Area Sales Manager – Kuwait, Bahrain & South Africa

Richemont, one of the world leaders in the luxury sector, has various Houses specializing in jewelry, watches and high-end accessories. Each Maison proudly embodies a tradition of style, quality and craftsmanship and Richemont strives to preserve the heritage and identity specific to each of them. At the same time, we are committed to innovating and designing new products in line with the values ​​of our Houses, through a process of permanent creativity.

HOW WILL YOU MAKE AN IMPACT?

The main mission of the Area Sales Manager is to lead commercial performance and seize relevant business opportunities across all channels, including Retail, Specialists and E-Commerce, where applicable, within Kuwait, Bahrain and South Africa.

The Area Sales Manager will ensure the achievement of sales targets while safeguarding the Maison’s image and standards.

Reporting to the Head of Commercial Partnership, the Area Sales Manager will actively contribute to the development and implementation of a coherent, long-term network strategy for the region. The role will coordinate the activities of various departments, including Visual Merchandising, High-End and Store Design & Planning, acting as a key bridge between the Maison’s global strategy and local market execution.

The Area Sales Manager will work closely with local partners and boutique and point-of-sale teams to ensure alignment with the Maison’s direction, image and standards.

STRATEGY

• Under the supervision of the Head of Commercial Partnership, implement the market strategy in line with the Maison’s direction, brand image, regional context and client expectations.
• Define the network development strategy by identifying relevant business opportunities across the markets under the role’s responsibility, including real estate and boutique projects.
• Contribute to the development of the High-End business and client experience in partnership with the relevant departments.
• Act as a local market expert by developing a deep understanding of the competitive landscape, surrounding communities, key events and emerging trends.

COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE

• Ensure the achievement of sales objectives across the internal boutique network in South Africa and the external boutique network in Kuwait and Bahrain.
• Accurately forecast annual, quarterly and monthly revenue streams.
• Analyse market KPIs and identify priority actions to achieve targets and support healthy business growth.
• Support the regional Merchandising team by communicating the opportunities and needs of the Cartier brand across the different markets.
• Follow up with Regional Finance on partner payment status, targets and compliance with agreed credit limits.
• Monitor budgets related to commercial activities, including selling costs, travel and expenses and capital expenditure.

NETWORK PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

• Establish strong relationships with local partners and boutique and point-of-sale teams while maintaining the Maison’s direction and image.
• Ensure retail sales targets are achieved in line with the Maison’s and each market’s overall strategy.
• Set market sales targets in consultation with relevant local departments, including Marketing and Communications.
• Monitor and follow up on boutique commercial action plans.
• Conduct regular field visits to assess operations and ensure compliance with the Maison’s guidelines across Visual Merchandising, boutique environment, product assortment and client experience.
• Drive Boutique and Specialist Operations Excellence through the implementation of appropriate policies, procedures and tools, supported by a strong compliance mindset.
• Ensure the Maison’s client experience standards, including Satisfaction Barometer and Mystery Shopping results, are understood and respected throughout the network.

NETWORK DEVELOPMENT

• Explore new and sustainable business opportunities, including permanent and temporary boutiques, watch specialists and e-commerce, where applicable.
• Assess, define and present business plans for new opportunities within mature markets.
• Support the Head of Commercial Partnership in negotiations with relevant stakeholders while involving all concerned departments, including Tax, Legal and Compliance.

BOUTIQUE OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL NETWORK

Kuwait and Bahrain

• Assess, define and implement the retail operations required to elevate the boutique client experience, in cooperation with the Commercial Partnership Executive.
• Assess boutique organisational and staffing needs in line with business activity and market priorities.
• Coordinate the implementation of relevant workshops and training programmes in partnership with the regional Learning & Development department.
• Communicate and implement relevant Maison procedures with local partners.

OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES: INTERNAL NETWORK

South Africa

• Ensure full compliance across the network by providing clarity and guidance on all operational matters.
• Collaborate with the Retail Operations department and Boutique Management to prepare for audits and ensure the highest level of operational excellence.
• Collaborate with Retail Operations teams at local and international levels to enhance and optimise rules and procedures.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• 5–7 years of experience in business development or strategic planning within luxury or another client-centric industry, combined with 3–5 years of boutique retail experience.
• A master’s degree in Business Development, Management or a related field.
• Experience working within international organisations, matrix environments and the region.
• Strong leadership, people-management and stakeholder-influencing skills.
• Strategic and commercial thinking, with the ability to translate vision into clear action plans.
• A resilient, hands-on and results-oriented approach, with the confidence to navigate opportunity, growth and ambiguity.
• Strong communication, presentation and public-speaking skills.

• Fluency in Arabic and/or French is an advantage but not essential

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