Senior Vice President Retail

Taylor & Francis Group; Abingdon; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading academic publishing company is seeking a Senior Vice President of Retail to develop a direct-to-consumer retail strategy. The successful candidate will enhance customer experience, oversee financial management, and lead high-performing teams. Essential skills include strategic retail development and a strong track record in e-commerce. The role requires a minimum of three days per week in the office, contributing to a balanced work model. Closing date for applications is 10th January 2026.

Benefits

Work-life balance

Professional development opportunities

Flexible working model

Qualifications

• A strategic view of consumers in the content value chain is advantageous.
• Proven track record in developing successful retail strategies.
• Excellent communication skills at all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to drive operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive direct-to-consumer retail strategy.
• Enhance stakeholder relationships with retail suppliers.
• Design and implement customer experience strategies to drive loyalty.
• Oversee retail P&L responsibility including revenue growth.

Skills

Strategic retail development

E-commerce platforms

Leadership and mentorship

Analytical thinking

Customer experience enhancement

Financial management

Job description

Informa is a leading academic publishing, business intelligence, knowledge, and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

Taylor & Francis is one of the world’s largest publishers of high-quality, peer reviewed scholarly journals, books, e-books and reference works. We empower learners, thinkers and doers with trusted knowledge that advances research and enriches lives. We bring together diverse people, ideas and opinions to validate and publish the experts, theories and truths that matter.

What we offer in return:

At Taylor & Francis we care about our colleagues, promoting work‑life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. You will be joining a thriving business, working alongside an exceptional group of people. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about.

Job Description

The Senior Vice President of Retail will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive direct‑to‑consumer retail strategy that delivers results across multiple product lines. This senior‑level role will drive a new focus for our consumer segment, optimising revenue and customer attraction in the retail space. They will focus on building strategic partnerships to position the organisation as a market leader in the consumer sector.

Key responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Act as the architect and implementer of a comprehensive retail strategy, spanning multiple channels, including sophisticated digital platforms, institutional sales networks, and direct‑to‑consumer pathways.
• Identify and capitalize on new growth opportunities in retail markets.
• Drive regional retail expansion initiatives based on market analysis, working collaboratively with internal stakeholders in regions to target sectors and geographies to maximise returns.
• Position the organisation as a leader in retail innovation and customer experience.
• Enhance stakeholder relationships with retail suppliers and distributors, including Amazon, ensuring T&F has more beneficial terms of engagement. Where required, lead high‑level negotiations with major retail accounts, ensuring mutual value creation. Working to provide stability and strategic advantage from the relationships on beneficial terms.

Operational Excellence

• Optimise the retail end‑to‑end customer journey – devising and implementing go‑to‑market readiness in a largely untapped space for T&F.
• Implement standardised processes to ensure consistent customer experience, including category management and keyword allocation – driving the discoverability of content for the consumer.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators for retail.

Team Leadership

• Build, develop, and lead high‑performing retail operations teams.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability measures.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and customer‑centricity.
• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities for team members.

Financial Management

• Oversee retail P&L responsibility including revenue growth, cost management, and profitability.
• Work closely with our Pricing Director to ensure pricing levels for the consumer channel maintain strong revenue and margin.
• Analyse promotional discount effect and make cases for where and when, globally this can be an advantageous tool.
• Develop annual budgets and long‑term financial forecasts for retail.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimisation without compromising customer experience.
• Ensure capital investments in retail deliver expected returns.

Customer Experience

• Design and implement customer experience strategies that drive loyalty and repeat business.
• Utilise customer feedback and market research to continuously improve retail offerings.
• Ensure seamless integration between physical and digital retail experiences.
• Develop innovative approaches to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction.

Qualifications

• A strategic view of consumers in the value chain of content, experience‑based in an Academic Publishing or content business would be an advantage.
• Proven track record in developing successful retail strategies and driving growth.
• Comprehensive understanding of e‑commerce platforms and digital technologies.
• Demonstrable strategic long‑term planning, able to execute results from a standing start.
• Excellent communication skills – communicating clearly and with authenticity at all levels.
• A flexible and agile mentality able to quickly adapt and respond to changing work pressures and prioritise.
• Highly effective influencing skills, able to drive meaningful change.
• Innovative mindset and creativity, to problem solve effectively.
• Strong business acumen and commercial understanding; an analytical thinker with ability to work with wide range of internal and external financial data.
• Decisive and able to work at pace.
• Demonstrated ability to drive operational excellence and financial performance.
• Proven leadership and mentorship capability, experience running high‑performing global teams. Fostering a culture of confidence and trust across department.

Additional Information

Location: – The successful candidate will be able to utilise our balanced working model. There is an expectation for a minimum of 3 days per week of in‑person time.

Closing date

10th January 2026

Being Yourself at Taylor & Francis

If you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and contribute regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non‑merit‑based factor.