Head of Retail Development
Zachary Daniels are proud to be supporting a leading organic and sustainable food business in launching their first owned retail stores with the ambition to grow into a national cluster.
The Opportunity
We are seeking a highly entrepreneurial Head of Retail Development who has a passion for fresh food to lead the full end-to-end launch of new stores. The successful candidate will be personally responsible for delivering every aspect of the store rollout, from site acquisition and property negotiations, to shop fit, ranging, merchandising and marketing.
You will be building processes as you go and shaping the retail model from the ground up. There is no large corporate support team success depends on your ability to get things done, think commercially and problem-solve on the fly.
Key Responsibilities
Identify, secure and negotiate leases for new retail sites
Manage store design, shop fit and operational setup from start to finish
Develop ranging and merchandising strategies, particularly for fresh and perishable products
Plan and execute store launch marketing and customer engagement
Oversee budgets, timelines and KPIs for all development activities
Work closely with supply chain, operations and commercial teams in a practical, solution-focused way
Build and lead a small core team as the store cluster grows
This role of Head of Retail Development requires someone who thrives in a dynamic environment and can lead from the front, managing both strategy and execution.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate for the Head of Retail Development will be:
Experienced in fresh food retail or grocery, ideally with hands-on store development experience
Proven ability to launch new stores independently without relying on large support structures
Highly practical and solutions-oriented, comfortable problem-solving on site
Commercially astute, with experience managing budgets, timelines, and performance KPIs
Confident making strategic and operational decisions in a small, agile team
Passionate about sustainable, organic or ethical retail
Typical backgrounds include:
Senior Retail Development Manager or Head of Retail at grocery or specialty food brands
Operations leads with experience in store openings
Entrepreneurs or consultants with hands-on retail rollout experience
Package
Salary: £75,000 - £100,000, based on experience
Performance-based bonus
Potential involvement in future store expansion and cluster strategy
This confidential position as Head of Retail Development represents a rare opportunity to shape the retail presence of a growing and successful organic brand from the ground up.
BH35769