Director, Retail & Merchandise
Location
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire | United Kingdom
Job description
ABOUT RWS Global
Built upon more than 120 years of combined expertise from its subsidiaries, RWS Global launched in 2023 as an industry-leading team of four powerhouse companies—RWS, ted, JRA and ARC. Together, they form the world’s largest producer of live experiences. Headquartered in New York City, London and Cincinnati, RWS Global provides ideation, design, technical, casting and operation services to create extraordinary entertainment, live events, exhibits, destinations, décor and brand attractions.
On land, at sea and everywhere in between, RWS Global produces over one million live moments every day. RWS Global employs a diverse team of world-class designers, creators, producers and more, including the casting and recruitment of over 8,000 performers and technicians annually. RWS Studios, located in New York City and London, comprises over 100,000 combined square feet of creative and meeting spaces, a costume shop, rehearsal studios, performer housing, fully equipped casting studios, acoustically treated music rooms and more.
RWS Global's subsidiaries include RWS, the leader in live moments by bringing to life unforgettable in-person experiences; ted, Europe's largest leisure entertainment experience company; JRA, an award-winning creative studio specializing in master planning, design and project management and ARC, providing casting for theatre, film, TV and commercials. Together, RWS Global’s companies have served an impressive roster of clients that includes Apple, Azamara, The Coca-Cola Company, Crayola, Europa-Park Resort, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, The FRIENDS™ Experience by Original X Productions, Hard Rock Resorts, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, Holland America Line, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Lionsgate, Marella Cruises, MSC Cruises, Roompot, Six Flags, Space Center Houston, TUI Group, Vera Wang, Warner Bros., Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, Chicago the Musical, Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes and many more. For more information, visit rwsglobal.com.
The Retail & Merchandise department specialises in bespoke merchandise and innovative retail experiences. We work with character IPs and brands on product concepts and bring them to life through factory sourcing, product sampling and product development. We manage the full process from product concept creation through to manufacturing, through to delivery, and then work on how to bring the in-store experience to life through innovative store design.
The Director, Retail & Merchandise is responsible for inspirationally leading the cross-functional Retail & Merchandise team to significantly grow our client base, ensure performance of operations to our existing clients is to the highest standards and to drive a culture of continuous improvement and growth. With full ownership of the department P&L, this role will ensure our department profitability grows in line with business targets.
Role & Responsibilities - Leadership – inspirationally lead the Retail & Merchandise team and foster a culture of high-performance and continuous improvement, and drive team engagement. Ensure the performance of the team is managed effectively and follow HR processes as required. Set departmental goals with action plans and ensure the team meet these.
- Client Acquisition – work with the Business Development team to acquire new clients through effective, creative proposals and inspiring pitches. Lead the Retail & Merchandise team to ensure our new business proposals include innovative and cost-effective products and services, and we lead the way vs our competitors.
- Client Relationships – build and maintain strong working relationships with our clients, and act as a point of contact for any escalations as required.
- P&L Management – fully accountable for all aspects of the department P&L. Set budgets with the EVP, VP and Director of Finance, and manage closely to ensure all aspects of the department stay on budget, taking pre-emptive corrective action to fill any gaps as required.
- Department Operations – this role will be fully accountable for the end-to-end movement of goods from concept creation to production to delivery or installation, working with our manufacturers and suppliers to ensure our high service levels are met, and optimizing our supply chain accordingly. Review processes regularly, identifying opportunities for improvement, and actioning accordingly.
- Innovation – lead and manage the team to ensure we are always at the forefront of retail innovation (in-store fitouts, experiences and products). Research market trends and attend trade shows as required.
Qualifications & Skills: - Excellent communication skills at all levels
- Excellent negotiation skills and commercial acumen
- Good understanding of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
- Excellent project management skills or a project management qualification
- Excellent numerical skills are essential
- A transformational leader who can drive high performance and team engagement
- A “can do” attitude is a must, as is a tenacious approach to problem solving
- A committed attitude to our business, with strong knowledge of our values and client base
- Able to keep a cool head under pressure and make decisions in a logical and unemotional way
- Goal orientated with a passion for results and continuous improvement
- Experience of product development, buying or sourcing is highly desirable
- We are looking for someone with significant retail industry experience
- Experience of team management is essential
- Client-facing (B2B) experience is essential
- Sales or business development experience is highly desirable
- Experience of global supply chain/logistics is highly desirable
- Experience of HR processes would be advantageous
- Experience of the leisure/tourism industry would be advantageous
Please Note: While this is intended to be an accurate description of the job, this is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the position, and may require that other or different tasks be performed as necessary and assigned.
Company Benefits: - Competitive Salary
- Company Pension
- 25 days paid holiday excluding Bank Holidays
- Paid parental leave
- Computer (Mac/Windows)
- Flexible working (office/remote)
- Employee Assistance and Wellbeing Program
- Childcare support
- Employor sponsored vision program
Estimated Start Date: As soon as possible
Status: Normal office hours are 09:30 to 17:30, Monday – Thursday, 09:30 to 17:00 Friday
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT: DIVERSE IS WHO WE ARE
Way more than a box to check, diversity is core to RWS Global culture. We value it, promote it, protect it and hire it. All differences are welcome here. We know for a fact that each employee’s individual background, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression and capabilities are a contribution to our culture, as well as our reputation and achievements.
So bring all of who you are, no questions asked.
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