In-Store VIC Manager - New Bond Street

Maison Alaïa; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Maison Alaïa in London is seeking an In-Store VIC Manager to translate global directives into personalised client journeys and equip the retail team to develop the full client pyramid. You will personally animate the boutique's highest-potential relationships and coach the Sales Advisors on clienteling behaviours.

Lead regular briefings on client development priorities, product launches, and HQ initiatives; cascade best practices to the floor in actionable formats.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–7 years of luxury retail experience with direct client-facing responsibilities.
• Proven clienteling or client development experience within luxury fashion/jewellery.
• Strong portfolio management and measurable client relationship outcomes.
• Familiarity with CRM tools and basic data analysis/reporting.
• Exceptional interpersonal intelligence and ability to build trust.
• Commercial acumen linking client cultivation to revenue growth.

Responsibilities

• Own the store's VIC and High-End client portfolio, mapping tier distribution and action plans for top clients.
• Coach Sales Advisors on relationship-building, tone of outreach, and occasion-based selling.
• Lead in-store client initiatives, private shopping, trunk shows, and bespoke experiences aligned with Alaïa’s aesthetics.
• Maintain CRM hygiene and monitor client lifecycle, flag at-risk relationships, and propose remediation.
• Produce store-level reporting on VIC performance, spend, progress and ROI for leadership.

Skills

Luxury retail experience

Clienteling

CRM familiarity

Event coordination

Relationship management

Coaching/mentoring

English fluency

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Your Mission

Embedded within a single Alaïa boutique, the In-Store VIC Manager is the engine of clienteling excellence at store level. The role bridges HQ strategy and daily floor reality: translating global directives into personalised client journeys, equipping the retail team with the tools and confidence to develop the full client pyramid, and personally animating the boutique's highest-potential relationships. The store is the primary territory; depth of execution is the primary measure of success.

HOW WILL YOU MAKE AN IMPACT?

• Own the store's VIC and High-End client portfolio - mapping tier distribution, identifying untapped potential, and maintaining individual action plans for each top-tier client (retain / upgrade / recruit).
• Personally cultivate a curated book of the boutique's most strategic relationships, acting as the primary Alaïa point of contact for VIC and priority clients in support to the store Sales Advisors.
• Identify and systematically qualify prospective Couture clients in collaboration with the Store Director and the global VIC and Couture teams; support the Couture selling ceremony to the highest standard.
• Support team’s clients outreach for the full client pyramid in collaboration with global CRM team - ensuring all active clients receive meaningful, brand-appropriate touchpoints at the right frequency, with particular intensity at VIC level, and focusing on the elevation of the “how”.
• Recruit new high-potential clients through targeted networking, referral cultivation, and market intelligence, in coordination with the Head of VIC Relations and Client Development.
• Leverage clienteling tools and CRM data to monitor client lifecycle, flag at-risk relationships, and propose timely remediation strategies.
• Act as the in-store reference for all clienteling practices - coaching Sales Advisors on relationship‑building behaviours, tone of outreach, and occasion‑based selling.
• Lead regular briefings and working sessions on client development priorities, product launches, and HQ-driven initiatives; cascade global best practices to the floor in an actionable format.
• Mentor junior and mid‑level Sales Advisors on VIC‑appropriate service standards and personalised communication, elevating the overall team's commercial sophistication.
• Collaborate with the Store Director and store management on workforce planning for key activations and events, ensuring the right team composition for each client‑facing moment.
• Identify training gaps at store level and feed structured feedback to the regional and HQ teams for training programs development and reinforcement.
• Propose, orchestrate and execute a calendar of in‑store client initiatives using pre‑validated formats and proposing new ones for validation - private shopping appointments, trunk shows, previews, gifting moments, and bespoke experiences - anchored in Alaïa's aesthetic identity and Azzedine's legacy of intimate hospitality.
• Define targeted guest lists for each event, ensuring precise segmentation across client tiers and optimizing for commercial impact and relationship depth. Support store teams in building up the experience’s commercial target, working on sales ambitions and product offering for each guest, and post‑event follow up with the team to ensure ROI optimization.
• Coordinate all logistical and experiential elements of in‑store events (F&B, décor, gifting, brand narrative) in alignment with HQ guidelines and house standards.
• Represent the Maison at client entertainment occasions - dinners, cultural outings, partner events – building authentic, lasting relationships beyond the boutique.
• Collaborate the VIC and Client Development regional and global teams on gifting moments, ensuring brand coherence and personalization.
• Identify and develop local business providers - concierges, private offices, stylists, cultural institutions - who can introduce qualified new clients to the Maison, ensuring accounting and follow‑up of transactions and commissions.
• Build and maintain a network of connectors relevant to the boutique market, reporting key relationships to the Head of VIC Relations and Client Development for broader activation.
• Propose and pilot local partnership moments (gallery openings, cultural events, private club collaborations) that naturally attract the Alaïa client profile in collaboration with Regional and Global teams.
• Maintain rigorous CRM hygiene - ensuring client data, interaction logs, and preference records are accurate, complete, and actionable.
• Produce regular store‑level reporting on VIC and High‑End client performance (spend evolution, tier migration, activation ROI) for internal review with the Store Director and Regional Client Development / Global Head of VIC Relations and Client Development.
• Analyse client data to surface commercial opportunities: lapsed relationships, upgrade candidates, key anniversaries, and product affinity signals.
• Track activation budgets at store level, ensuring spend remains within allocated A&P envelope and delivers measurable returns.

HOW WILL YOU EXPERIENCE SUCCESS WITH US?

• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in luxury retail, with a significant portion in a direct selling or client‑facing role - store experience is non‑negotiable.
• Previous exposure to clienteling or client development responsibilities within a luxury fashion, jewellery, or lifestyle Maison.
• Demonstrated track record of personal portfolio management and measurable client relationship outcomes.
• Familiarity with CRM tools and comfort with basic data analysis and reporting.
• Exceptional interpersonal intelligence - the ability to read a client, build trust instinctively, and sustain relationships with discernment and warmth.
• Commercial acumen: a natural connector who understands the relationship between client cultivation and revenue generation.
• Strong aesthetic sensibility and deep affinity for Alaïa's body philosophy and cultural positioning.
• Coaching temperament: patient, clear communicator who elevates those around them without ego.
• Organised, autonomous, and capable of managing multiple simultaneous client relationships and activation projects.
• Fluency in English required; a second language is a significant advantage in markets with international clientele.