Travel Retail Manager

Nadia`s client is seeking a dynamic and experienced Manager of Travel Retail to lead a luxury perfume brand's global expansion and operations. This role will be responsible for developing and executing a strategic roadmap for opening new accounts, managing existing partnerships, optimizing category profitability, and ensuring seamless operations across duty-free and travel retail channels.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in travel retail in the luxury segment preferably in perfumery, exceptional leadership skills, and the ability to drive revenue growth through effective account management, staff recruitment and training, product curation, and high-level stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Business Development & Account Management
2. Identify and secure new travel retail partnerships in key international markets.
3. Develop and maintain strong relationships with travel retail operators, duty-free partners, and key stakeholders.
4. Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms of business to ensure mutually beneficial partnerships.
5. Ensure timely collection of payments and manage credit terms with partners.
6. Lead participation in global travel retail exhibitions and industry events to enhance brand presence and sales opportunities.

1. Category Profitability & Product Strategy
2. Develop and execute category strategies to maximize revenue and profitability.
3. Analyze sales performance and optimize product mix by introducing high-potential new products and phasing out underperforming ones.
4. Advise senior management on new product development and exclusive travel retail offerings.
5. Collaborate with marketing teams to drive product visibility and promotional activities tailored to travel retail consumers.

1. Operational Excellence & Staff Management
2. Recruit, train, and manage a team of travel retail sales staff across different locations in collaboration with the HR Team.
3. Manage BA's for sales & service optimisation across duty-free retail.
4. Design and implement an effective salary and compensation scheme to motivate and retain talent within the company's benchmarks.
5. Develop staff training programs focusing on luxury customer experience, product knowledge, and sales techniques.
6. Oversee roster management to ensure optimal staffing levels and operational efficiency.

Financial & Performance Management

1. Set and monitor KPIs for sales, profitability, and market expansion.
2. Develop and manage the travel retail budget, ensuring cost control and efficiency.
3. Conduct regular business reviews with key partners and internal stakeholders to evaluate performance and identify growth opportunities.

Key Requirements:

1. Experience: Minimum 810 years in travel retail, preferably within perfumery and/or cosmetics in the luxury/Lifestyle in beauty industry.
2. Expertise: Strong understanding of the global travel retail market, including duty-free operations and airport retail dynamics.
3. Leadership: Proven experience in managing teams across multiple locations, with strong people development skills.
4. Negotiation & Relationship Management: Ability to build long-term relationships with retailers, distributors, and travel retail partners.
5. Strategic Thinking: Capable of developing and executing high-impact growth strategies for the travel retail business.
6. Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of profitability drivers, sales forecasting, and financial planning.
7. Travel: Willingness to travel extensively to oversee international operations and attend key industry events.