Head of Retail - Travel

JR United Kingdom; Guildford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading company in the travel sector is seeking a Head of Retail to enhance its strategies in duty-free and travel retail. You will be responsible for managing overall retail execution and strategy, driving sales in a dynamic environment, and building strong relationships with various stakeholders. This role offers the potential for part-time engagement initially, transitioning to a full-time commitment based on business needs.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years experience in high-volume retail.
• Experience in duty-free, travel retail, or similar environments.
• Proven financial acumen with budget management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement retail strategy, drive sales targets.
• Oversee retail operations from inventory management to service delivery.
• Build relationships with authorities and manage bids for concessions.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Interpersonal Skills

Sales Growth

Budget Management

Job description

Social network you want to login/join with:

The Change Partners - Global talent specialists for a connected world

Location:

guildford, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

EU work permit required:

Yes

Job Views:

4

Posted:

04.06.2025

Expiry Date:

19.07.2025

Job Description:

The Change Partners are working with an iconic Travel brand who are looking for a Head of Retail on an initial contract to permanent basis starting part-time (1-2 days per week initially which will increase).

The Head of Retail will be responsible for overall Retail strategy and execution including Duty Free and Operator tender, management and implementation including working with Operators for Retail execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the overall retail strategy for all duty-free and tender, aligning with company objectives and market trends.
• Drive sales targets and profitability across all stores through effective merchandising, promotions, and sales team motivation.
• Oversee all aspects of retail operations, including inventory management, visual merchandising, store maintenance, and adherence to operational standards and regulations specific to duty-free and tender environments.
• Manage and execute Outlet implementation with Operators.
• Champion a customer-centric approach, ensuring exceptional service delivery and a memorable shopping experience for diverse international travelers.
• Manage budgets, analyse sales data, control costs, and provide regular commercial reports to senior management.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with relevant authorities, concessionaires, brand partners, and other key stakeholders in the duty-free and tender ecosystem.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, competitor activities, and traveler demographics to identify new opportunities and inform strategic decisions.
• Participate in and oversee the development of competitive tender bids for new and existing retail concessions, demonstrating deep understanding of commercial terms and operational requirements.

Your background:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in high-volume retail, with a significant portion of that experience specifically within duty-free, travel retail, airports/rail or similar international concession environments.
• Demonstrable success in driving sales growth and profitability in a multi-store retail portfolio.
• Strong understanding of duty-free operational complexities, retail operations, and concession agreements.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and manage diverse teams.
• Proven financial acumen, including budget management, forecasting, and P&L responsibility.