Head of Retail Sales / Senior Retail Manager

Leica is a brand built on heritage, precision, craftsmanship, art, and photography. Our stores are not simply places where products are sold. They are where clients experience the brand, discover the story behind our products, build relationships with our teams, and become part of the Leica community.

We are looking for a Head of Retail/Senior Retail Manager who can take ownership of our multi-store retail network and e-commerce business, while working closely with the multi-brand channel to support overall business growth. This role requires a strong commercial mindset, entrepreneurial spirit, and deep commitment to client experience.

The right person is not only a manager of people and operations. They are a business driver, client experience guardian, brand ambassador, and hands-on leader who knows how to grow sales, develop teams, uphold standards, and build long-term client relationships.

What You Will Own

This is a highly hands-on leadership role that goes beyond schedules, reports, inventory, and administration. You will spend significant time in stores, coaching teams, engaging clients, and driving execution on the ground. We are looking for someone who takes initiative, solves problems proactively, and leads from the front. You should see each store as a business under your stewardship, working closely with mall partners and stakeholders to identify business opportunities and support growth. Every client interaction, product presentation, team behaviour, and commercial outcome reflects the standards you set.

Our philosophy is simple: Run it like you own it.

Job Description

• Entrepreneurial Mindset

Treats every store as their own business. Identifies opportunities, drives improvements, challenges “business as usual”, and takes ownership of growth, client experience, and commercial results.

• Commercial Acumen

Understands sales, KPIs, conversion, client behaviour, stock movement, cost control, and business opportunities. Able to translate numbers into clear action plans.

• Client-Centric Leadership

Takes personal ownership of the client experience. Builds long-term relationships with VIP and high-potential clients, handles complaints with care, and ensures every client interaction reflects the brand.

• Luxury Brand Knowledge

Possesses strong presentation skills with the ability to communicate Leica’s heritage, craftsmanship, precision, art, and photography in a compelling and client-focused manner. Able to represent the brand with confidence, polish, and professionalism across client interactions, team briefings, and stakeholder discussions.

• People Leadership

Leads, coaches, develops, and holds teams accountable. Able to build strong Store Managers and retail teams with clear standards and individual ownership.

• Operational Discipline

Maintains strong control over store operations, stock, cash, SOPs, VM, grooming, reporting, and compliance. Details matter.

• Problem Solving

Handles issues calmly and practically. Does not escalate unnecessarily but knows when to involve the right stakeholders.

• Ownership & Accountability

Takes responsibility for outcomes, whether good or bad. Follows through on commitments and does not deflect blame.

• Executive Presence & Communication

Communicates clearly, confidently, and professionally with clients, teams, management, and external stakeholders.

What This Role Is Not

This is not a desk-bound or remote retail management role. It requires a visible, hands-on leader who is present in stores, close to the teams and clients, and actively involved in driving business performance.

Ideal Profile

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in luxury retail, premium retail, or a high-touch client service/hospitality environment, with proven experience managing multiple stores or sizeable retail teams.
• Strong commercial mindset with a track record of driving sales, KPIs, client development, budgeting, forecasting, and business growth.
• Strong understanding of luxury client experience, brand positioning, selling ceremony, CRM, service recovery, and market dynamics.
• High-energy, hands-on leader who is comfortable being represent on the shop floor, leading by example, and developing high-performing retail teams with strong business and social etiquette professionally.
• Strategic and entrepreneurial, with the ability to challenge the status quo, identify opportunities, solve problems, and drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication, influencing, stakeholder management, and people leadership skills.
• Genuine interest in Leica, photography, craftsmanship, luxury retail, and client community building
• Act as a key retail business partner, working closely with Management, HR, Multi-Brand teams, E-commerce, Marketing, Training, Customer Care, and Finance to ensure all retail initiatives are aligned, well-supported, and executed effectively across the business.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and familiar with retail management systems such as SAP, Salesforce, or equivalent platforms.