Head of Business Development - Wholesale

Pandora; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned luxury jewelry brand in the UK is seeking a Head of Business Development to lead brand expansion and drive strategic partnerships across retail and wholesale channels. This pivotal role requires 10–15 years of commercial leadership, strong negotiation skills, and experience in premium consumer goods. The successful candidate will build long-term partnerships, enhance brand visibility, and oversee revenue growth strategies. This position offers competitive salary, hybrid working flexibility, and various employee benefits including private healthcare and generous bonuses.

Benefits

Competitive salary and regular reviews

Generous bonus scheme

Hybrid working flexibility

Private healthcare

Employee discounts

Wellness resources and support

Recognition programs

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of progressive commercial leadership in wholesale or channel strategy.
• Proven track record in building partnerships with major retailers.
• Strong financial acumen and negotiation experience.
• Experience in premium consumer goods, especially luxury products.
• Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive brand expansion through strategic partnerships.
• Identify and negotiate high-impact partnerships.
• Build long-term joint business plans with wholesale partners.
• Own the wholesale revenue strategy and drive growth.
• Lead annual business planning and market development.

Skills

Negotation skills

Commercial leadership

Relationship-building

Organizational influence

Job description

The Head of Business Development is responsible for driving brand expansion, unlocking new revenue opportunities, and strengthening the company's presence across key accounts in retail, wholesale, mono‑brand, and concession channels. This executive will lead strategic partnerships, accelerate growth across the wholesale ecosystem, and architect market strategies that maximize brand penetration, customer value, and category performance. The role combines commercial acumen, strategic leadership, and deep industry expertise, particularly with major retailers, prestige distributors, and luxury points of sale. This leader will play a pivotal role in shaping the markets multi‑channel growth blueprint and building high‑value, future‑ready wholesale capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Identify, negotiate, and secure high‑impact partnerships with major retailers, luxury distributors, department stores, specialty boutiques, and emerging premium channels.
• Expand the brand's reach by developing new wholesale channels, global market entries, and strategic alliances.
• Build long‑term joint business plans (JBPs) with wholesale partners to enhance visibility, elevate brand equity, and maximize in‑store and online presence.
• Build an operating blueprint for the market inclusive of contract structures, discount and margin architecture, and other foundations of the operating model.
• Serve as senior relationship owner for top accounts, ensuring strategic alignment and operational excellence.
• Own and drive the wholesale revenue strategy, delivering targets for sell‑in, sell‑through, profitability, and category penetration.
• Lead commercial planning across assortment, pricing, promotions, trade investment, and retail media programs.
• Partner with Finance and Sales Operations to optimize demand planning, forecast accuracy, and account profitability.
• Unlock incremental growth opportunities through distribution expansion, strategic exclusives, and tailored retail initiatives.
• Champion innovative wholesale models, partnerships, and go‑to‑market strategies that differentiate the brand in premium and luxury retail environments.
• Introduce new merchandising concepts, elevated retail experiences, and next‑generation wholesale capabilities.
• Evaluate and pilot emerging opportunities such as experiential retail, digital wholesale hybrids, data‑driven assortments, and tech‑enabled partner programmes.
• Foster a culture of creative commercial thinking and continuous improvement across the business development team.
• Drive a partner‑ and shopper‑centric approach to wholesale growth by leveraging customer insights, retailer data, loyalty behaviours, and market analytics.
• Ensure that the brand experience is consistent, premium, and tailored across all wholesale touchpoints – both in‑store and digital.
• Collaborate with Marketing, CX, and Product teams to enhance customer engagement through curated assortments, personalised programmes, and premium retail activations.
• Strengthen relationships with key accounts by anticipating partner needs and delivering differentiated value propositions.
• Develop and manage the wholesale portfolio strategy across categories, geographies, and channel tiers to maximise long‑term brand and revenue impact.
• Oversee market segmentation, competitive benchmarking, and channel prioritisation to guide distribution decisions.
• Align product strategy with retail partners to ensure the right products, at the right depth, for each market and retail environment.
• Lead annual business planning – including strategic forecasts, sell‑in objectives, and market development roadmaps.

Qualifications

• 10‑15+ years of progressive commercial leadership in wholesale, business development, key account management, or channel strategy.
• Proven track record of building and scaling partnerships with major retailers, prestige distributors, and other points of sale. Experience in luxury is a benefit.
• Strong commercial profile with deep negotiation experience, financial acumen, and business planning expertise. Strong presentation skills, a compelling and influential presence that can act as a brand ambassador.
• Ability to operate at both strategic and operational levels, driving long‑term value while delivering near‑term results. Very hands‑on today and building foundations for future tomorrow. Experience in premium consumer goods, Jewellery, beauty, fashion, lifestyle, or adjacent industries strongly preferred. Product assortment and merchandising experience are also desired.
• Exceptional relationship‑building, communication, and organisational influence skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage cross‑functional partners, and thrive in a fast‑paced, growth‑oriented environment.

Benefits and Compensation

• Career Development & Growth: Be at the forefront of an inspiring journey with tailored development plans, mentorship, and regular reviews to ensure you are on track to achieving your goals.
• Competitive Salary & Regular Reviews: We make sure your efforts are rewarded fairly, with regular opportunities to review your progress and success.
• Generous Bonus Scheme: Your hard work doesn't go unnoticed, with opportunities to earn performance‑related bonuses.
• Hybrid Working Flexibility: Strike the perfect balance between collaboration and focus, with three office days and two work‑from‑home days between Monday and Thursday.
• Early Finish Fridays: Start your weekends early by finishing work at 3 PM every Friday.
• Private Healthcare: Your wellbeing is our priority, with access to private healthcare that keeps you covered.
• Employee Discounts & Perks: Enjoy 55 % off Pandora products and exclusive access to discounted brands, cinema tickets, gym memberships, holidays, and more.
• Annual Leave & Flexibility: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell leave, and your birthday off to celebrate you.
• Wellness Hub & Support: Access wellness resources and a dedicated Employee Assistance Programme offering free, confidential support 24/7.
• Recognition & Celebrations: Your achievements are our success. With a recognition programme and regular celebrations, we ensure every success is shared and appreciated.

If you're ready to take the next step in crafting your incredible career, join us and let's build something extraordinary together.