Sr Director International Retail Operations

Ulta Beauty, Inc. • Bolingbrook, IL

3d

About The Position

The role of Sr Director, International Retail Operations is a strategic leader responsible for working alongside our international partners to ensure the correct translation of the Ulta Beauty brand in stores in a way that is locally relevant for each market. As such, this role serves as the steward for the international execution of our Ulta Beauty market-specific store design guidelines, visual merchandising guidelines and processes, as well as the adaptation of our in-store operations and best practices.
This individual reports directly to our Chief Retail Officer and works in a matrixed organization with a dotted line to the VP, Head of International. This Sr Director serves as a key partner to international market operating partners as well as internally across Retail Operations, ensuring that the Ulta Beauty vision set across Visual Merchandising, Store Design, and In-Store Experience, comes across globally. This role will work cross-functionally to support partner execution and to build enduring international capabilities.
This leader plays a critical role in enabling global growth by adapting US Retail Operations capabilities for international application and establishing governance to ensure partner compliance, ultimately ensuring correct in-store expression and experience across markets.

Requirements

• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience required
• Experience in a multi-unit retail company required
• Strong partnership capability across functions and potential partners; ability to influence outcomes without direct authority.
• Demonstrated persistence in overcoming obstacles, surfacing and solving problems
• Demonstrated ability to lead in matrixed, cross-functional organizations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong executive presence.
• Travel required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience translating and ensuring in-store experience across partner markets (whether franchised, JV, licensing) highly preferred
• International experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Stewardship of Ulta Beauty’s brand in-store execution across international markets by ensuring store design guidelines, visual merchandising expressions and in-store experience best practices are appropriately leveraged, protected, and deployed. Maintain consistency in in-store expression across all international partner activations, while balancing local relevance.
• Develop clear briefing, approval, and performance review workflows to support international Retail Operations consistency and scalability across areas.
• Serve as the primary Retail Operations approver for functional plans. Establish and enforce governance frameworks that balance brand protection with local flexibility.
• Provide ongoing visibility into International Retail Operations initiatives to the Chief Retail Officer and the VP, Head of International, seeking guidance and alignment on strategic decisions as needed.
• Appropriately cascade global Retail Operations initiatives to be deployed locally, as applicable and appropriate based on region.
• Demonstrate strong executive presence, influence senior stakeholders, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence across international partnerships.
• Act as a global UB brand ambassador, balancing enterprise Retail Operations strategy with cultural nuance and local market realities.
• Manages and collaborates with a team of Retail Operations experts across areas of focus within the function.
• Partner cross-functionally with the Store Design and Visual Merchandising teams to ensure the global and regional vision for the store experience is adhered to across markets
• Act as a key conduit to provide necessary approvals and support project reviews. This leader will be responsible for surfacing special design needs for the Store Design team to design and develop, whether within prototypical formats or unique conditions
• Promote market compliance via the enactment of necessary partner training, guideline applications, timeline development, and execution plans as required to ensure consistent market execution aligned to Store Design, Visual Merchandising, and overall retail experience strategic visions
• Lead onboarding experience by coordinating with US partners initial training of international field leaders across new store setup and store operations, including training on brand culture, identity and experience
• Share relevant training materials, including frameworks, calendars, and documents that partners can adapt to support local operations
• Ensure initial in-market support of new store setup
• Establish and track performance measurement metrics to assess international operations at the store and regional level. Identify and share opportunities to optimize processes, enhance collaboration, and improve speed-to-market
• Periodically provide in-market guidance to support operational excellence

Benefits

• Full-time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits.
• Part-time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed