Head of Retail - Travel

JR United Kingdom; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

An iconic Travel brand is seeking a Head of Retail, beginning on a part-time basis. This key role involves shaping the retail strategy and ensuring exceptional service delivery in duty-free environments, while driving sales and profitability across all stores. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in high-volume retail, especially within international concession settings, and demonstrate strong leadership and financial capabilities.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years experience in high-volume retail, specifically in duty-free or travel retail.
• Proven track record of driving sales growth in a multi-store environment.
• Strong understanding of retail operations and concession agreements.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement overall retail strategy for duty-free and tender.
• Oversee operations including inventory management and visual merchandising.
• Champion customer-centric service delivery for international travelers.

Skills

Sales Growth

Leadership

Communication

Financial Acumen

Job description

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The Change Partners - Global talent specialists for a connected world

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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.