KSA Country Manager

Mouawad; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Mouawad in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia seeks a Country Manager to lead 2 boutiques and a support office, guiding 20 FTEs and ensuring luxury standards across operations.

This role drives client acquisition, talent development, and strategic expansion aligned with Dubai HQ. Fluency in English and Arabic is expected, with a proven track record in international luxury maisons.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or equivalent.
• Minimum 8–10 years in luxury retail leadership.
• Experience with international luxury brands and multi-site governance.
• Fluent in English and Arabic.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute business plans aligned with corporate objectives and Dubai HQ vision.
• Oversee expansion projects, including identifying new boutique and office locations.
• Translate Luxury market trends into a clear market strategy and multi-year expansion roadmap.
• Benchmark Mouawad’s positioning and client experience against international maisons and act on gaps.
• Ensure operational excellence and compliance with luxury standards.
• Act as brand ambassador, build relationships with key clients and VVIPs, drive client acquisition.
• Build a structured clienteling program with disciplined CRM and clear ownership.
• Recruit, train and retain top talent; manage Saudization and development plans.
• Lead governance, risk management, and adherence to SOPs and HQ policies.
• Drive adoption of Group systems (POS, CRM, inventory) and data discipline.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Luxury Retail

Clienteling

People Management

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

The Country Manager will lead Mouawad’s operations in KSA, overseeing 2 boutiques and a support-office team, for a total of approximately 20 FTEs. This role ensures Mouawad’s luxury standards are upheld across all operations, drives clientand talent acquisition, and aligns local execution with the vision and goals set by Dubai Headquarters. The Country Manager will represent the brand with key clients and VVIPs, motivate and assess team performance, and spearhead expansion initiatives in the Kingdom.

The role calls for a leader with a proven track record in international luxury Maisons, who will bring global benchmarks to the Kingdom. A core mandate is to elevate the processes, governance, and ways of working across the KSA operation, building a structured, scalable, and compliant platform that delivers a consistent Mouawad client experience and supports the next phase of growth in the market.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Expansion

• Develop and execute business plans aligned with corporate objectives and Dubai HQ vision.
• Oversee expansion projects, including identifying new boutique and office locations.
• Translate the evolving KSA luxury landscape, including growth driven by Vision 2030 in retail, tourism, and destination developments, into a clear market strategy and multi-year expansion roadmap.
• Benchmark Mouawad’s positioning, client experience, and performance against international luxury Maisons operating in the Kingdom, and recommend actions to strengthen competitiveness.
• Ensure operational excellence and compliance with Mouawad’s luxury standards.

Brand Representation & Client Engagement

• Act as the brand ambassador in KSA, building strong relationships with key clients and VVIPs.
• Drive client acquisition strategies to grow the customer base and enhance brand presence.
• Deliver a client experience that meets international luxury Maison benchmarks, including private appointments, bespoke and High Jewelry (HJ) presentations, and discreet, highly personalized VVIP service.
• Build a structured clienteling program with disciplined CRM use, clear client ownership, and follow-up standards, ensuring client data is handled confidentially and in line with applicable data protection requirements.
• Plan and host high-impact private events and clienteling initiatives in partnership with Marketing, measuring their commercial return.

Talent Acquisition & Team Leadership

• Recruit, train, and retain top talent to maintain luxury service standards.
• Motivate the team, conduct performance assessments, and implement development plans.
• Build a high-performing team in line with Saudization (Nitaqat) requirements, actively developing Saudi talent and establishing succession plans for key roles.
• Embed Mouawad’s service culture through structured onboarding, ongoing product and gemology training, and regular coaching on luxury selling and service rituals.
• Foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and collaboration.

Operational Management & Process Excellence

• Monitor boutique and office operations to ensure seamless execution.
• Maintain profitability targets and prepare periodic performance reports.
• Guarantee adherence to SOPs and brand guidelines across all touchpoints.
• Assess current KSA processes against Group and international luxury standards, and lead a prioritized improvement roadmap with clear milestones and owners.
• Define clear roles, responsibilities, approval matrices, and escalation paths, aligned with Dubai HQ governance.
• Introduce a disciplined performance rhythm of KPIs, dashboards, and weekly and monthly business reviews covering sales, conversion, client acquisition and retention, stock accuracy, and service quality.
• Conduct regular boutique audits (service standards, visual merchandising, security, and compliance) and ensure gaps are closed through tracked action plans.
• Drive full adoption of Group systems (POS, CRM, and inventory) to ensure accurate, timely, and reliable data.

Governance, Compliance & Risk

• Ensure the KSA operation complies with applicable local regulations, including labor and Saudization, commercial licensing, VAT and e-invoicing, data protection, precious metals and gemstones requirements, and anti-money laundering obligations, in coordination with Legal, Finance, and HR at HQ.
• Safeguard company assets through robust inventory controls, security protocols, and insurance compliance, and elevate risks promptly to HQ.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Maintain continuous communication with Dubai Headquarters on vision, strategy, and execution.
• Coordinate with Retail, HR, Marketing, and Merchandising teams for alignment on campaigns and initiatives.
• Share structured market and client insights with HQ to inform assortment, collection planning, pricing strategy, and events for the KSA market.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or equivalent; Master’s degree is a plus.
• International luxury experience: Proven experience with international luxury brands is essential, with direct exposure to global Maison standards in client experience, clienteling, visual merchandising, and operational governance. Experience in fine jewelry or watches is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 8–10 years of experience in luxury retail leadership roles, including senior multi-boutique or country-level management.
• Strong commercial acumen, negotiation skills, and ability to manage multi-site operations.
• Demonstrated track record of designing and implementing processes, SOPs, and performance frameworks that measurably raised operating standards in a multi-site retail environment.
• In-depth understanding of the KSA luxury market, client base, and cultural expectations, with working knowledge of the local regulatory environment, including labor law and Saudization.
• An established network among HNWI and VVIP clientele in the Kingdom is a strong advantage.

Fluent in English and Arabic;