Job: Chief Executive Officer (Niche Fragrances)

Our Client

Our client is a well funded family owned niche fragrance start up company, with an existing product line, and 2 stores newly opened. They need a strong General Manager to re-develop an entire strategy of distribution while growing sales in the first 2 stores.

Objective

Re-define a complete distribution strategy including retail and wholesale, but also national sales and export. Responsible for helping the company to achieve financial goals and objectives and increase operating performance. Prepares budgets, creates businesses plans, and solves internal issues as they arise.

Ideal Profile

The ideal profile is a senior executive with success track record in developing niche fragrance brands globally, or with at least a strong understanding of fragrance and extensive previous experience in highly selective distribution for luxury brands.

Job Description

• Communicate company strategy to board of directors..
• Established 5 year strategic plan for each brand.
• Oversee revenue generation.
• Preside over operations.
• Identify ways to maximize revenue.
• Work with audit committee to prepare budgets.
• Analyze financial reports.
• Ensure company policies and procedures are followed by each department.
• Attract, retain and motivate staff.
• Report and share information with the board to ensure they are kept fully informed on the condition of the organization and important factors influencing it.
• Identify and lead new business opportunities.
• Ensure highly productive relationships and partnerships for the benefit of the organization.
• Sets goal, monitor work, and evaluate results to ensure that departmental and organizational objectives and operating requirements are met and are in line with the needs and mission of the organization. Leads the brand’s market development across all international regions, with focus on:
  • Synthesizing and articulating needs of the regions in a compelling way for the full brand leadership team
  • Assuring commercial execution of the brand strategy in all regions including driving the business, achieving annual targets, protecting and enhancing brand positioning globally
  • Leading seamless adoption of the global sales and marketing strategy within the regions
• Works closely to Finance to allocate resources properly and manage budgets
• Creates consistency and regional relevancy in the areas of global education and events
• Reorganized 8 employee positions across all departments including Marketing, Sales, International, Operations, Finance Departments to be aligned with the new Strategic plan.
• Overhauled Company’s supply chain.
• Developed and implemented several new processes including a new budget process, a new financial reporting package with a revised chart of accounts, a new costing and forecasting process.
• Builds management talent by recruiting, evaluating, developing and helping to advance regional managers
• Coaches management to be able to execute brand positioning and lead each region
• Created and implemented vision for retail customer experience, including merchandising and service model
• Restructured Retail and Professional sales teams. Created critical new functions including Training and Education, Sales Planning and Analytics and Customer Service.
• Built organization and infrastructure for long-term growth. Instituted new processes to increase capacity for operational excellence. Implemented new IT systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Human Resources:

• hiring local teams to manage the day-to-day business,
• working with local counsel to learn the local HR implications for building and maintaining a team.

Product Development with Founder:

• Lead team in analyzing the corporation’s portfolio of products against the local market to determine which products would sell.
• Then directing Marketing, Sales, and our Manufacturers to ensure a steady product pipeline.

Requirements

• Strong background in niche fragrance, selective distribution and/or luxury goods.
• Global experience/experience managing global teams a must
• Strong leadership qualities
• Global citizen, cultural appreciation
• Can turn ideas into workable plans
• Proficient in conveying ownership of assigned projects to team members
• Expertise in solving conflict, superb problem solving capabilities
• Can empower and motivate teams
• Can work independently
• Excellent oral and written business communication skills
• Aptitude for financial analysis
• Can complete challenging projects within set parameters
• Exceptional judgment when working with team members, client contacts and vendors
• Can successfully sell additional services or negotiate additional funding for projects
• Adeptness in showing commitment and dedication to the agency’s success as well as individual career
• Previous strategic, consumer and applied marketing experience required.
• Excellent communication, organizational, creative, strategic and self-motivation skills
• Experience in managing and developing a team, flexibility with managing global teams
• Appreciated previous experience: Chanel, Christian Dior, Clarins, Estee Lauder, Givenchy, Guerlain, Kenzo, LVMH, Puig, Roger & Gallet, YSL, Chanel, Annick Goutal, Arquiste, BYREDO, Christopher Brosius, Clive Christian, Creed, The Different Company, diptyque, D.S. and Durga, Frederic Malle, Jo Malone, Joya Studio, Juniper Ridge, Le Labo, Maison Francis Kurkdijan, Odin, Penhaligon’s, Ramón Monegal, Xerjoff
• Appreciated previous titles: CEO, Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director, General Manager, VP, Vice-President