Retail
In retail, this week's revenue counts, and so does next year's strategy. SalesQuarters finds the commercial leaders who can handle both, and knows why the move between sales and retail so often goes wrong.
We work for entrepreneurial retailers and family businesses, for PE-backed chains and for brands moving into direct sales.
Two worlds that look alike
Few places put sales performance as high on the agenda as retail. Buyers, category managers and traders focus on the shoppers who matter most in their segment. Field and operations managers translate that to the shop floor.
Many people put sales and retail on the same side of the table, because both steer on revenue. In reality they have a different rhythm and different challenges. A move between the two therefore often turns out badly. That makes hiring in retail a craft of its own.
What this asks of a commercial leader
The shop floor is changing fast. Digital screens, self-checkouts and fully automated stores make operations more efficient and can visibly lift the sales of a product. But cut back human contact too far and you lose something that is hard to win back: the bond with the customer. A commercial leader in retail has to choose deliberately where technology helps and where people make the difference. And translate that choice into format, staff and margin at the same time.
How we search
Development Driven Search® looks for the leader for whom your assignment is the logical next step. In retail we pay extra attention to the rhythm someone is used to, and to whether they can translate strategy to the shop floor. Fast when needed, careful where it counts.
From intake to signed contract takes 8 to 12 weeks on average.
Discuss your vacancy with SalesQuarters. Call +31 20 226 90 00 or email info@salesquarters.nl. A first conversation commits you to nothing. Would you like to hear how it went for others first? We will put you in touch with a client as a reference.
Where we have done this
At Ford Netherlands we found the Head of eCommerce & Marketing for the move from wholesale to direct sales to consumers. That called for people with a retail mindset in an environment that had mostly thought in automotive terms.
Want to talk it through?
Are you looking for someone who knows retail, or someone who brings a fresh view? We will work it out together in a first conversation.
Call SalesQuarters on +31 20 226 90 00 or email info@salesquarters.nl.
Who we help
- Food
- Non-food
- Leisure & Hospitality
- Pure Play & Omnichannel
Related cases
Frequently asked questions
Which retail roles do you recruit for?
Commercial Director, category and buying leaders, e-commerce leaders and retail format directors, in food, non-food and omnichannel.
Can a sales leader from industry move to retail?
Sometimes, but it often goes wrong. The rhythm and way of steering differ a lot. So we explicitly test whether someone has made that move before, or what it would take to make it work.
How long does a search take?
8 to 12 weeks on average from intake to signed contract.