Retail Account Manager
Department: Retail
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: John Lewis, Milton Keynes
Description
We are a leading skincare brand offering innovative products and treatments within retail stores. Our mission is to deliver exceptional results and experiences to our customers while fostering a high-performing and collaborative work environment. We are seeking a proactive and results-driven Account Manager to oversee and drive success across retail locations, focusing on sales performance, team development, operational excellence, and sustainability.
Contract Type: Permanent
Weekly Hours:37.5 hours - flexibility required
What Will You Do?
Sales & Productivity
- Drive sales performance across allocated retail accounts, ensuring stores achieve and exceed sales targets and productivity benchmarks.
- Maximise treatment bookings by promoting services to customers and ensuring treatment rooms are utilised to their full potential.
- Analyse sales trends and KPIs to identify opportunities and challenges, implementing action plans to maximize results.
- Lead by example on the shop floor, engaging with customers to demonstrate products and treatments, and delivering exceptional customer service.
- Plan and execute in-store events and activations to drive customer engagement, boost footfall, and achieve sales goals.
Team Development & Motivation
- Recruit, train, and develop a high-performing retail team, fostering a culture of accountability, excellence, and collaboration.
- Conduct regular one-to-one performance reviews and contribution discussions with team members to provide coaching, feedback, and clear development plans.
- Motivate and inspire the team daily, ensuring high energy and alignment with the company’s values.
- Manage absence and performance effectively, addressing challenges proactively while supporting team members to succeed.
- Support new team members through their probationary period with structured training, feedback, and guidance to set them up for success.
- Identify and nurture talent, building a strong pipeline for succession planning and career progression.
Operational Excellence
- Ensure all stock checks are completed regularly, maintaining optimal inventory levels and minimizing shrinkage.
- Oversee stock management across stores, ensuring accurate records, timely replenishment, and adherence to sustainability practices.
- Ensure that merchandising and display standards align with brand guidelines, creating a visually appealing and inviting environment.
- Create and manage rotas to ensure the right people are in the right place at the right time, optimizing customer service and operational efficiency.
- Complete treatments to the highest professional standards, ensuring exceptional customer experiences that reflect brand values.
Customer Experience
- Focus on delivering an exceptional customer journey by ensuring teams are knowledgeable, approachable, and aligned with brand values.
- Monitor and enhance the customer experience from initial engagement to post-purchase follow-up, ensuring customer loyalty and satisfaction.
- Promote treatment services and product recommendations through a personalized and professional approach.
Sustainability Focus
- Contribute to the brand’s short- and long-term Sustainability Goals across Climate, Biodiversity, and People pillars.
- Be mindful of the brand’s sustainability pledge when ordering testers and professional-grade products, reducing unnecessary waste.
- Plan and execute promotional activities in a sustainable manner, minimizing waste and environmental impact wherever possible.
Relationship Building
- Build and maintain strong relationships with retail partner stores, acting as the key point of contact for brand operations.
- Collaborate with store managers to align on shared goals, address challenges, and optimize the customer experience.
- Act as a brand ambassador, ensuring the brand is consistently represented to the highest standard.
Coaching & Leadership
- Deliver in-store training sessions to enhance the team’s product knowledge, customer service skills, and treatment expertise.
- Support colleagues by sharing best practices and fostering a collaborative network across stores.
- Ensure all duties are carried out and actions completed in every aspect of the role to uphold the brand’s standards and values.
Qualifications
- Proven experience in retail management, ideally within the skincare, beauty, or luxury sectors.
- NVQ Level 2 in Beauty Therapy or equivalent qualification, with experience delivering professional treatments.
- Strong track record of driving sales and achieving targets in a competitive retail environment.
- Excellent people management skills, with experience in coaching, developing, and motivating teams.
- Confident communicator with strong relationship-building skills across multiple stakeholders.
- Skilled in managing absences, performance issues, team scheduling, and treatment room optimization for maximum impact.
- Passionate about sustainability and committed to aligning with the brand’s environmental goals.
- Organized and detail-oriented, with a proactive approach to problem-solving and decision-making.
- Proficient in analyzing sales data and using insights to inform strategies.
- Flexibility to travel between locations and work weekends or evenings as required.
The Perfect Candidate:
- NQV Level 2 in Beauty Therapy or equivalent qualification
- Good level and standard of UK/European education or equivalent
- Experience within a similar retail / store role and industry
- Experience supervising and managing a team
- Proven sales record
- Practical work experience in conducting treatments
- Good level of computer literacy in Microsoft Word and Excel
- Previous experience working with a professional brand
What We Offer You!*
- Generous Staff Discount on all your favourite ELEMIS products and spa treatments, as well as discounts on L'OCCITANE Group products (including L'Occitane, Erborian and more)
- Excellent well-being policies including enhanced Maternity & Paternity policies, Income Protection, Life Assurance and more
- Generous Holiday Allowance, increasing with length of service
- Company Pension Scheme
- Bonus/Commission Scheme
- Healthcare Cash Plan (with Dental)
- Private Medical Insurance
- Employee Assistance Programme for all Associates and their families
- Cycle to Work Scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Length of Service Awards
- Much, much more!
*Some benefit eligibility is based on length of service or contract type