Head of Retail, Merchandise & Licensing

We’re looking for a Head of Retail, Merchandise and Licensing to lead the strategy, planning and delivery of the Retail & Merchandise programme in order to balance building the brand and optimise the commercial potential

What you’ll be doing

• Managing, developing, coaching and recruiting, (when necessary) a team of designers, technologist, buyers, merchandisers, supply chain, administrators, stock, physical retail and online store Managers setting clear goals and objectives.
• Lead a team in the annual development, marketing and sale of an innovative and commercial in-house merchandise, apparel & accessories collection.
• Driving the strategic acceleration of the profitable growth of the Retail & Merchandising programme whilst contributing positively to the reputation and integrity of the brand.
• Identify product and range propositions for the future within the Wimbledon brand product portfolio architecture and customer segmentation.
• Representing the retail business and team with the Executive and Board and external stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain appropriate pricing architecture ensuring that the needs of all guest groups have been considered within the merchandising assortment.
• Oversee the in-house operation of our year-round business at The Museum Shop and our Online Store, ensuring that customer service standards of the AELTC are maintained throughout the year, alongside The Championships.
• Oversee inventory planning, ordering, stock and replenishment processes to optimise product assortment and availability.
• Close collaboration with colleagues in the Marketing & Creative functions, establishing a critical path for the production and delivery of impactful annual campaigns & assets and content calendar across owned, earned and paid channels including PR, onsite advertising, windows and VM.
• Develop initiatives to drive footfall and online traffic, enhance brand visibility and boost sales, whilst monitoring the effectiveness of marketing efforts.
• To establish and deliver the AELTC’s Retail Roadmap, to include the refurbishment of our bricks and mortar stores, ongoing investment in the quality of our online proposition, implementation and promotion of growth and conversion tools and the delivery of a unified commerce experience.
• Ensure that the objectives of the Retail & Merchandise function are aligned to the delivery of AELTC’s strategic goals.
• Review the existing licensing programme and establish a strategy for growth prioritising territories as defined by the strategic objectives of the broader organisation.
• Develop a culture and ethos of upselling & cross selling across channels, product ranges and customer segments.
• Produce and maintain a sustainability audit across all Retail & Merchandising activity, establishing a baseline and actively leading on a reduction of our net emissions, in support of the AELTC’s net-zero ambitions and other areas of compliance and company policy.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with Grand Slam counterparts and those of our competitive set.

Other Responsibilities

• Setting and tracking team and individual KPIs for direct reports, including the Shop Manager, Stock & Logistics Manager, Operations & Buying Manager, Merchandiser, eCommerce Manager and Production Coordinator.
• Maintain appropriate levels of store staffing throughout the year and during The Championships by recruiting, selecting, and training employees within agreed budgets.
• To comply and promote the AELTCs policies and procedures to include working within established Health and Safety guidelines, diversity & inclusion and GDPR compliance.
• To maintain awareness of the latest retail and merchandising industry trends, market changes and competitor activities where relevant to the product range and brand.
• Support the annual and ongoing merchandising requirements of our Official Partners & Hospitality Providers.
• Support the estate management team in the refurbishment of the No.1 Court shop experience and technology teams in developing the Online store user experience.
• Create whitespace recommendations for future growth and support the business to monetise pilots in developing markets and initiatives such as retail proposition at Qualifying and ‘The Hill’ in New York.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the retail team, including addressing member and customer feedback and implement improvements to exceed customer expectations.

The Championships

• During the summer months, the Head of Retail will be responsible for the recruitment and onboarding of a seasonal team of Retail Managers who will be utilised in preparing the retail estate at our main grounds for The Championships. Working with the HR team, the appointee will lead the development and delivery of a training programme for our 350+ seasonal employees and during the event fortnight, will ensure that the standards of the AELTC are maintained across all of our shop floors, prioritising and exemplifying excellence always.

About You

• Significant relevant retail experience at global events, including a successful track record of developing a brand, managing, and improving retail operations and meeting financial targets.
• Experience on developing product and ranges with year on year growth in a ‘bricks and clicks’ business with a wide range of responsibilities from P&L to mid-to long-term strategy to daya to day delivery of store sales.
• Numerical and analytical mind, capable of recognising trends and recommending how to optimise for the future.
• Event experience, with resilience to work for across The Championships at a high level of capacity whilst motivating a large team and remaining unflappable.
• Excellent IT, written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write succinct, accurate reports and deliver high level presentations.
• Sound understanding of brand, quality and excellence in customer service and ability to generate new ideas with a high level of creativity.
• Ability to direct, develop and motivate the retail and merchandising team.
• Experience and understanding of good finance and corporate governance practices, including pricing strategies and budgeting.
• A self-motivated and proactive individual, with a passion for quality and excellence and a can-do attitude, willing to roll sleeves up as and when required.

Highly Desirable Skills & Experience

• Significant operational experience and success in building apparel ranges across multiple categories with a good / better / best hierarchy.
• An in depth of knowledge of both direct and indirect sourcing and supply chain management.
• The ability to lead and develop an internal and external design capability.
• Clear understanding of brand integrity and quality with excellence in execution in market.
• Guest or consumer-centric mindset with courtesy, responsibility, safety and performance at the heart of how they deliver.

About Us

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (Championships) Limited (AELTC) organises and stages The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.

The Retail & Merchandising Team at the AELTC has delivered substantial top and bottom line growth in recent years, first in the establishment of our in-house apparel & accessories collections and more recently, in the insourcing of our online store. The retail business forms part of the wider Commercial & Marketing Department and works closely with numerous other functional areas in this regard.

Retail at the AELTC comprises both the year-round business Online and at the Museum Shop and during the Championships, the operation of four major stores and seven express stores, with 350+ staff welcoming over half a million guests across fourteen days.

We are looking for a results-orientated and strategic leader with a passion for retail, product, brand and people to continue exponential growth which has seen record breaking results year on year..