Head of Retail, Old Brewer's Yard

Job Description :

Old Brewer’s Yard (OBY) is a new Guinness neighbourhood in London that will inspire the best in brewing, food, retail and culture. Consisting of 52,000 square feet of heritage buildings and central courtyard in the historic brewing quarter in Covent Garden, OBY will become a key growth driver for Guinness, placing the brand in culture, driving relevancy and brand saliency amongst a new generation of drinkers. GB is the biggest Guinness market globally and Guinness is enjoying a period of exceptional growth and cultural magnetism, with the brand growing by around 50% since 2019 to the biggest it has ever been in value, volume and market share in the brand’s 264-year history.  

This role is part of the OBY Leadership Team and will be responsible for setting and implementing the retail strategy of a multi-million pound business. The successful applicant will be a key influencer within the leadership team and with internal and external collaborators alike. You will work very closely with the Diageo GB Marketing team, and the Irish Brand Homes Retail team, to ensure that OBY delivers a world class retail experience for customers.

Purpose of Role

This role will craft and implement the Retail Strategy at Old Brewer’s Yard. They will be the key conduit between all collaborators to ensure an efficient, profitable, reputable, world class retail operation. They will ensure, through leading the OBY Retail team, that the standards of service, merchandising, presentation and experience are consistently at the highest level. They must also possess sound commercial judgement and outstanding leadership skills.

The type of person we are looking for is bursting with energy and drive. The person will be an individual that inspires contagious passion, and gets things done. The person will be a winner by nature and encourage the same from the people around you.

Dimensions of the Role

Commercial Management

• Set and manage the strategic direction and manage commercial performance of the Mercer Walk and Neal Street retail stores. Ensure Retail strategy and performance are aligned with Diageo Society 2030 goals, especially with regards to Sustainability and Inclusion & Diversity.
• Take full accountability for the OBY retail P&L including setting and achieving revenue targets, set metrics to monitor and report on performance. Create and optimise OBY pricing strategy to maximise margin opportunity. Work closely with Diageo GB to agree OBY Retail contribution to GB Annual Operating Plan.
• Analyse and understand market trends, consumer behaviour, and competitive landscape to inform strategic decision-making and identify opportunities for growth and innovation.

• Overall responsibility for the development of the retail merchandise assortment including product development, sourcing, logistics and pricing. Manage existing supplier relationships, and identify and onboard new supply partners, in partnership with Diageo Procurement and Brand Homes teams.

Retail Marketing

• Find opportunities for promotional activity in the retail stores. Create, drive and implement effective promotional activities.
• Manage the OBY Retail A&P budget to ensure that the store is inviting and key products are promoted efficiently.
• Overall responsibility for managing a calendar of exciting and innovative retail collaborations with external brands, working with Diageo GB Culture & Entertainment team on wider cultural collaborations.

Retail Operations

• Overall ownership of the LS Central retail management system, including staff training on system use, and management of system updates in collaboration with the Global Brand Homes team.
• Devise and take accountability for maintaining shop floor and store maintenance standards across the OBY retail stores
• Accountable, along with Diageo GB Supply Chain team, for managing the OBY merchandise supply chain, including both on site and 3rd party storage, and deliveries to site.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop the OBY Retail team of around 12 employees plus agency staff.
• Develop the leadership capability within the retail management team.
• Contribute to the overall management of OBY as part of the OBY Leadership team, and lead and/or support projects to support the operation and growth of OBY.
• Lead change transformation where necessary.
• Work closely with the Diageo Marketing/Brand, Innovation, Retail and Finance teams to develop merchandise products and retail collaborations that grow quality sales and support brand saliency.
• Role model the Diageo values to help create the right culture in the OBY management team.
• Follow all Diageo Policies and Procedures, and ensure you and your team meet all l