Trading Director / London / up to c£150,000 + package (hybrid working)
The Opportunity: Trading Director
A well-established multisite retailer in London is seeking a highly commercial and strategic Trading Director to join its executive leadership team. This is a pivotal role for a visionary retail professional ready to drive significant growth and shape the product strategy across multiple high-street locations.
This London-based role will report directly to the Chief Executive and involve responsibility for the group's overall trading strategy, profitability, and merchandising across all product categories.
Key Responsibilities
* Commercial Leadership: Own and drive the overall commercial performance, sales, and gross profit of all trading divisions across the group's physical stores.
* Strategy & Planning: Develop and execute a compelling, customer-focused trading strategy, including annual business and operational plans, to maximise market share and profitability.
* Buying & Merchandising: Oversee and lead the Buying and Merchandising teams, ensuring an innovative and high-quality product selection that reflects the brand's identity and meets local customer needs.
* Supplier Relationship Management: Lead key negotiations with brand partners and suppliers, fostering long-term, mutually profitable relationships.
* Operational Excellence: Ensure seamless collaboration between trading, operations, and marketing teams to deliver exceptional execution, visual standards, and customer experience.
* Team Development: Inspire, lead, and mentor a talented team, fostering a high-performance, collaborative, and commercially-driven culture.
The Ideal Candidate
* Proven experience at a senior leadership level (Head of Trading, Buying Director, or similar) within a UK multisite retailer.
* Exceptional commercial acumen with a demonstrable track record of driving significant sales and profit growth.
* A strategic thinker with strong analytical skills, able to translate data and market trends into actionable, profitable strategies.
* An inspirational and decisive leader, confident in influencing stakeholders at all levels, including the Board.
* Deep understanding of multi-channel retail dynamics and the relationship between physical stores and the digital landscape.
* Based in or willing to commute to London for this executive position.