Director, Retail Hybrid Concept Development & Portfolio - Bethesda, MD

Dufry Careers•East Rutherford, NJ

41d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Retail Hybrid Concept Development & Portfolio leads the innovation and execution of proprietary retail concepts and hybrid portfolios combining retail, food & beverage, and experiential solutions. This role is responsible for driving the ideation, design, and development of innovative retail concepts tailored for aviation and travel environments, collaborating with cross-functional teams to bring concepts to market. The position also drives the financial performance of the retail portfolio, introduces cutting-edge solutions, and supports long-term retail and hybrid growth strategies. The Director partners with F&B Concept Development to ensure hybrid concepts are innovative, financially viable, and operationally sound. They monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitor strategies to drive continuous innovation, conducting market research to identify emerging trends and evolving consumer behaviors. The role manages a dynamic hybrid portfolio, develops strategies to maximize portfolio performance, analyzes data to inform decisions, and identifies new business partnerships. Additionally, the Director assesses airport contracts, develops brand guidelines, leads seamless execution of concepts, upholds store performance standards, cultivates stakeholder relationships, and collaborates on contract negotiations.

Requirements

Requires 3 years of experience leading a team of professionals engaged in developing and executing retail concept development programs
Requires 8 years of experience engaged in delivering retail concept development programs
A bachelor’s degree in a program related to the functional area can count for 3 of the eight-year requirement
An MBA or a master’s level degree in a program related to the functional area can count for an additional 2 years of the eight-year requirement
3-5 years of Hospitality, F&B and/or Retail experience
Proven success in developing and launching retail concepts that drive measurable financial results
Proficiency in retail management systems, analytics tools, and emerging retail technologies
Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.
Excellent project management and organizational skills
Outstanding communication, negotiation, and presentation abilities
Business acumen and also has the mindset required to understand the long-term implications of concept development planning and to advance the organizations 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

Leads the ideation, design, and development of innovative retail concepts tailored for aviation and travel environments; collaborates with cross-functional teams (Design & Construction, Marketing, Category Management, Operations) to bring concepts to market
Drives financial performance (top-line growth, bottom-line profitability, capital expenditures, and IRR) of the retail portfolio; introduces cutting-edge solutions for travel retail and aviation sectors; supports the Commercial team in formulating long-term retail and hybrid growth strategies
Partners with the Director of F&B Concept Development to ensure hybrid concepts are innovative, financially viable, and operationally sound and works with Commercial team for participation in concept creation where feasible
Monitors industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitor strategies to drive continuous innovation in retail formats, product offerings, and customer engagement; conducts comprehensive market research to identify emerging trends and evolving consumer behaviors in travel retail and hospitality
Manages a dynamic hybrid portfolio encompassing physical stores and pop-ups in collaboration with the Concept Development and Portfolio Development teams
Develops and executes strategies to maximize portfolio performance and value; analyzes sales data, customer insights, and market trends to inform strategic decisions; identifies new business partnerships in collaboration with the Concept Development and Category Management teams
Assesses airport contracts to ensure hybrid concepts align with terminal guidelines and operational requirements; develops and maintains brand guidelines/brand books for consistent concept execution and brand integrity
Creates brand guidelines to ensure seamless, consistent and continuous activation
Leads seamless execution of proprietary retail and hybrid concepts from planning through launch; oversees resource allocation to ensure project success
Partners with Operations teams to uphold store performance standards and deliver exceptional customer experiences; defines and maintains staffing models and implement comprehensive training programs for each concept
Cultivates and manages relationships with internal and external key stakeholders, including Operations, Category Management, airport authorities, brand partners, and suppliers
Collaborates with the Commercial Team and Director of Retail Portfolio Development in negotiating favorable contract terms