Area manager - Aesop - Dubai

Seddiqi Holding is a Family-owned and managed company with a unique, diversified portfolio of businesses and brands across numerous sectors. The business includes Ahmed Seddiqi, Seddiqi Properties, Swiss Watch Services and Mizzen.

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Area Manager with beauty background , who will grow the brand, ensure the delivery of exceptional operational, commercial, and customer service standards throughout multiple boutiques, drive sales through the performance and development of Boutique Managers and the Sales Team, and support the strategic expansion into Qatar and Kuwait, assuming responsibility for the successful establishment and ongoing operation management of these new markets.

Brand - Aesop

Location - Dubai (with frequent travel to Kuwait, Qatar)

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Sales Management

• Develop strategies for the assigned location and individual boutiques in collaboration with Boutique Managers to increase boutique traffic; optimize profitability; develop high potential customers; Promote brand awareness, establish market/boutique presence, and capture competitive market share and monitor the implementation of these strategies within the location.
• Lead the Boutique Managers to drive and maximize sales performance of the boutiques, consistently achieving the overall sales budget objectives while ensuring operational integrity and monitoring monthly profitably.
• Analyze the monthly performance of the boutiques within the assigned location, reporting current business trends to cover every aspect of the portfolio of boutiques and competitor performance to ensure an increase in market share.

Customer Experience

• Coordinates with principals to provide brand training tools and guidelines to the sales team to help ensure brand integrity, consistency, and compliance.
• Responsible for ensuring alignment across all assigned markets including operational standards, visual merchandising, marketing initiatives, and customer experience to ensure consistency and excellence across locations.
• Works with the respective Boutique Managers to ensure that all boutiques within the location deliver an exceptional customer service experience and create memorable moments by exceeding expectations, building meaningful and lasting customer relationships and increasing and retain customer loyalty
• Monitor the relationships with influencers and VICs during their visits to the boutiques and feedback to key stakeholders
• Resolves customer complaints when escalated from Boutique Managers and responds with corrective plans in a timely manner.
• Lead and support Company driven local events and product launches, ensuring customer attendance and sales results are met.
• Conduct regular market visits to Shop-in-Shop locations and ensure proper brand exposure and overall alignment with brand guidelines, identify opportunities for improvement to strengthen brand presence.

Inventory Management

• Consolidates & analyzes sales reports on monthly basis, liaises with the Head of Retail to maximize stock potential and devises action plans with corrective measures.
• Analyzes current and future customer requirements by consolidating reports on product performance, buying trends and customer needs and provides input to the brand management team and Retail Management team.

Operation Management

• Act as the subject matter expert on retail SOPs and company processes, educate and guide Boutique Managers to ensure common understanding and compliance.
• Responsible for the operational planning, coordination, and execution of new store openings, ensuring all locations are launched in alignment with brand standards, timelines, and business objectives.
• Recommend to the Head of Retail process improvements to Retail SOPs to increase efficiency and compliance.
• Conducts regular audits in all boutiques to ensure SOPs and standards are being implemented consistently.
• Ensures adherence to compliance requirements in all areas of operational activity, to all Company policies & procedures, controls – mainly in relation to Health & Safety, Audit Compliance, Loss Prevention, Security, Maintenance, and cash.
• Work with cross-functional teams in HQ like human resources, IT, procurement, logistics, retail projects, facility management, security, etc.to support the boutique's operations.
• Act as the custodian of incident management and ensure operational incidents are reported through the appropriate channels and is followed through for final resolution and appropriate action in coordination with relevant stakeholders

People Management

• Monitors and ensures effective allocation of staff resources and scheduling across different locations to drive sales and provide excellent customer service.
• Create and maintain a positive and professional team environment that fosters trust, integrity and superior performance standards, leading by example.
• Works with the Boutique Managers to develop effective communication channels, monitor the implementation of daily boutique briefings, and communicate current business trends and relevant brand updates.
• Provide ongoing training and development to the Boutique Managers in relevant areas.
• Set retail KPIs, in coordination with the Head of Retail and cascade them to the team. Monitor teams’ performance against KPIs. Jointly with HR and boutique managers, ensure that trends of underperformance are formally addressed with clear and documented performance improvement plans.
• Work with the Boutique Managers to identify team members with potential for development and growth and work closely with HR on practical development plans.
• Model the brand image through grooming standards per the AS&S grooming standards.
• Conduct monthly sessions with Boutique Managers to review performance and provide constructive, timely feedback.
• Ensure the integration and training of new joiners and the completion of the necessary reviews as per company guidelines.
• Work with the boutique managers and HRBP on all employee relations matters. Ensure employee-related incidents are reported in a timely manner for investigation and resolution.

In order to be successful in this role, you should have:

• 5+ years job related experience in beauty retail.
• Previous experience in Kuwait on the similar role is mandatory.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Business, Marketing or any other related field.
• Extensive knowledge of Luxury beauty market trends and best practices.
• Previous experience in building, motivating and coaching large retail teams.
• Strong project management skills with ability to follow through and prioritize.
• Willing to travel frequently across assigned markets.
• Extensive knowledge of Retail SOPs and best practices.
• Understanding of UAE, Qatar and Kuwait market.
• Excellent Communication skills.
• Fluent in English, Arabic is preferred.

Benefits

As the GCC's key player in luxury retail, we will provide you with an outstanding working environment, exciting career opportunities, along with competitive compensation schemes, a top tier health insurance plan, and exclusive employee discounts.

The key to our success is the team that works here - and we reward and celebrate success,

What’s next?

If you’re proud of your past successes, but your future excites you more then let us be a part of your future - Apply Now!

NOTE - Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Please accept our utmost appreciation for your interest in joining Seddiqi Holding.