Director of Retail Operations III

Dufry Careers•Cleveland, OH

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Retail Operations III at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, oversees multi-faceted commercial operations with revenue of $10-20M, taking full ownership of sales growth and profitability through strategic leadership, operational excellence, and high employee engagement. This role ensures superior customer service delivery while cultivating key stakeholder relationships with landlords, unions, DBE/Joint Venture partners, and brand representatives.

Requirements

The combination of education and professional experience must exceed 8 years
In a leadership role: Requires 3 years of experience supervising a team of operations professionals engaged in executing retail operations programs
In a technical role: Requires 8 years of experience engaged in developing and delivering retail operations programs
A bachelor’s degree in a program related to the functional area can count for 2 of the 8-year requirement
Knowledge of retail or consumer goods industry with understanding of travel retail concepts and multi-brand environments
Strong financial acumen with solid understanding of growth and profitability drivers; ability to navigate P&L statements, analyze key financial metrics, and drive KPI results through behavioral management rather than metric management alone
Demonstrated expertise in retail product and service quality standards with proven ability to teach, coach, and ensure compliance across multiple brand standards within store operations
Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders including customers, team members, union representatives, brand partners, and hourly associates in a professional and inclusive manner
Strong organizational and critical thinking abilities with proven track record of managing multiple concurrent priorities and implementing solutions to complex operational challenges
Exceptional communication skills with ability to understand, interpret, and effectively communicate complex instructions, policies, and brand standards to teams at all levels
Business acumen and also has the mindset required to understand the long-term implications of retail operations planning and to advance the organization’s goals
Demonstrated history of understanding the needs of the business, stakeholders, the employee population and individual circumstances
Demonstrated history of creating and maintaining positive work environments through coaching, developing, and leading teams to achieve common goals

Responsibilities

Partners with SVP/VP of Retail Operations to establish fiscal revenue, expense, profit goals, and inventory targets; analyzes KPIs, identifies performance factors, and implements corrective actions to achieve targets with full P&L accountability
Develops comprehensive action plans and reviews sales performance by store, category, and brand against budget; leads operations meetings covering sales, promotions, categories, brands, and HR initiatives
Makes strategic hiring, termination, advancement, and promotion decisions for key positions while promoting company brands as employer of choice and conducting performance evaluations aligned with customer flow patterns
Oversees Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) implementation across all airport retail operations by directing comprehensive operational audits, ensuring management and staff execute opening/closing procedures with full accountability for operational standards, and collaborating with ACDBE partners on reporting and certification processes; ensures senior management teams maintain rigorous adherence to operational excellence while evaluating SOP effectiveness and recommending policy enhancements to corporate leadership based on operational data and market insights
Develops and maintains strategic relationships with landlords, brand partners, and DBE stakeholders; coordinates planned maintenance and facility improvements to maintain superior standards
Champions employee engagement behaviors and company values through recognition programs; provides coaching and support to achieve business objectives while ensuring diversity and inclusion execution
Reviews financial and operational data to monitor progress and deploy resources effectively; collaborates with SVP/VP on strategic issues and partners with Operations Controller on financial decisions
Coordinates with Supply Chain, Commercial, and Marketing teams to optimize store assortments and marketing support; ensures optimal inventory levels and trains associates on ordering procedures
Manages receiving processes, vendor communications, and supply chain issue resolution; ensures leadership proficiency in management systems (MIV, Crunch Time, Kronos) and monitors equipment functionality
Maintains expertise in brand standards, CBAs, lease agreements, and stakeholder protocols; implements planogram execution, visual merchandising standards, and product placement strategies
Develops and implements creative revenue enhancement strategies; resolves complex customer and associate issues while driving technology adoption and inspiring teams to embrace new implementations
Monitors market trends, competitive landscape, and consumer behavior to inform operational decisions; ensures compliance with category management principles and retail space optimization