Head of Retail

Jewells; Camden Town; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fashion jewellery brand is seeking a Head of Retail to take ownership of retail operations across the UK. The role involves leading teams, driving performance, and overseeing new store openings. The ideal candidate will have significant leadership experience in retail, knowledge of compliance regulations, and a strong commercial acumen, all while being energetic and results-driven.

Benefits

Competitive base salary of £80,000 – £100,000

Direct reporting line to the CEO

Opportunity for career advancement

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience overseeing a portfolio of 20-30+ retail stores.
• Track record of leading successful new store openings across operations and compliance.
• Experience engaging with councils to secure licenses and ensure regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire teams across multiple UK stores.
• Oversee retail operations and manage P&L performance.
• Drive sales growth with a focus on customer-first execution.

Skills

Leadership experience overseeing retail stores

Track record of new store openings

P&L accountability

Retail operations expertise

Customer engagement strategies

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Job description

Overview

Head of Retail | Location: UK-wide, regular store visits required. Salary: £80,000 – £100,000. Reports to: CEO.

As a fast-growing fashion jewellery brand with ambitious store rollout plans, we are seeking a Head of Retail to take full ownership of retail operations and play a defining role in our growth story.

This role isn’t for someone who just wants to manage stores — it’s for a retail rockstar. Someone who thrives on pace, pressure, and challenge. Someone ambitious, fresh, and driven — ready to step up from running a territory of 20–30+ stores to shaping the retail engine of a brand in rapid growth.

You’ll be hands-on in stores, pushing teams to deliver their best, while also steering strategy, recruitment, compliance, and operational excellence. Always going above and beyond, you’ll bring energy and vision, ensuring every store is a true brand experience while delivering sharp commercial results.

What You’ll Do

• Lead, inspire, and support Regional/Area Managers across the UK, setting clear standards and expectations.
• Take full ownership of recruitment operations and rotas with Regional Managers, ensuring stores are staffed efficiently with the right teams at the right times to budget.
• Drive consistent retail performance with a laser focus on sales, profitability, and customer-first execution.
• Oversee retail operations and visual merchandising across stores, embedding best practice and consistent brand standards.
• Act as the link between boardroom strategy and in-store execution, making growth plans real.
• Partner with the CEO on sales performance, growth strategy, and retail expansion.
• Lead and deliver multiple new store openings – managing everything from recruitment and training through to operations and customer launch.
• Work with local councils and authorities to ensure all piercing services meet compliance and licensing requirements.
• Take full accountability for P&L performance across the retail estate.

What You’ll Bring

• Proven leadership experience overseeing a portfolio of 20–30+ retail stores (fashion, jewellery, beauty, or lifestyle preferred).
• Proven track record of leading successful new store openings — across operations, recruitment, training, and compliance.
• Experience engaging with councils and local authorities to secure licences and ensure regulatory compliance (particularly for piercing or other regulated services).
• A hunger to step up into a bigger role with full end-to-end retail responsibility.
• A track record of driving sales growth, efficiency, and customer engagement at scale.
• Energy, ambition, and the ability to inspire teams at every level.
• Strong commercial acumen, with P&L accountability experience.
• Resilience, adaptability, and a love of pace and pressure.
• Hands-on approach - thrives on being in stores, not just behind a desk.

Competencies

• Strategic & Transformational Leadership
• New Store Openings & Launch Management
• Regulatory Compliance & Council Engagement
• Recruitment & Workforce Planning
• P&L Management & Sales Forecasting
• Retail Operations & Inventory Management
• Loss Prevention & Profit Protection
• Team Development, Training & Coaching
• Visual Merchandising

Personal Attributes

• A retail rockstar: fresh, energetic, ambitious
• Thrives in high-pressure, high-growth environments
• Entrepreneurial and commercially sharp.
• Tenacious — never settles for “good enough”
• Results-driven and deadline-focused.
• Engaging communicator and natural motivator.

What’s on Offer

• Competitive base salary of £80,000 – £100,000
• Direct reporting line to the CEO with significant influence on retail strategy
• A career-defining step up into a senior leadership role
• The chance to shape the customer experience for the UK’s most exciting fashion jewellery brand.