Business Manager in London

Your role in a nutshell

We are recruiting a permanent Business Manager to be based at our global HQ at London Bridge or Watersmead, Littlehampton (hybrid working). The successful candidate will manage the relationship between The Body Shop International and Head Franchisees in the highly significant Middle East & Africa region, to drive sustainable, profitable, and strategic growth.

Working with the Franchise Commercial team, Global and other regions to develop The Body Shop franchise management best-practices, and to ensure franchisee needs are appropriately considered when making critical business decisions.

You will ensure the brand is protected by compliance to TBS guidelines and to maximise profit by working with franchisees to identify and implement initiatives in line with the global strategy to drive retail and wholesale sales.

More about the role

• Lead accountability within TBS for the profitability and growth of assigned franchise markets, including ensuring the achievement of wholesale purchase plans from the markets, through providing value-add ongoing support and performance management.
• Responsible for working with Franchisees/General Managers of markets in the region to maximise profitability, total business, retail, and wholesale sales.
• Work with markets to develop annual and renewal business plans, assisting in completion, reviewing, and feeding back on priorities and initiatives, in line with the TBSI strategy.
• Spend time in the markets driving, collaborating, and advising key programs to assist franchisees to achieve business targets and best operational execution.
• Gather and review up-to-date statistical data including competitor’s performance for sound decision making.
• Co-ordinate with Commercial and Supply Chain on product and stock issues in relation to quality, pricing, and training, to meet Franchisees’ needs.
• Review retail performance KPI’s, wholesale value, margin and recommend tactical activity to deliver budgets.
• Ensure implementation of category plans, NPDs and Global marketing initiatives.
• Identify and address the opportunities in each market to drive additional retail and wholesale sales, through campaign management and development of market specific value offers and incentives, working with Marketing, Commercial, Digital, Supply Chain and Operations Teams.
• To be the focal point of contact between the franchisees and the International Head Franchise team to ensure continuous support and communications on all issues.
• Identify and transfer best practices between markets and Global Teams.
• Provide feedback and work with Commercial and Global HF Marketing team on category strategy, product opportunities, new product development, pricing reviews, VM, training and CRM.
• Utilise market data such as retail sales, wholesale sales, trends, charts, sales mix, top sellers, wholesale data, margin reports and so forth to drive business performance.
• Complete weekly and monthly performance narratives, and any ad hoc reports.
• Introduce where possible new initiatives / best practice on business management

What we look for

• Retail operations experience essential, ideally in multi store environments
• Multi-channel experience desirable
• Experience of managing franchisees (desirable), markets or regions, including co-ordination and managing consistency of execution, increasing sales and managing performance
• Experience of working in the cosmetics and toiletries industry
• Good knowledge of store operations and P&L
• Experience working in an international environment across different cultures (desirable)
• Drive, determination, and a high energy level

Benefits

That’s a lot to ask for – so in return we offer

* a 6% contributory pension plan (that rises with loyalty)

* 23 days holiday plus bank holidays - time to refresh and recharge (you can buy/sell holiday)

* 1 Self Love Day – An extra day off per year to recharge and focus on what you love to do most

* 3 additional days a year to volunteer in the local community to support the causes you feel most passionate about

* Discretionary bonus scheme

* LOVE Money – Money from us to spend on YOUR wellbeing - pamper yourself on us. Every year.

* 50% employee discount on our products and access to sample sales

* Access to Perks at Work, our online shopping channel with exclusive deals & discounts

* Access to our Nourish platform, where you have access at certain times of the year to fantastic benefits such as; Buying/Selling holiday, Pension Top Up, Private Medical Insurance options, Green Car Benefits, Cycle To Work scheme, Techscheme, On site nursery (for Littlehampton colleagues), and much more!

* Life Assurance

* EAP (Employee Assistance Program) –  We work with experts to support you on all aspects of your Wellbeing: Physical, Mental and Financial.

* AND - we have also implemented Hybrid working into our HQ’s in London Bridge and Littlehampton, West Sussex, where our teams spend 4 days a fortnight.

If you are excited by all that - you might just be the sort of person we need to help us make the impactful change the world needs within a business that invented the culture of ‘joyful collective' and everything that means and stands for.

The Body Shop

When Anita Roddick founded The Body Shop in 1976, she had a vision. Business as a force for good – that’s us. Over 40 years later, we’re proud to be pioneering cruelty-free beauty every step of the way. We’re the original ethical beauty brand. We’ve got a thing for empowering people and enriching our planet. We’re all about keeping it real, in every way possible. Our activist roots remain a huge part of everything we do, from our iconic window posters to our vegetarian products to our infamous campaigns. We’re never afraid to stand up and speak the truth. We like to do things a little differently around here. 

The Body Shop, along with Natura, is part of Natura & Co, a global, multi-channel and multi-brand cosmetics group that is committed to generating positive economic, social and environmental impact. Group owner Natura is Brazil's number one cosmetics manufacturer. Sustainable development has been the company's guiding principle since it was founded in 1969. In fact, this is an incredibly exciting time for The Body Shop. We’re fighting for what we believe in now more than ever. No holding back. Breaking the mould has always come naturally to us, and we need someone who’s not afraid to mix things up. 

Diversity Statement

At The Body Shop, we firmly believe that equality is a human right and that all people should have an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams and aspirations. We are committed to attracting, developing, and retaining the very best people by offering a creative and inclusive workplace where talent is recognized. We value diversity and consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. We are proud to have a number of different active employee inclusion networks that serve not just as catalysts for change, but also to build a spirit of diversity, equality, inclusivity, and provide safe supportive spaces for engagement and solidarity for members of these communities. The Body Shop is also committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request a reasonable accommodation, please let us know in your application.