Director of Operations - Wellness

Job description / Role

About Alshaya

Alshaya Group is a dynamic family-owned enterprise, first established in Kuwait in 1890. With a consistent record of growth and innovation, Alshaya Group is one of the world's leading brand franchise operators, offering an unparalleled choice of well-loved international brands to customers
Alshaya Group brings customers the brands they love in the places they want to be. Brands such as Starbucks, H&M, Mothercare, Debenhams, American Eagle Outfitters, P.F. Chang's, The Cheesecake Factory, The Body Shop, M.A.C, Victoria's Secret, Boots, Pottery Barn and KidZania.

Wellness Division

Our wellness division is a crucial part of Alshaya's operations. As the beauty industry evolves and customers become more knowledgeable, we have ambitious growth plans for this division to meet rising consumer demands.

The Wellness Division manages over 21 brands across MENA and Turkiye, covering Beauty & Cosmetics, Pharmacy, and Home Furnishings. Key brands in our portfolio include Charlotte Tilbury, Bath & Body Works, MAC Cosmetics, Boots Pharmacy, and Pottery Barn, among others.

The Role:

The Director of Operations - KSA will have a joint responsibility for the delivery of the divisional business plan, the strategic management and direction and compilation of the P&L for the Wellness Division in KSA. The incumbent will be responsible for all store operations, and promotional activities and in-store visuals. The incumbent's area of responsibility will include the total Wellness KSA business, this comprises of 169 stores and circa 1150 employees
This role is critical to supporting our ambitious growth plans within KSA and ensuring we deliver exceptional experiences to our customers.

The Responsibilities

- Set, agree and deliver the brands Retail Business Plans with focus on sales, cost control, people and maximizing profit.
- Set, develop and provide strategic direction, policies and goals with focus on growth, expansion & people.
- Set, and provide guidance towards the achievement of the highest operational standards and customer service, considering the cultural and legal differences within KSA whilst maintaining the overall brand integrity.
- Identify Market opportunities that will enhance and ensure a leading position within KSA.
- Drive change and develop store teams to deliver a world class customer experience.
- Contribute significantly to development of corporate marketing strategy by sharing customer insights, regional data to support the curation of the strategy.
- Responsible for identifying real estate strategies and growth opportunities in all operating markets.
- To coach, develop & mentor a team of multi category Senior Operations & VM Managers to achieve "high performance" and drive sales
- Ensure identification of training requirements within core and specialty businesses and ensure that succession plans are delivered within these business areas.

The Requirements:

- Experience in operations management within customer-centric industries or sectors
- An inherent passion for beauty and skincare.
- Strong commercial acumen and a track record of driving business growth
- Exceptional leadership and team management skills.
- Excellent understanding of the KSA market and regulatory environment.
- Proficiency in Arabic and English

The Competencies:

- Strategic Thinking
- Reacts to the changing face of retail
- Displays entrepreneurial Spirit
- Acts decisively
- Displays maturity and gravitas

- Execution

- Leads by example and capable of 'rolling up sleeves'
- Presents robust plans to achieve Business goals
- Continuous evaluation and adjustment based on changing conditions
- Inspires a cross functional team
- Builds strong teams through attracting talent and developing performance

Leadership

- Inspires through passion and a desire to rise to challenges
- High levels of cultural awareness and understanding
- Displays confidence and is able to lead high level discussions
- Can demonstrate high levels of coaching and mentoring
- Core set of personal values

Engagement

- Walks the Talk
- Comfortable at any level of communication - Senior executives to junior team members
- Sees the business through the eyes of the customer
- Confident presentation style

About the Company

As a leading international franchise operator, with nearly 90 of the world’s most recognised brands in its portfolio, Alshaya Group brings great shopping, dining, leisure and hospitality experiences to millions of customers across the Middle East & North Africa, Russia, Turkey, Europe and beyond.

Alshaya Group is a dynamic multinational business and family owned enterprise with a consistent record of growth and innovation. For 35 years, Alshaya has been a pioneering force in brand franchising, using its exceptional knowledge and experience to expand at pace.

Our portfolio of well-loved international brands includes Starbucks, H&M, Mothercare, Debenhams, American Eagle Outfitters, P.F. Chang’s, The Cheesecake Factory, The Body Shop, M.A.C, Victoria’s Secret, Boots, Pottery Barn, KidZania and, coming soon, Hampton by Hilton.

From one retail franchise store opened in Kuwait in 1983, Alshaya Group has consistently grown and diversified and today offers customers an unparalleled choice of brands across multiple sectors; Fashion & Footwear, Health & Beauty, Food, Optics, Pharmacy, Home Furnishings, Leisure & Entertainment, and Hotels. A diverse, skilled team of 53,000 people from 120 nationalities support more than 4,000 stores, cafes, restaurants and leisure destinations, a growing online business and a commitment to delivering great customer experiences.