GROCERY RETAIL OPERATIONS DIRECTOR - HARD DISCOUNT NEW STORE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

"Interim consultancy role for highly experienced Discount Grocery Retail Sales & Operations Specialist to strategically plan, develop and lead our client's ambitious store expansion plan across the Middle East."

US c$8000/£6000/€7000 Net Per Month Housing Flights (Interim 6-12 months)

Middle East

Our client is one of the largest Grocery Supermarket Chains in the Middle East. It operates a variety of different store formats. As part of an ambitious expansion plan for its hard discount grocery retail supermarket business model, it is seeking a highly experienced Senior Executive with a significant track record and expertise in Discount Grocery retail sales and operational leadership to strategically plan, develop and lead the launch of c150 new stores within the next 18 months.

Our client is offering this role on a 6-12-month interim consultancy basis located in the Middle East. We are only seeking Senior Executives with experience at Director or VP level within hard discount grocery supermarket retailing store formats.

The Role:

Reporting to Board level you will:

· Build the foundation of our client hard discount retail programme, store operations, shaping the in-store consumer experience.

· Shape the initiatives and objectives related to budgets and strategic planning in relation to the expansion of the hard discount grocery supermarket format.

· Ensure the successful launch, profitability and success of our client's hard discount grocery retail operation ensuring a best practice launch model.

· Influence and steer a culture of high performance and accountability.

· Recommend and implement retail commercial policy (store location and size, range assortment, merchandising, retail pricing, sales objectives and targets, promotional activities, store people resource plan).

· Partner with all HO cross functional teams to enable the launch of c150 new hard discount grocery stores within the next 18 months.

· You will play a critical role in supporting and being both strategic and hands on working closely with regional and national teams to achieve retail targets and KPIs, leading and supporting the growth plans.

· You will be strategically and operationally responsible for the successful launch of stores and driving the revenue and physical store count.

· You will be accountable for tailored store plans and objectives specific to different geographical locations and customer market demographics.

· Working in partnership with colleagues in property/real estate champion and identify suitable new store locations and the continued evolution of new store opening processes to meet the needs of target customer communities.

· Guide stores through optimum and effective product merchandising, allocation/replenishment processes to drive sales and store productivity for a hard discount grocery supermarket model/format.

· Create and implement optimum store people resourcing models working closely with HR to ensure strong successful store leadership and teams to support the organisation and hard discount model as it grows.

The Ideal Profile:

· Market leading hard discount grocery retail Sales & Operations Senior Executive/Strategist/Consultant.

· Successful track record of accelerated/rapid launch of c100-150 stores minimum across a specific country or geographical territory with proven results.

· Minimum 15 years' experience leading cross functional and integrated retail teams in grocery retailing including in depth understanding of the hard discount supermarket model.

· University degree educated. Masters level education would be highly advantageous.

· Experienced at presenting to Board level, presenting business cases including full financial and capital investment proposals.

· Excellent negotiation skills and commercial awareness.

· An unparalleled expertise in real estate for new store openings including an understanding of the nuances, opportunities, potential barriers to entry in different markets/regions.

· Highly analytical and numerate, familiar with setting stringent KPIs and targets to achieve impressive sales growth and profitability and Return on Investment.

· An innovative and breakthrough thinker familiar with working within developing retail markets.

· Highly flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity.

· Core experience as a senior executive in retail store operations with market leading hard discount grocery retailing may be combined with strategic retail sales consultancy.

If you are a hard discount grocery retail specialist with a track record successfully strategically planning and implementing a rapid store expansion plan, then please contact us for an early and confidential discussion about this role.

The role is located in the Middle East for the duration of the contract/project and therefore you will be required to relocate to the Middle East. Our client will provide housing and flights and a very competitive net salary per month.