Head of Retail

KHAITE•New York, NY

6d•$225,000 - $275,000•Onsite

About The Position

KHAITE is seeking a Head of Retail to lead and evolve its global retail business as the brand expands. Based in the New York City office, this senior leader oversees the performance, profitability, and strategic development of KHAITE’s directly operated retail stores, establishing the vision, infrastructure, and organizational capabilities needed for continued growth. The role reports to the CCO. The Head of Retail executes retail strategy, drives commercial performance, cultivates exceptional client relationships, and develops a high-performing retail organization. The role ensures that every retail touchpoint reflects KHAITE’s distinctive brand identity and delivers an elevated, consistent luxury client experience while balancing commercial objectives with operational excellence. Working with executive leadership and cross-functional teams, the Head of Retail translates the brand’s vision and business objectives into retail strategies, identifies growth opportunities, strengthens brand equity, and supports the long-term success of the retail business. The position owns retail financial performance and profitability, including revenue, operating expenses, and store-level P&Ls. It leads retail business planning, budgeting, KPI management, store performance improvement, talent development, global client experience and development, and cross-functional retail execution. The role also guides the expansion of the directly operated retail business, including evaluation of markets and oversight of new store openings. The salary range is $225,000–$275,000, with pay dependent on relevant skills and experience. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision programs, a company bonus plan, employee discounts and perks, a 401(k) plan with employer match, and other ancillary benefits. Reasonable accommodations may be made for employees with disabilities. The job description notes that duties may be revised or supplemented by management.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive retail leadership experience, including significant experience leading a multi-unit retail organization; luxury fashion experience is required.
Proven track record of leading and scaling a retail business, driving commercial performance, and delivering sustained growth across multiple locations.
Demonstrated experience managing multi-unit retail P&Ls, budgets, and financial planning, with strong understanding of retail business metrics and profitability drivers.
Experience developing and executing retail expansion strategies and overseeing new store openings.
Extensive experience leading, developing, and retaining senior retail talent and building high-performing organizations.
Strong understanding of luxury client development, clienteling, and elevated customer experience strategies.
Experience partnering cross-functionally with corporate leadership and business functions to drive strategic initiatives.
Strong analytical capabilities and proficiency in retail systems, reporting tools, and business software.
Exceptional leadership capabilities, including the ability to build, develop, and inspire high-performing teams.
Values-driven leadership, integrity, collaboration, and commitment to modeling high standards of excellence.
Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking, with the ability to turn business objectives into actionable strategies and measurable results.
Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to lead through growth, change, and organizational complexity.
Sound judgment and decision-making, balancing long-term strategy with day-to-day business needs.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to influence and collaborate across organizational levels.
Analytical and solutions-oriented approach to interpreting performance and identifying improvement opportunities.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
Commitment to talent development, accountability, and a collaborative and inclusive culture.
Passion for luxury retail, exceptional client service, and differentiated brand experiences.

Responsibilities

Define and execute KHAITE’s global retail strategy in alignment with growth, commercial objectives, brand positioning, and broader business priorities.
Lead the evolution and expansion of the directly operated retail business; evaluate existing and potential markets and develop recommendations for the CEO and CCO.
Establish the strategic vision and operating framework, including the infrastructure, resources, and capabilities needed to support retail growth.
Identify opportunities to enhance the retail business through new initiatives, evolving luxury retail practices, and competitive landscape analysis.
Own retail financial performance and profitability, including revenue, operating expenses, and store-level P&Ls.
Develop annual retail business plans, budgets, and financial objectives with Finance and executive leadership.
Establish and monitor commercial KPIs, analyze performance, and develop strategies to drive growth and profitability.
Partner with Store Directors to improve sales productivity, client development, conversion, average transaction value, and overall store performance.
Evaluate business trends, identify opportunities and risks, and implement performance improvement strategies across stores and the retail portfolio.
Manage expenses and operational efficiency while maintaining luxury service and brand presentation standards.
Provide executive leadership with regular retail reporting, analysis, and strategic recommendations.
Lead, mentor, and develop Store Directors and corporate retail team members; establish leadership culture and organizational accountability.
Build and evolve the retail organizational structure, talent strategy, and leadership capabilities to support growth.
Set performance expectations, business objectives, and development priorities for retail leaders, aligned with company goals.
Foster accountability, collaboration, and continuous development, empowering leaders to drive performance and build strong store teams.
Partner with Human Resources and Talent Acquisition to attract, develop, and retain retail talent.
Oversee succession planning, leadership development, and talent pipeline initiatives.
Champion KHAITE’s Mission, Vision, and Values throughout the retail organization.
Define and lead the global retail client experience strategy across stores, pop-ups, and retail environments.
Develop client strategies that strengthen relationships, drive recruitment and retention, and cultivate long-term loyalty and engagement.
Partner with Brand Marketing, Merchandising, and Visual Merchandising to translate seasonal storytelling, product strategy, and brand initiatives into retail experiences.
Develop relationships with top clients and VICs through personalized engagement, clienteling, and global client development opportunities.
Support the commercial and experiential success of VIC events and client experiences in partnership with events and marketing teams, aligning them with brand objectives and budgets.
Use client insights and performance data to improve the retail experience and client relationships, and establish KPIs for client experience and development.
Monitor the evolving luxury landscape and identify opportunities to elevate service and differentiate KHAITE’s retail experience.
Serve as the primary retail business partner to executive leadership, advising on retail performance, expansion, and organizational priorities.
Collaborate with Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, Creative, Finance, People, and other corporate functions.
Translate seasonal creative direction, product strategy, and brand initiatives into cohesive retail execution across stores.
Represent the retail organization in company initiatives, contributing a commercial and customer-centric perspective.
Ensure retail execution reflects KHAITE’s standards of excellence, integrity, and brand expression across customer and employee touchpoints.
Perform other duties as assigned by management.