Regional Retail Operations Vice President

Dufry Careers•Trent Lakes, ON

2d•$211,300 - $281,700•Remote

About The Position

The VP of Retail Operations – US Duty Free is responsible for developing, adopting, and translating the strategic vision of Avolta Destination 2027, in alignment with the Executive Vice President of Duty Free Retail Operations, into regional execution by developing and implementing commercial and operational plans that drive sales, spend per passenger growth, gross margin expansion, EBITDA performance, net working capital for cash flow optimization, and consistent operational and brand standards across their assigned geography. Operating within a luxury travel environment serving sophisticated global travelers, this role achieves results through an operations leadership team, premium brand and landlord partnerships, and a sustained focus on an elevated team of associates and customer experience.

Requirements

Requires 7 years of experience leading a senior level operations team engaged in developing and executing retail operations programs
Requires 12 years of experience engaged in developing and delivering retail operations programs, including direct accountability for multi-unit or regional P&L performance
A bachelor’s degree in a program related to the functional area can count for 2 of the twelve-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 twelve-year requirement
5+ years of travel retail Duty Free experience in a multi-brand luxury environment serving an international, culturally diverse clientele with elevated service expectations
Familiarity with customs, border, and import/export regulations governing Duty Free sales, tax-exempt transactions, and bonded inventory management, and supply chain and distribution compliance; familiarity with internal audit requirements as they apply
Familiarity with the regulatory landscape across Duty Free product categories – including beauty, liquor, tobacco, confectionary, and luxury specialty consumer goods – covering licensing, labeling, route to market requirements, and applicable federal and state regulations
Understanding of ACDBE regulatory requirements and obligations
Strong financial acumen with proven ability to own and oversee regional P&L performance including budget development, variance analysis, expense optimization; navigates key financial metrics and drives KPI results through behavioral management and brings the same analytical discipline to all resource allocations decisions across the region
Exceptional and consistent communicator; can comfortably translate regional realities, risks, and opportunities into clear, credible executive-level context while cascading strategy, expectations, and standards downward with enough clarity and consistency that drives behavioral change at store level
Ability to lead and hold accountable a retail operations organization – spanning area, single or multi-brand boutiques or store-level leadership – ensuring operational standards are consistently upheld, performance expectations are clearly set, and gaps are swiftly identified and addressed
Deep knowledge of the global retail and Duty Free industry including luxury consumer goods categories, premium brand management, and the expectations of sophisticated international travelers and customers; proven ability to ensure compliance and consistency across multiple brand standards
Successful track record managing highly visible relationships with both public and private clients and stakeholders (city councils, airport authorities, developers, landlords, DBEs, unions, and joint venture partners)
Highly advanced business acumen and also has the strategic mindset required to understand the long-term implications of operations management decisions and to advance the organization’s goals
Demonstrated history of anticipating and balancing the needs of the business with the needs of complex 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

Owns the full scope of Duty Free retail operations across 20 US airports; accountable for the performance, commercial and standards, and results of all locations and the leaders responsible for them while ensuring full adoption and consistent execution of Avolta’s global operating model across the region
Oversees regional P&L and NWC performance, holding Duty Free leaders accountable for location-level financial KPIs and results; leverages Avolta Insights trends and other business intelligence to analyze trends, identify risks and opportunities, and partner with location and cross-functional leaders to develop and execute success plans that deliver sales, SPP, gross margin expansion, NWC, and EBITDA growth through productivity, cost discipline, as well as commercial, marketing, and digital execution
Leads with a business owner mindset across all operational, financial, and people decisions; fosters a diverse, inclusive, high performing team spanning multiple layers of location leadership with a focus on people development, growth, and operational excellence
Partners with global and regional commercial platforms to implement the commercial plan within the region including SPP acceleration, promotions, category and brand selection, and in-store execution; leverages passenger behavior and category dynamics to optimize assortment, drive basket size, and improve margin performance
Drives pricing execution in alignment with the global pricing platform; ensures Duty Free prices are accurately implemented and validated across all locations
Actively develops the knowledge and capabilities of leaders and associates at every level while building a culture of coaching, engagement, and trust that drives consistent performance across the region
Cultivates and sustains high value relationships with landlords, airport authorities, ACDBE and JV partners, and premium brand partners; in coordination with Finance, partners with both global and regional Commercial, Digital, Marketing, and Business Development teams to support new bids, contract extensions, and redevelopments that strengthen the company’s commercial position in the region
Maintains a clear and current view of regional financial and commercial performance; holds leaders accountable to results, coaches for improvement, and positions the region to capitalize on opportunities as they emerge
Leads the regional execution of flagship airport transformations and redevelopment projects in collaboration with Design & Construction and Category teams; monitors store openings, closings, and refurbishments, ensuring projects are delivered on time and aligned to brand standards
Champions the adoption and full utilization of Club Avolta and digital tools; drives customer engagement, loyalty, and SPP growth through data-informed decision making and commercial innovation
Leverages deep knowledge of the global travel retail industry – including Duty Free, luxury consumer goods, and the international travel – to anticipate market shifts, protect the company’s competitive position, and drive sustained growth for Avolta’s Duty Free business
Partners with Supply Chain and Commercial teams to manage product life cycle, seasonal markdowns, and exit strategies that optimize cash flow and NWC