Manager Retail Projects - EM South
Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization
The Manager Retail Projects is responsible for leading, driving and delivering strategic retail projects as directed by the Senior Director Own Retail. This role oversees the end-to-end project management of key retail initiatives, ensuring the successful translation of retail strategies into impactful consumer experiences and measurable business outcomes. Through effective execution, the role contributes to strengthening brand leadership, enhancing customer engagement, and driving sales performance across the retail network.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage strategic retail projects from initiation to completion, taking full accountability for project planning, execution, governance, delivery, and post-implementation review.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate bespoke product, store, and OMNI-channel initiatives that align with strategic retail objectives and broader brand priorities.
- Drive the execution of customer engagement, marketing, and commercial initiatives across designated stores to enhance consumer experience, increase brand affinity, and support sales growth.
- Manage project budgets effectively, ensuring optimal resource allocation, cost control, and maximum return on investment.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Brand, OMNI, CTC, Retail Merchandising, and Retail Operations teams to ensure the seamless and timely delivery of projects and business initiatives.
- Monitor, analyse, and report on project performance, implementation effectiveness, key retail metrics, and return on investment, providing insights and recommendations to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Identify risks, dependencies, and opportunities throughout the project lifecycle, implementing mitigation plans to ensure successful outcomes.
- Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships, ensuring alignment, engagement, and clear communication across all project phases.
- Lead and support ad hoc projects, strategic initiatives, and business priorities as assigned by the Senior Director Own Retail.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Serve as the primary Retail contact for assigned projects.
- Partner and foster strong relationships with all stakeholders including Store Operations teams to ensure consistent execution of initiatives.
- Support all OMNI initiatives and implementation.
Success Measures
- On-time and on-budget project delivery.
- Achievement of defined Retail KPIs and project objectives.
- Improved customer engagement and consumer experience metrics.
- Effective cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder satisfaction.
- Demonstrated return on investment from implemented initiatives.
- Consistent execution excellence across all assigned projects and programmes.
Key Relationships
Internal
- Senior Director Own Retail
- Retail Merch Team
- Retail Operations Team
- Retail Store Development Team
- Omni-Channel Marketing Team
- Visual Merchandising (VM) Team
- Brand Activations Team
External
- Key Retail Partners
- Agency Partners
- Suppliers and Production Vendors
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong stakeholder management, negotiation and influencing capabilities.
- Proven project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
- Solid understanding of retail, merchandise, trade marketing, consumer marketing and activation within the sportswear, fashion or lifestyle industries.
- Strong commercial acumen and analytical skills.
- Excellent verbal, written, presentation and storytelling skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively within cross-functional and matrix organizations.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel.
- Strong organizational skills with a results-driven mindset.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Commerce or a related field.
- Minimum of 6-8 years of relevant professional experience in Retail, Marketing, Brand Management, Trade Marketing and Project Management.
- Experience within the sporting goods, fashion, lifestyle, retail or FMCG industry preferred.
- Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
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