Education Manager

Job description / Role

The Education Manager will be charged with, in partnership with the GM and in coordination the Global HRD/Education team based at headquarters in Paris, setting and delivering the Make Up For Ever Education strategy in the region. The ideal candidate will strike a strong balance between the Artistry roots of the brand and the Commercial drive of the business. The Education Manager will be responsible for maintaining and championing the core values of the company’s distinctive culture: entrepreneurial, non-hierarchical, casual, close-knit, warm, creative and passionate about make up artistry.

Specific Responsibilities

Be the guardian of Make Up For Ever’s Education Curriculum
- Implement the global MUFE curriculum in the region
- Respectfully adapt the material or build upon it to address local differences and needs across multi-channels and multi-markets
- Align with headquarters on trends and changes that are made/need to be made to the Global education curriculum

Partner closely with the Global HRD/Education team
- Closely partner with the Global HRD and Education Tribe on important global-wide Education projects, tools or curriculum
- Play a leadership role in ensuring a continuous feedback loop to the Global team on regional market trends and needs that identifies and plans for both regional and global opportunities; ensure that best practices are shared

Develop content and tools for all channels and clients
- Create compelling tools and programs that reflect the brand’s DNA as well as the needs and culture of each market and distribution channel
- Revisit and enliven existing tools so that Education is fresh and engaging at all times to meet client needs
- Partner closely with the Marketing and Sales to ensure a seamless connection with key messages
- Own video productions for Education including tutorials and new products and tool launches

Develop selling techniques for multichannel use
- Adapt to each audience (public or pro), across channels (i.e., Boutiques, Sephora) and regional market
- Develop and improve boutique specific education: Make Up School, Pro Takeover; 360 Service, relationship selling proficiency

Customize to Sephora Cast for multi-markets
- Partner closely to understand Sephora needs and opportunities and to translate those needs through the Make Up For Ever Brand
- Create custom delivery mechanisms for each Sephora channel

Ensure performance of Education initiatives
- Measure efficiency and impact of Education programs and capture floor/client/sales feedback to improve and build upon existing programs

Manage and inspire the team
- Inspire, motivate, coach and develop the Education team, both in the field and at corporate
- Support the on-boarding and MUFE Tribe induction of new hires across the company (i.e., philosophy, history, product knowledge and basic skills)
- Optimize time spend in Corporate/Field (boutiques, Pro, Sephora)

Partner with and act as a key connector of multiple functions at MUFE
- Closely partner with the MUFE headquarter team to ensure consistent global delivery of key programs
- Closely partner with the Sephora Education department (i.e., pro and cast)
- Work seamlessly with Sales (i.e., “Education is in service to Sales”)
- Actively partner with Marketing on incorporating key messages into Education programs
- Work with PR on Editor-facing initiatives
- Team with cross functional partners on any and all relevant projects (i.e., MUFE academy, finance, HR, etc.)

Manage and control Education budget
- Work cross-functionally to optimize resources and invest resources for maximum return
- Build an Education budget and control expenses
- Secure Legal oversight on all tools/resources created

Requirements

Education Expertise:
- Able to serve as the key functional expert on Education for the Middle East organization
- Possesses a track record of delivering results as a functional leader working across a global, creatively-driven organization
- Facile in best-in-class tools and programs available in the market today, including new technologies and Education strategies
- Regularly researches training methods, platforms & theories of adult learning looking for the ‘best’ way to communicate MUFE’s philosophy, product knowledge, artistry skills, service and selling standards

Strategic Architect:
- Able to adapt a global MUFE brand vision and define the regional Education strategy for future growth in light of existing short-term opportunities as well as developing longer-term potential

Brand Builder:
- Possesses deep understanding of building brands and awareness; capable of translating a MUFE brand affinity into Education programs that hone the MUFE brand position among existing competitors and in the eyes of the consumer
- Proven ability to work across channels (i.e., through retail partners, boutiques, digital) to create a cohesive brand proposition

Leader & Organizational Developer:
- A people leader who can inspire, motivate and energize the Middle East organization around the Education agenda
- Introduces and implements new ideas and best-in-class process while respecting the highly creative and entrepreneurial culture and legacy
- Serves as a member of the Middle East Leadership team at MUFE; works in tight collaboration with key functional partners and regional Management to ensure strategic alignment
- Blend of big and small company experience is ideal
- Relatable industry experience is required; although Color Cosmetics experience is not critical, Beauty knowledge is a must

Business Focus:
- Maintains a strong focus on driving business results; leverages a strong business acumen to ensure that all functional programs clearly support commercial and business objectives
- Can develop the organizational infrastructure and capability to support a growth environment; drives fluidity in working cross-functionally Leadership & Management Behavioral Competencies

Embodies the MUFE brand:
- Understands, adopts and reflects the MUFE brand and philosophy; navigates Sephora, MUFE boutiques and Pro; inspires confidence; supports diversity among the team

Relationship builder:
- Engages and builds enduring connections within, across and outside of an organization that yield commercial results

Influencing skills:
- Strong communication and negotiation skills can naturally influence, nurture, lead and develop teams through direct and indirect lines.

Cooperation and teamwork:
- Highly collaborative, reliable, thinks in terms of “we” and not “I,” adopts the Make Up For Ever Tribe culture.

Balanced strategic and analytical thinking:
- Demonstrates the ability to think deeply, strategically and quantitatively about business problems; intellectually curious.

Understanding of creative businesses:
- Balanced right and left brain; must relate to the emotional and creative drive of the brand and sector.

Change leadership:
- Exercises good judgment; possesses the ability to bring in new perspectives, changes and innovative thinking to an organization in a positive and non- threatening, supportive manner.

Flexibility:
- Ability to remain a very nimble operator in a business with meaningful growth opportunities. A leader who can understand implicitly how to manage and work with different people and various working styles.

Talent focus:
- Ability to provide inspirational leadership, with a sweet spot for talent management, maintaining a culture that attracts, retains and motivates talent.

Hands on and operational work style:
- Analytical, hands-on, solves problems, effectively navigates complexity, owns and takes decisions.

Personal Characteristics
- Open minded and innovative; creative yet maintains a good sensibility
- Courageous; a calculated risk-taker; open to trying and testing new things; flexible
- Humble; remains strongly focused on the MUFE customer
- Dedicated, hard worker, inspirational, energetic, incites excitement and passion in others
- Entrepreneurial; resourceful; creatively inspired by a small company environment
- Highly intellectually curious; openness to learning and value on teaching
- An effective communicator; able to communicate with clarity and consistency, the strategy and messages on the focus areas that the organization and business need to deliver on
- Warm, empathetic, compassionate, leads with heart
- Passion and affinity for the creative industries and the Make Up For Ever brand and business
- Comfort with ambiguity
- Sterling values; high integrity
- Globally-minded; savvy in working with a highly international team; cross-culturally sensitive

About the Company

The Chalhoub Group is the leading partner for luxury across the Middle East since 1955. As an expert in retail, distribution and marketing services based in Dubai, the group has become a major player in the fashion, beauty and gift sectors regionally.

By blending its Middle East expertise and intimate knowledge of luxury, Chalhoub Group is building brands in the region, by offering service excellence to all its partners and a unique experience to its customers through its passionate teams.

With a growing workforce of more than 9,000 people, implemented in 14 countries, as well as the operating of over 470 retail outlets, the group's success is attributed to its most valued asset of highly skilled and dedicated teams. Professionalism and passion are what fuel the Chalhoub Group's competitive edge in today's market.

By being committed to implementing sustainable practices into their business, the Chalhoub Group has been awarded in 2013 the CSR Label from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.