Director Retail Benelux

Job Description

To meet our global growth ambition, we are seeking an experienced Director of Retail to lead the Retail line of Business in our continously growing Benelux market. This role involves contributing to the development of Rituals' people culture and strategy, translating our strategic goals into actionable annual and departmental plans, and ensuring their execution to drive profitability, customer satisfaction, and long-term growth.

You will oversee the Benelux retail organization (180 stores) to ensure effective financial management, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and team leadership. Your responsibilities will include achieving planned growth in like-for-like sales, optimizing workforce plans and fostering a highly engaged, high-performing team in a mature and home market.

Your accountabilities:
For 40 hours per week, you give new meaning to the words 'aim big, act small' in a fast-growing retail environment. You:

• Will report directly to the Managing Director Benelux and be part of the Retail Line of Business and Local Management Team (MT).
• Manage and mentor Heads of Retail, Flagship the House of Rituals and indirectly supervise Area Managers.
• Collaborate with CHO & LHO as the key stakeholder for the Retail line of business in the Benelux market.
• Work with Business Control on sales targets, Real Estate on new locations, HR on People Plan initiatives, Training on overall training requirements, and Marketing on the commercial strategy. 
• Translate global retail strategy and Rituals culture into market-specific plans.
• Develop and adjust annual retail performance plans in collaboration with the Managing Director and Business Control.
• Inspire Heads of Retail to enhance store operations, performance, and personnel engagement.
• Implement improvement programs to drive sales, smooth operations, and boost employee engagement.

 Result Areas:

• Your Market: Set ambitious performance and productivity targets; oversee new store openings and relocations; establish Rituals service and sales principles in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
• Your Team: Lead, mentor, and develop Heads of Retail (and indirect Area Managers); promote a high-performance culture; identify and develop talent to drive future growth; foster a learning culture.
• Your Rituals: Serve as a stakeholder manager; share actionable feedback; analyze market data for innovation; implement operational improvement programs; support Area Managers; cultivate a results-driven team.

Qualifications

High on energy, low on ego and with a lot of humor. You like to contribute to a growing organisation that is becoming increasingly effective and efficient, day by day, thanks to your input. You’re a strong team player, adjusting naturally to changing situations and looking for opportunities to collaborate where possible. On top of it:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
• At least 12 years of relevant (Benelux experience is a must) Retail industry experience and P&L responsibility.
• Extensive experience managing large-scale retail organizations (>3000 headcounts).
• Proven track record in designing and implementing retail initiatives in dynamic environments.
• Fluent in English, with excellent communication skills, Dutch and/or French is a very strong asset.
• Strong people management skills, including coaching and inspiring teams.
• The role involves frequent travelling in our Benelux-region.

Why join us?
Because you want to build something that matters. Here, you’ll be surrounded by talented, fun, and driven colleagues who are not afraid to challenge the status quo. We move fast, think big, and always ask how we can do better, for our people and our customers. If you are a strategic thinker with a passion for retail and a knack for leading dynamic teams, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity at Rituals.

Interested?
Please note that only applications via our career website will be considered. The initial selection is handled by SDH Executive Search, our partner for this position.

Grow with us! The next steps are:

• SDH Executive Search will contact you for a first interview
• 3 on site Interviews at Rituals follow, including an assessment
• In the event of a positive outcome, we are good to go!

Any questions about the procedure or the role? Please contact Recruitment via [email protected].