Fashion Head of Boutique (Harbin 哈尔滨)

Vision: The ultimate house of luxury defining style and creating desire now and forever.

Mission: Dedicated to inspiring and managing the boutique team to engage the consumer of today and tomorrow to the brand by providing unsurpassed service to all clients (internal and external) in ensuring high image standards in the boutiques at all times while being committed to the employee’s personal and professional development and growth.

Job Purpose: The Head of Boutique plays a vital role in the Fashion division and is our Brand Advocate. He or she is responsible for executing the CHANEL difference in the boutique and demonstrating Retail Leadership. He or she acts as a business partner to bridge the needs in the boutique and office.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Uphold the image of the brand (visual merchandising, boutique maintenance, grooming)

• Model the brand image and act as a Brand Ambassador to all audiences;
• Communicate effectively with corporate partners such as landlord, public relations, media and local public authority (if applicable);
• Ensure boutique displays and ambience are consistently reflecting the essence of the collections and the brand story;
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve boutique visual merchandising execution and the overall boutique environment, including the professional image of team members;
• In the spirit of socially responsible and environmental friendly, make sure all collateral, supplies & stationery are wisely and properly used.

2. Leadership and management

• Ensure the team understands the CHANEL vision and mission and is motivated to deliver boutique priorities;
• Translate brand and retail strategy into consistent boutique execution across brand, service, people, client, operations, and business performance;
• Turn One-Boutique-One-Story and product strategy into a decisive boutique performance plan by analyzing deeply, defining ambition, making clear choices, and aligning management;
• Balance short-term KPI delivery with long-term value creation;
• Communicate boutique strategy with clarity to stakeholders and the team, demonstrating the ability to diagnose the current situation and drive change;
• Identify and implement ways to empower and inspire team members to surpass the expectations of customers, so as to loyalize and build long lasting relationship with them;
• Coach and develop the boutique team with a focus on succession planning, career development, and individual development plans in collaboration with People & Organization department;
• Defines and adjusts manpower needs. Work closely with People & Organization department in making hiring decisions and proactively help to find and retain talent.

3. Build a client-centric boutique culture

• Develop and uphold a client-centric culture across the boutique team and champion client engagement to build long-lasting relationships with key clients;
• Partner with marketing & CEM team deploying analytical metrics to obtain thorough and personalized understanding of every segmentation of clients. Define in-boutique CEM strategy and touch points for relevant client segments and individual Elite;
• Ensure unsurpassed client experience through innovative and retail excellence that out-post clients’ expectations. Ensure that service provided is in line with company and cross boutique practices;
• Proactively review with the Boutique team (or Training team where applicable) to address improvement areas in client service identified through CSS results, client feedback or other indicators;
• Advise and provide justification to the boutique team members to handle all client service complaints and/or merchandise complaints according to guidelines. Directly handle special cases and escalate where appropriate.

4. Merchandise and inventory

• Work closely with the Head of Retail and/or Product teams to ensure optimal stock levels and productive product flow within the boutique and between boutiques;
• Encourage active boutique participation in buy meetings and mandate providing regular qualitative feedback on products to the Merchandising Team;
• From a product strategy point of view, reinforces, in co-operation with the Product and Training teams, the inspiration of every collection and inspire the boutique team to have a positive mindset towards new products, ideas and inspirations. Inculcate a forward thinking mentality towards every collection;
• Work closely with supply chain to bridge smooth in-boutique stock flows and warehouse deliveries so as to implement the most efficient and timely stock retrieval for best client;
• Enforce procedures and processes aimed at eradicating stock losses, stock adjustments and stock discrepancies. Regularly test and examine control processes in this area;
• Liaise with other boutiques and warehouse to ensure a smooth and accurate transfer of stock when required.

5. KPI management

• Develop annual and category targets with Head of Retail and/or Fashion General Manager;
• Monitor and forecast financial targets on a daily / weekly / monthly basis for the team. Analyze measureable statistics and take appropriate actions and/or inform concerned corporate partners;
• Connect critical KPIs to reveal the boutique’s biggest growth opportunities, including category, clienteling, service, sell-through, appointment, and follow-up metrics;
• Generate innovative ideas to help achieving various KPIs through experimental test and learn initiatives in appropriate safe to trial areas.

6. Operations management

• Work with Deputy Head of Boutques to plan & leverage workforce deployment to maximize staff strength according to traffic demands and trading patterns;
• Consistently adhere to all operational procedures regarding sales, discounts, transfers, stock adjustments;
• Ensures a disciplined management of document flows, reporting and communication with various stakeholders. Keep abreast in market practices, client trends / demands, competitor activity and merchandise movement and provide insight to Fashion Management on a regular basis.

7. Fostering close partnerships

• Form close partnerships with other Divisions, and the corporate functions (IT, Finance, People & Organization, Logistics, Communications) as well as within the Fashion team (Visual Merchandising, Marketing, Product, Public Relations, Training) in order to strive best execute and results, nevertheless a one-house CHANEL client experience;
• Navigate matrix relationships with strong collaboration, communication, and influence across departments and partners, bringing clear proposals and constructive solutions to business challenges.

KEY REQUIREMENTS what you can bring to the team

1. Academic / professional qualifications: holding at least Bachelor's degree;

2. Work Experience: 

• Fashion / retail / luxury background definitely an advantage;
• Minimum 5 years of experience in managing similar business portfolio and a sizable teams;

3. Leadership and management

• Strategic thinking, connecting the dots to make sound decisions;
• Develop and empowering people;
• Resourceful and curious;
• Excellent Communication skills to express and convey key messages;
• Lead with empathy, caring, being a role model, coaching and positive motivational skill;
• Strong interpersonal skill;
• Team spirit/Collaborative, ethical and respect others at all levels.

4. Image and operational management:

• Project own image of his / her own fashion style and attire;
• Keen eyes for details;
• Artistically inclined in arts, fashion and styling;
• Aware about the world around lifestyle and trends;
• Strong client service and client centric mindset;
• Planning & organizing skills.

5. People leadership and coaching: develop and empower people, give effective feedback, build succession, manage performance with empathy and accountability, make sound people decisions;

6. Strategic direction and vision translation: understand brand and retail strategy, explain the “what and why,” and translate priorities into clear boutique direction and action;

7. Entrepreneurial drive: proactively identify business opportunities, act with ownership, and drive growth with innovation and controllable risk management;

8. Business acumen: connect KPIs, market intelligence, client trends, category performance, CEM insights, and competitor activities to guide sound business decisions;

9. Learning agility and change leadership: remain curious, reflect on experience, embrace new tools and technology, challenge the status quo, and lead the team through change with resilience.