CLIENT DEVELOPMENT AND CRM

• Coach and train the department store retail force how to approach and develop sustainable relationships with gaisho and their clients.

• Support teams achieve sales through client relationships.

• Direct client leads conversion. Support boutique managers plan approaches.

• Define regional client recruitment strategies with regional CRM and marketing experts.

• Support the optimization of client KPIs and Customer Equation.

• Contribute to planning and execution of brand marketing activities.

• Entertain and manage selected Retail VIPs.

• Enhance customer’s in-store experience via a consistent selling ceremony.

• Resolve department sore, gaisho and client complaints. 

C. RETAIL STRATEGY & NETWORK DEVELOPMENT

• Master the evolving Retail guidelines, key product and validation processes as well as global commercial strategy defined by HQ. 

• Identify local opportunities, based on the global strategies.  Evaluate and propose short and mid-term retail network development scenarios, focusing on the national department store network and the role of department store boutiques and street boutiques.

- Quantify the potential sales and maturity timing for each scenario

- Include department store traffic, department store gaisho with the existing partners as well as department store gaisho from potential partners, and activation/event-triggered sales

• Develop and maintain prosperous relationships with department store key stakeholders.

• Contribute to annual regional strategic plans.  Translate the brand’s global retail strategies into regional action plans.

• Contribute to the development of regional 5-year plans (e.g. estimate TO, sqm, FTE, traffic).

• Engage boutique managers with brand/retail initiatives. Drive change management as the strategy evolves.

• Contribute to new boutique opening, relocation and renovation projects.

• In collaboration with SDP, regularly control boutique and display conditions.

• Review retail headcount, propose and implement organization changes

• Increase synergies among boutiques. Reduce harmful inconsistencies with other distribution channels, if any.

D. CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Integrate customer service business into retail business model.

• Identify opportunities, challenges and develop customer service action plans with HQ Sales.

• Resolve poor customer service performance. Partner with Retail Operations Director and HQ with service cases involving difficult and sensitive end-clients.

• Supervise implementation and localization of the brand customer service organization, guidelines, policies and processes.

E. LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

• Identify necessary retail capabilities to deliver the brand retail strategy.

• Develop boutique managers’ skills: management, leadership and coaching to ensure continuous personal growth, development of competencies and expertise.

• Develop and submit retail training plan to Akademie.

• Partner with Akademie. Monitor regional progress. Address training needs.

• Encourage and accompany in-store training sessions. Highlight best practices and diffuse learnings among boutiques to promote continuous improvement.

• Respond to and encourage talent and skills development through re-organization, role re-alignment, mobility opportunities, offering visibility, transfers and promotions.

F. TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Develop new boutique managers and assistant boutique managers. Coach and share knowhow to improve strategic thinking, store and team management and sales skills. Propose development plans. Assess outcomes and take actions. 

• Enable success of Retail team with decision support, good energy, resources, shared services and best practice exchanges.

• Develop trusting relationships with boutique managers. Facilitate round-table discussions, collective rewards and team member bonding within the retail community.

• Identify success profiles and talent planning to define career paths and promote advancement.

• Maintain active HR notes on team performance. Deliver annual evaluations (MPJ).

• Participate in the hiring of boutique managers, boutique teams and other retail positions.

• Execute onboarding, coaching and training of boutique managers and other retail positions.

• Handle retail teams’ HR issues.

• Work with HR and HQ team to ensure equitable remuneration policies, commission and incentive schemes.