Head of Retail

Head of Retail – Lead Finisterre’s Expansion

Are you a passionate and experienced retail leader ready to make waves with a brand dedicated to the sea and sustainability? Finisterre, a pioneering B Corp-certified outdoor lifestyle and surf brand, is searching for a dynamic Head of Retail to spearhead our ambitious growth plans.

Based remotely with regular travel, you’ll report directly to the Commercial Director and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our brick-and-mortar presence. If you’re driven to create exceptional customer experiences, maximize store performance, and inspire a team to embody our brand’s ethos, we want to hear from you!

About Finisterre: More Than Just a Brand

Born from a love of the sea, Finisterre crafts sustainable, premium products for those who share our passion for the outdoors, adventure, and protecting the planet. With a proud Cornish heritage, we’re committed to inspiring a connection with the ocean. We currently operate 14 thriving UK retail stores, and we have ambitious plans to double our footprint to 30 locations over the next five years. Join us on this exciting journey!

Key Responsibilities: Charting the Course for Retail Success

• Strategic Growth: Define and execute a multi-year retail growth strategy to double our store footprint.
• New Store Development: Lead the new store pipeline, from initial scoping and feasibility studies to successful grand openings.
• Performance Optimization: Analyze store performance, identify opportunities to maximize revenue and profitability using a data-driven approach.
• Customer Experience: Ensure an exceptional and consistent in-store experience that embodies Finisterre’s values and brand identity.
• Visual Merchandising: Oversee visual merchandising across all locations to create inspiring, on-brand retail environments.
• Brand Advocacy: Act as a brand ambassador, embedding our heritage, sustainability mission, and lifestyle ethos into every store.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and inspire retail managers and store teams to deliver outstanding results, fostering a culture of empowerment and collaboration.
• Training & Development: Develop training programs to equip teams with the skills to provide world-class customer service.
• Operational Excellence: Collaborate with retail operations to ensure efficient processes and seamless customer journeys.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with leadership peers across marketing, e-commerce, and merchandising to create an integrated customer experience.

What You’ll Bring to Finisterre: Experience and Passion Combined

We’re looking for a visionary retail leader who’s passionate about creating exceptional customer experiences and driving growth. Ideally you will have:

• 10+ years’ experience in senior retail leadership, ideally within a lifestyle, outdoor, or premium apparel brand.
• A proven track record of delivering significant growth, improving store performance, and leading retail expansion.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to translate data insights into actionable strategies.
• Inspirational leadership skills with the ability to engage, coach, and develop high-performing teams.
• Excellent influencing skills, with the confidence to engage and present at board level.

Important: The successful candidate must, by the start of their employment, have permission to work in the UK. Please note that Finisterre are not licensed to sponsor overseas workers.

What You’ll Receive From Finisterre: Investing in You and Your Future

This is a full-time, permanent contract, based remotely with regular travel required. We offer a competitive salary commensurate with your skills and experience. But it’s more than just a job; it’s an opportunity to grow and develop within a fast-paced, growing B Corp certified brand with a great culture and an exciting purpose.

We care for our crew with a range of initiatives and rewards, including:

• A discretionary bonus scheme, based on company performance
• A pension scheme with Nest
• 25 days holiday per year, plus up to 8 UK bank holidays
• Additional holidays for length of service
• Your birthday day off
• 60% product discount for personal and gift use
• 30% Friends and Family product discount
• Life assurance with access to an employee assistance program
• Access to a wide range of wellbeing programs, including counselling services, headspace membership, eye tests, yoga, cycle to work and a range of perks
• Regular company social events
• Paid volunteering opportunities
• Various discounts from our B Corp community
• Individual training and development plans
• Sea Tuesday companywide updates

Ready to Join the Crew?

Finisterre is committed to building diverse and inclusive teams. We celebrate difference and encourage everyone to join us and be themselves at work. We’ll be interviewing as we go along, so we’d encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity.